Guidepost is an initiative started by Gateshead Council, utilising trained council staff and partly funded by Gateshead Council. Guidepost work in partnership with many other relevant agencies, including Gateshead People, Your Voice Counts, Community Health Team, Citizens Advice Bureau and the Learning Disability Partnership Board. To date, Guidepost has three drop in locations up and running, one in Gateshead, one in Blaydon and one in Rowlands Gill. Blaydon Guidepost has now been open for two years now and continues to attract new visitors on a regular basis. Since Guidepost opened, we have been happy to meet lots of people who we have been able to supporting their lives; day to day things, looking at education, seeking employment, meeting new friends, assisting with benefit claims etc. The people using our service are people who are not receiving a service from anywhere else, and through Guidepost, have been able to access many local amenities and achieve personal needs and wishes.

Session Time Friday 9.30 - 3.30

Steve McKay (Guidepost Facilitator)

The Wishing-well Wednesday Group The group started in May 2010, the aim of the group is to support women in their local community who have felt isolated to develop their confidence, self esteem and social skills. The groups weekly membership is very good and the women are aged from eighteen to sixty years old. The group meets every Wednesday from 1-3pm and they pay a small sub of 50p which covers their refreshments and craft materials. The women are from a variety of different backgrounds but they all have one thing in common, that all want to be re-integrated back into their local community. Over the past year the group has participated in lots of different activities including, a Christmas lunch, cooking, sewing, knitting, relaxation and health sessions including holistic well-being sessions, walking, and confidence building, first aid, health and safety, risk assessment, food hygiene, NVQ Health and Social Care Level 2, Alcohol Brief Intervention and Drug Awareness. Small projects and networking have included the group participating in a four week music taster sessions with Gamelan at Play resulting in the women performing their own music composition at the GONG Festival at the Gateshead Sage, another project was a six weeks art and photography project with the SHED Gateshead, titled “Let me tell you a story” which was about childhood memories. One women from the group was involved in helping younger women with ITV Fixers which looked at body image and confidence. Several women went to see the play Blue Giro, a local play about local women and domestic abuse then went onto do a 12 week Domestic Abuse course. The group also had the opportunity to attend several meetings including LINK Mental Health conference at the Whickham Gibside, a local Involvement meeting at Drydon Road and volunteering at Gibside Hall helping tidy up the garden area. The group have just finished having their annual meeting to see what they want to do next. Their plans including a walk leaders course, further health and educational sessions and fund raising to develop their group on. The group are also going to work with WING outdoor activities and the Gateshead Health Trainers looking at women specific issues.

Session Time Wednesday 1.30 - 3.30

Wendy Lawton(Volunteer)