What does mental health mean to you?
The Discovery Project is a partnership initiative from Dorset HealthCare and Dorset Mental Health Forum. In The Discovery Project we combine the expertise of NHS healthcare professionals, the lived experience of peer specialists and the voice of young people to create spaces to explore and share what mental health, recovery, and wellbeing means by looking at what matters to you.
We’re not a clinical intervention. Our project works across the whole of Dorset with schools, charities, and a wide variety of organisations to create an offer for young people (13-25) and their parents/carers.
What we offer
Discovery Profiles - A chance to discuss what path your discovery journey might take.
A Large Programme of Topics - Learning, Exploring and Understanding Mental Health. From Worksheets to Workshops, and everything in between.
Discovery Podcasts
YP Community - Have your say, share your thoughts. This is where young people say what matters most to them and what would be useful for the project to do.
The Book Of Oofs - An advice booklet made by young people from the Quay School.
And plenty more...
As a project we’re always evolving. Doing that means we have young people’s voices right at the heart of our project.
As a Project we’re always evolving. Doing that means we have Young People’s voices right at the heart of our project.Want to get involved?
If you have any questions or want to find out more send us an email.
The Project has four strategic goals:
| Facilitate Young Person participation by amplifying voice across services | Support Young People with personal development e.g. learning Mental Health skills etc | Facilitate organisational transformation including staff training and support | Develop Peer Development pathways for intentional use of Lived-Experience in employed posts |
Listen to all the episodes of the Discovery project podcast here.
Here are some of our worksheets that you may find useful:
The 5 Fs - Responses to Stress
Comfort Zones / Comfort Zones Example Sheet
Where do I feel my Emotions? / Where do I feel my Emotions Example Sheet
Window of Tolerance
The Discovery Project spent a term working with students from The Quay School in Poole. An NHS nurse, a peer specialist with lived experience of mental health, and a group of students worked together to discuss some of the ways that mental health can be affected by life and understand why this happens and how to develop skills to help manage this.
The students then developed a handbook to give to adults to help them understand how Young People feel and how they can best be supported.