Charity seeks donations to create network of walk-in mental health support hubs

A mental health charity is planning to create Scotland’s first network of walk-in mental health support hubs, called the Nook, to provide a place where the public can get help fast.

Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) will open its first Nook in Glasgow in the autumn of this year, providing barrier-free access to mental health support, with further hubs set to follow in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverclyde and Lanarkshire.

The initiative will create a network of mental health support across the country, with each Nook able to provide an extensive outreach programme to help people in surrounding areas too.

To aid the initiative, SAMH is holding its first major appeal to the public for donations, with a target of £10 million to fund the hubs for three years.

SAMH’s announcement coincides with the charity’s new four-year plan, Taking Action, Creating Change, which was also unveiled this week.

Chief executive Billy Watson said: “We believe people with mental health problems should be able to ask once and get help fast, so we’re taking action to make that a reality.

“The Nook is the most ambitious thing we’ve ever done. We believe it will revolutionise mental health support in Scotland – and inspire collective action to change the system in the longer term.

“The most important aspect of the Nook is the delivery of effective, compassionate and person-centred mental health support that empowers people to improve their wellbeing and manage their mental health challenges.

“We need public support to help make this happen – and we can open more Nooks in more communities with more support.”

We have waited long enough for government and other bodies to solve this problem. It’s time to take action, it’s time to create change, and that’s what the Nook is all about

Shona Littlejohn, chairwoman of SAMH, said: “Scotland is in a mental health crisis. We have waited long enough for investment in better community mental health support. People are sitting on waiting lists, unable to access the help they need, while too many of our young people are rejected from support.

“Something has to change. We are a trusted provider of mental health support and we are ready to take action. By creating our first Nook in Glasgow, we will create the change we believe is needed to help the many thousands of people experiencing mental health problems in Scotland.

“We have waited long enough for government and other bodies to solve this problem. It’s time to take action, it’s time to create change, and that’s what the Nook is all about.”

Donations to the initiative can be made on SAMH’s website at samh.org.uk/nook.