Where safe meets my place
Never really till now have I thought of the term ‘Safe Space’, or what it really means to me as an individual. But the more I think about it the more it becomes real. My home is not a safe space right now, but there is one place I attend twice a week, that is my bolt hole and that is Designs in Mind. Coming in from the hustle bustle of the street to studio, it’s there where it often happens; When I turn into the yard and through the door, it’s as though the world can’t reac
Listen and Connect
Something new is brewing at Designs in Mind, something we have not done before. It is early days, and with most things here we experiment, keep talking and make changes when we need to. Lives are complex, in the studio people are often talking about the constant questioning, demands, pressures from people and organisations that are supposed to make life better? Housing, Health, Benefits, Education, Employment make life complicated. We are a making and design studio, operating
I am determined
I am not sure where to start on this, maybe some details- I have 2 children aged 7 and 4, a full time job, I am a Shropshire Councillor and my husband works away 5 days a week. I also suffer from depression and anxiety for which I take fluoxetine. The medication means that everyday tasks, such as brushing my teeth and getting the little darlings ready for school are less overwhelming. What most people don't understand is the sheer enormity of leaving the house to do the schoo
What is a Safe Space?
"When The Project Group (now Designs in Mind) started (within NHS mental health daycare) the concept of a 'safe space' wasn't fashionable or described. I think safety was thought about in terms of physical safety... 'Were the hot hospital dinners delivered in tins at the right temperature ?' 'Was all the food in the cupboard 'in date' 'Were folks safely herded across the road' 'Was erratic behaviour nicely controlled by staff' Respect for the individual, the right to be hear
