Changes Bristol is a Bristol-based charity that provides peer support groups at various locations all over the city, as well as online support groups, walk and talks and an outdoor wellbeing project. We also offer a one-to-one telephone befriending service for those who may not feel comfortable attending in-person events. We feel that it is important for mental health services to be accessible to all, no matter the circumstances. Changes does not operate based on referrals, our services and groups are open to all and make people feel heard, understood and supported at times and locations most convenient to them.
 
"Our weekly groups are a friendly and welcoming space for people to give and receive peer support, where the floor is open for members to talk about their mental health and to receive encouraging feedback from their peers and trained group facilitators. Within these, we hold four online peer support groups which we have categorised as protected groups - our Women's, Men's, Women of Colour and LGBTQIA+ groups. These are open to anybody identifying as part of the community that the group serves and provide an essential safe, judgement free space for these groups to explore their mental health. We have also recently opened an in person Men of Colour group with the same purpose.

Within these weekly groups, members bring forward any information at all that they would like to share and receive feedback for. Often, our members will talk about how their week has been, any difficulties they have faced, and any positive developments that have occurred. They then have the chance to set a goal for the next week, and work through a ‘module’ where a topic of conversation (surrounding mental health or mindfulness) is set, and open discussion of the topic is encouraged. While our groups are informal, they are structured so that everyone gets an equal chance to speak, respond and receive positive reinforcement from others.  

As well as our groups, we provide less structured peer support through the forms of our ‘Walk and Talk’ and our ‘Keep Going Keep Growing’ services. Walk and Talk provides an amazing opportunity for people to connect with each other and with nature at beautiful outdoor locations around Bristol. Similarly, Keep Going Keep Growing offers the chance to do gardening and nature-based arts and crafts to promote the importance of connecting with the natural world for our mental health.
 
Finally, our telephone befriending service matches members who are feeling lonely or isolated with a trained volunteer for a weekly informal phone call. These calls last up to an hour for a 6 month period. This is a great way for people who are unable to leave the house or cannot use our online groups to access support.


Although we are not a crisis line or a formal form of therapy, our support services are completely confidential, safe and non-judgemental. They create spaces where people can connect, offload their personal struggles, and feel supported by one another."