Everyone needs a bit of encouragement sometimes and 19 members from ACCI and surrounding communities in Wolverhampton got just that when they participated in ACCI’s recent three month empowerment programme. Dubbed, ‘Believe to Achieve’, the programme was funded by the European Social Fund and organised by ACCI’s in-house activities coordinators.
Candeece Harvey, one of the coordinators, said, “It was amazing to see the transformation in many of our members at the end of the process. People, who at beginning, were very introverted and participated very little in the sessions, began to speak out confidently and many were better able to articulate their hopes and dreams for the future.”
The aim of the Believe to Achieve programme was to inspire attendants to overcome limiting beliefs and mind sets and to take steps towards achieving whatever goals they had. A variety of speakers were invited to give presentations on topics including goal setting, effective communication, motivation, self appreciation, positive affirmations and the power of thoughts.
Believe to Achieve also included a number of short physical exercise sessions which were designed to incorporate the aims of the overall programme and to emphasise the importance of physical exercise to all spheres of wellbeing. Computer classes were included as well for those wanting to improve IT skills at all levels.
The programme concluded with an awards ceremony that was hosted in ACCI’s Wellness Hub. In addressing the achievers at the event, Director of Services for ACCI, Alicia Spence, said, “What the mind can conceive it can achieve, so in spite of the challenges and stigma of mental illness they can achieve not just recovery but restoration. As there is life after mental illness, this program should inspire them to go forward.”
Participants have been asking for more of these sessions and we are hoping to organise additional ones in the future.”
