More than 3,000 people have accessed free support in the first six months of The Nook – a walk-in mental health hub that is due to open its doors in Aberdeen this summer.
The Nook from SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) launched in Glasgow on 23 October last year, offering compassionate, non-clinical mental health support and information to young people, families and adults without the need for an appointment or referral.
Opening at Marischal Square, The Nook in Aberdeen will be the second location in a groundbreaking national network of free-to-access mental health and wellbeing hubs.
The Nook will also be accompanied by an outreach programme designed to bring vital support directly into the heart of communities across Aberdeen.
In Glasgow, The Nook team have already completed close to 2,200 one-to-one support sessions, with the most common mental health concerns including low mood, feeling anxious and seeking ways to support wellbeing.
The team have supported visitors from 22 of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas, indicating nation-wide demand and a need to travel to access vital support.
Jill Ferguson, from Partick, has experienced mental health challenges since primary school, where childhood epilepsy and undiagnosed autism made it harder to learn and integrate. Describing The Nook as a ‘haven’, she said:
“My differences and disabilities meant I was badly bullied at school and in turn I bullied my siblings at home, that led to me attending child psychology and, later, adolescent psychiatry.
“I felt isolated and alone with nowhere to turn. I was unable to cope and with little or no support. I felt my life had no sense of direction.
“When I first met the team at The Nook, it was like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, or a light had been turned on. I suddenly felt heard and understood, without being judged or dismissed.
“The team at The Nook provided a listening service, compassion, and understanding that I felt had been missing from other providers and my GP.
“The Nook is a haven in which you feel at home. With its open space, calmness, comforting, colourful design, and welcoming staff.
“They’re understanding and patient in listening to my feelings which makes me feel better understood.”
The Nook receives no public funding and is the largest charitable mental health initiative in Scotland’s history.
But SAMH hopes The Nook will revolutionise mental health support in Scotland. In the run-up to the Scottish Parliament election on Thursday 7 May, four of the major political parties have pledged to roll out a network of walk-in services based on The Nook.
Support available at The Nook includes one-to-one sessions exploring tools and coping strategies for managing mental health, as well as self-help sessions, access to information and resources, and group therapeutic wellbeing activities.
Community plays a huge role in The Nook, which was specifically designed to be flexible to meet different people’s needs.
Billy Watson
More than 500 people have attended free events at The Nook, in partnership with dozens of local organisations, which range from peer support groups and physical activities to arts and crafts sessions and language learning classes.
The weekly ‘walk and talk’ is proving particularly popular, with 100% of people who provided feedback saying they find the walks enjoyable and The Nook welcoming.
Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH, said: “The Nook is our response to Scotland’s mental health crisis. It’s a place where anyone can ask once and get help fast. And the response we’ve had so far demonstrates how much this kind of accessible, community-based mental health support is needed.
“In these first six months, our team at The Nook have positively impacted thousands of people’s lives, in Glasgow and beyond, welcoming visitors from a huge variety of backgrounds seeking support for themselves or for loved ones.
“People should not be left waiting for help with their mental health worsening while they wait – they can come here and feel safe and supported. We are already looking forward to bringing The Nook into more communities across the country.”
The Nook is set to launch in Aberdeen this summer, followed by Edinburgh in the new year.
Learn more about The Nook: samh.org.uk/the-nook