Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

This year, we are celebrating Community for Mental Health Awareness Week. 

Being part of a safe, positive community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. We thrive when we have strong connections with other people and supportive communities remind us, we are not alone.

There are many different groups and communities in Doncaster which you can get involved in. Ranging from peer-to-peer groups for long-term health conditions to local community led walking groups helping to support both physical and mental health. 

You can visit the Your Life Doncaster Directory, which will show you the range of different groups available across the city and within your local area.

We have lots of different mental health support services in Doncaster which are designed to support our residents as they feel works best for them. One of these ways is the 1:1 coaching service provided by Be Well Doncaster. You can access this service for help with anything that makes it hard for you to live well, particularly for mental health, if you are experiencing low mood or anxiety.

You will be assigned a health coach who will be able to support and guide you to manage your mental health through behaviour changes such as sleep, stress and nutrition. To complete the coaching, six sessions will be made up of focusing on what works best for you, sharing ideas and plans, leading towards taking the right steps to a happier, healthier life.

A Doncaster resident who lived with anxiety and struggled with their self-esteem, accessed the 1:1 coaching support. It was identified that there were a number of unhealthy lifestyle factors and issues outside of their control that were contributing to this. During the sessions, the coach focused on the goal setting process and implementing small manageable changes to their diet. For example: cutting down on sugar in tea and increasing water consumption. This was combined with an instruction to explore healthier options for the meals they’ve been missing.

Further conversations went on to discuss their hobbies they had been neglecting such as cross-stitch and reading, whilst also suggesting trying out new experiences like walking. After doing this they felt as though they had a clearer mind and better able to manage their days.

As a result of health and wellbeing coaching, the resident was able to highlight a number of areas in which they wanted to make changes. They were also given the space to discuss other problems they were experiencing, while continuing to focus on lifestyle factors that were having an impact on their overall wellbeing.

If you think you would benefit from the 1:1 coaching provided by Be Well, then you can complete the coaching referral form to be connected to a coach.  

Also available are free training courses for anyone living, working or volunteering in Doncaster for Suicide Prevention Training and for Parents support on the physical and mental wellbeing of your child/young person.

NHS Talking Therapies

Doncaster Talking therapies is part of the Doncaster, Rotherham and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) and provides free, effective, confidential treatment for anyone over the age of 18, who is struggling with common signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

Jemma Holden, a Doncaster woman, has struggled with her mental health for over half her life, has embarked on a new career path to help other people with their wellbeing, since self-referring into Doncaster’s Talking Therapies. 

Watch Jemma's story on how Doncaster Talking Therapies helped her get back into work and manage her mental health. 

Personalised Employment Support

The Advance Employment Hub supports Doncaster residents with health and mental health challenges to thrive in the workplace. The team provides personalised support tailored to your needs as well as working with community partners to provide skills, training, confidence and help overcome challenges.

“The thing that held me back from finding work was my ADHD and lack of support. So having the level of support I had from the Advance Employment Hub was really important. They really care. Luke, Doncaster.

Whether you're in work already or looking to get into a role, change career, start a new business or looking into apprenticeships and training, get in touch with the friendly team to learn more about the wide range of employment support available to you.