Could our Ongo Talk service help you?

One to one counselling, life coaching and talking support groups are all available as part of our mental health support service, Ongo Talk.

This service, which is free to those living within the CLLD (Community Led Local Development) area has been busier than ever through throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Since lockdown begun on 23 March this year, 140 clients have been supported with regular check in calls, the offer of one to one counselling and mindfulness training.

Nichola Johnson, Ongo Talk Manager, said: “We’ve been busier than ever this year, which is understandable given the circumstances and many people struggling with their mental health and wellbeing during this time.

“We’re managing the demand by working longer hours when required, doing everything we can to make sure our clients feel supported, and that have a place to turn in crisis. We’ve taken on additional staff to meet the demand and also have 16 volunteer counsellors. We’re also working with the crisis team in Scunthorpe and our local police.

“At times our calls were the only call’s people received on a weekly basis, so we know how crucial this service is to many people, and we’re pleased we have somewhere people are able to reach out to if they need some extra support.”

The team work with individuals to put together a wellness plan to decide the most appropriate plan of action to support them with their mental health and wellbeing, to ultimately support them back into employment if they have been struggling to find work.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach with Ongo Talk, and taking this approach has seen many positive outcomes including clients being able to open up to work through the problems they face, pushing forward through barriers to achieve their goals. This has included things such as enrolling in higher education study, applying for jobs and having self-belief.  

We still have spaces to offer support to those that need it, you can find out more by visiting the Ongo Talk section of our website.

Additional info

You can check whether you are eligible to receive this service free of charge by using the post code checker here to see if you live within the CLLD area.

If you do not live within the CLLD area, you can still access the service for a fee. You can find out more on the website, and how to get in touch for further information and to sign up.