Community mental health support

On this page, you'll find information about community mental health support in your area, including what they offer and how to get involved. Whether you're looking for peer support, a group focused on a specific condition, or a safe space to talk, there's help available.

Mental health 

Look after your mental health provides advice and information on looking after your mental health. 

Rethink North Advocacy hub  can help people to share their views and wishes around mental health to mental health services. 

ANDYSMANCLUB are a men's suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. We want to end the stigma surrounding men's mental health and help men through the power of conversation. ANDYSMANCLUB meets in Horden and Murton, and other venues across the North East - visit  for further details.  

ManHealth provides weekly ongoing peer support services to men across the North East of England. Our sessions are led by men with lived experience and provide hugely valued weekly respite and a safe place for men to discuss how they feel. ManHealth holds weekly sessions in Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor and Stanhope, and other venues across the North East - visit  for further details. 

The Men's Shed has grown into a family - a place of friendship, camaraderie and unflinching support and we welcome new members every week. There's no judgement, no pressure and no obligation. Just a friendly, supportive ear. The Man's Shed meets at Bullion Hall, Chester-le-Street. 

Aspire offers all women 18 years and above a welcoming safe space to feel supported, socialise, gain confidence and skills, raise aspirations and recognise personal goals. They offer a comprehensive range of intergenerational support and wellbeing services from their centre in Chester-le-Street. 

If U Care Share is a service provided by professionals who have personal experience with suicide, offering a safe environment to express your feelings and emotions. They provide a bespoke service for both adults and children from the age of six years old. If U Care Share offer community sessions and drop in session at Holyoake's Community Centre and Chester-le-Street Rowing Club. 

Physical health, fitness and wellbeing 

Leisure and culture offer a range of information from enjoying the outdoors, physical fitness and volunteering. Including free community activities such as walking groups. 

Wellbeing for Life Our free service aims to empower you - to tell us what's important to you, and to support you to make choices that will benefit you and your life. We offer a range of one to one and group support services. 

Bullion Hall provides activities and services that have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of local people, increasing opportunity, promoting social inclusion and community cohesion. Activities include mental health support groups and wellbeing activities.

St Cuthbert's Hospice offer a Hospice Hub Coffee Morning providing a warm and welcoming place to listen and share your thoughts and feelings. 

Pelton Community Centre offers a range of activities and groups, including activities for children and young people. 

Beamish Museum offer support for people who are social isolated, needing support with their mental health or living with dementia. The museum host's a range of groups at our purpose built building in Beamish Museum, including walking group, mens group, music and movement and clay workshops. 

Cornerstones is part of the Methodist Church in Chester-le-Street, activities including a broad range of educational, training, recreational, and social opportunities that cater to all ages and abilities. View the website for activities.

Durham Police and Crime Commissioner's Office Community peer mentors provide support no matter what the circumstances. We support those affected by significant life changing events across County Durham to empower change, reduce vulnerability and provide a voice for the unheard, thereby reducing demand. This support is not time limited and is bespoke to the individual. 

Volunteering can be a great way to gain new skills and experience. Volunteering can support your own wellbeing as well as make a real difference to you local community. 

Young people and families 

Help for families - your virtual Family Hub support families from pregnancy right up until your child turns 19 years, or 25 years if they have special educational needs and disabilities. The Family Hubs Team includes people from the council, NHS, community organisations and more. We can support you with everything to do with family life, we're here to make a positive difference for all families. 

Investing in Children work with young people and organisations to offer services to children and young people and support young people to have a voice. They run groups that link to services or topics you care about.

Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide is the UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people. 

Growing Healthy County Durham We are low level early intervention and prevention team that work with children, young people and families who may require some support regulating emotions.

 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) offer information and support for children and young people's mental health. 

Help with your money 

Help with your money provides information on where to get help with your money, including family finances, household bills, housing, benefits and debt. 

Age UK  team provide free and impartial advice and information on benefit checks, disability benefits, lasting power of attorney, financial capability, money, tax and legal topics. Age UK also offer advice and information on health, community care, housing, transport, leisure and education. 

Citizens Advice County Durham: get help  provide free, confidential and impartial advice with whatever problem you may be facing. People come to us with all sorts of issues. You may have money, benefit, housing or employment problems. You may be facing a crisis, or just considering your options. 

Community Money Advice County Durham offer a free, non-judgemental, confidential service for anyone struggling with financial issues, debt or managing their money. They offer appointments in person at a number of foodbank centres across the County Durham. They can also advise by telephone, email, post or video link.

Money Helper offers confidential and impartial advice online, by phone or face to face, with a free debt advice locator tool. Including information on benefits, family, homes, money troubles, pensions and saving. 

Relationships

Family relationships support for family relationships is needed for many different reasons. As well as advice for your situation, we provide advice around housing, money, benefits, health and how to keep your family safe. The 'Relationships Matter' programme can give you free support and space to talk about your relationship and how family disagreements can impact on your child. 

Housing support when your relationship has broken down help and support to understand your housing rights and know what to do if your relationship ends. 

Support for people affected by domestic abuse If you are worried about your own relationship, frightened of someone close to you or would like to change your own behaviour, there is help available. 

Employment 

Employability Durham - support to plan for your future specialise in helping people to get the best out of their lives. For some people that might be starting a new job or doing some training, for others, work might seem a very long way away. Employability Durham can help with things like confidence building, getting out of the house, making new friends and starting to think about what your future might hold. 

DurhamWorks team is made up of professionals who help and support young people, providing them with careers information, advice, and guidance. They work in local communities across County Durham and can visit you and your families in your home, if required. 

Job support if you have a disability or mental health condition (DurhamEnable) is a supported employment service to help residents aged 18 years or over who have a disability, autism, mental health needs, or other long term health conditions and have faced barriers getting into work. 

Housing 

Housing offers information on applying to rent, help to avoid homeless, improvements for your home, housing benefit and more. 

Health Squad provides health and wellbeing advice and health screening in community venues and mobile locations for vulnerable groups who are at risk of significant physical and mental health issues. 

County Durham Resilience Service which aims to build resilience within communities in County Durham. This includes; where people feel lonely and isolated, and have experienced mental health difficulties. 

Drugs and alcohol

Drugs and alcohol support page provides information, advice and how to get support.

Carers support 

Durham County Carers Support  provide services to unpaid carers offering a wide range of specialist information and advice as well as access to practical help. 

Refugee and Asylum seekers

Asylum support as an asylum seeker you can ask for support with somewhere to live, a cash allowance, or both.