Self-Management Project in Wales

From 2009 to 2012 we developed, delivered and evaluated a range of self-management interventions for people with severe psychiatric diagnoses. The project was funded by the Big Lottery Fund Cymru and was run from our office in Newport, South Wales.

The Foundation worked in partnership with MDF, the Bipolar Organisation and Cardiff University as part of a wider group of projects with lottery funding. The project started in January 2009 and ran until 2012.

We ran 60 courses at venues across Wales and reached hundreds people with a range of diagnoses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and personality disorders.

We are also developing peer support networks for all course participants, and hope to follow their progress over the months and years ahead.

This is the first initiative of its kind, on a scale not seen within the UK. Self-management techniques have been pioneered in a range of long term physical health conditions, and MDF have developed courses for people with bipolar disorder.

We will be building on this experience to develop evidence based practice that will be applicable to people with a range of severe psychiatric diagnoses.