Case Study Archives - Touchstone

Employment success – a story of a second chance through ETE support

Second chances don’t come along very often, especially if you are stigmatised by an offending history. Sometimes you need to believe in yourself before you can expect an employer to believe in you. Touchstone’s West Yorkshire Finding Independence (WYFI) project had been working with people who experience multiple and complex needs, including those who have been through the justice system, to gain the skills and the self-belief to get back

2020-09-15T14:10:34+01:0015th September 2020|Blog, Case Study, Complex Needs|

LGBT History Month – Vicky Beeching

Victoria Louise "Vicky" Beeching (born 17 July 1979) is an English musician and religious commentator. She is best known for her work in the American contemporary worship music genre, and has been described as "arguably the most influential Christian of her generation" due to of her Twitter following and appearances on BBC's Thought for the Day. Vicky Beeching is an avid blogger, writing on many difficult Christian issues such as

2019-02-22T15:00:49+00:0022nd February 2019|Blog, Case Study, Diversity, Equality and Diversity, LGBT History Month, LGBT*|

International Volunteers Day: 5th December

The Touchstone Volunteers Project is very open, diverse and service user (SU) friendly. Not only do our SU benefit from the contributions of volunteers, but some also take on the role themselves. Volunteers have the opportunity to volunteer in a number of roles across Touchstone and with partner organisations. Some of our volunteers are befrienders for SU's. This has resulted in SU's reporting an increase in attending social activities, a

2020-04-17T11:00:41+01:005th December 2018|Case Study, Community, Events, News, Volunteering|

Connect for Health – finding your prescription for support

Connect for Health Leeds is a social prescribing service delivered by Leeds Mind, in partnership with Touchstone, Hamara, Barca-Leeds, Leeds Irish Health and Homes and Better Leeds Communities. Connect for Health assesses each individual’s needs and takes into account the challenges you are facing, before supporting you to access a personalised selection of local groups and activities which could help you achieve positive mental health. Here are 3 case studies

2018-02-13T09:00:31+00:0013th February 2018|Blog, Case Study, Social Prescribing|

A volunteer's story

What was your situation and background before you became involved with volunteering? I was working as the Exams Officer at a high school in Leeds when I became poorly during 2013. My condition deteriorated and I was admitted to hospital and finally diagnosed in December 2013 with Neuro-sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis is a rare anti-immune disease which is managed with steroids and other medication. Unfortunately I had to sell my house and

2017-06-01T09:00:32+01:001st June 2017|Blog, Case Study, Volunteering|

Better in Kirklees case study

Better in Kirklees is a social prescribing service that uses a holistic approach to support people to be active and involved in their community, keeping people happier, healthier and independent for longer. A bit of background… Lisa is a 68 year old woman from Huddersfield, and was referred to BiK by Fieldhead Surgery. Lisa is a full-time, unpaid carer for her 78 year old uncle and another family member that

2020-04-17T10:25:52+01:0031st January 2017|Blog, Carers, Case Study, Social Prescribing|

East Leeds Health For All case studies

After contacting a service user whom we had not seen for a couple of weeks, we were informed that they had had no heating or hot water for three months (the weather was very cold at the time). The service user was in bed trying to stay warm and had given up. We encouraged the service user to visit the Winter Wellbeing Café; they had symptoms of hypothermia and a severe chest infection. A hot meal and clothing were given and emergency

2016-12-10T16:36:50+00:0010th December 2016|Annual Report, Blog, Case Study|

Better in Kirklees case study

Mrs M is 72 years old and lives in the Cleckheaton area of Kirklees. She recently lost her husband to a long term illness and was a carer for him, in addition to caring for her mother and a friend, both of whom passed away in the space of two years. Before going through bereavement and a difficult time, Mrs M had an active lifestyle; she enjoyed being an active member of the church and going to local social groups

2016-12-09T15:48:12+00:009th December 2016|Annual Report, Blog, Case Study, Social Prescribing|

Robi – Housing Service case study

This is my story. I came to know about Touchstone Housing through a friend. My tenancy in the place where I was living was ending and this caused me a lot of stress and sleepless nights. Then this friend of mine introduced me to Touchstone and she gave me their number. I rang them and they just took me in, this was like a light shining into darkness. I met with this lovely lady who said she was going to

2020-04-17T10:24:31+01:006th December 2016|Annual Report, Blog, Case Study|

Peter's Story – Touchstone's longest standing service user

As Touchstone’s longest standing service user, Peter (who turns 79 this year) agreed to speak to me about his background and how he first came to access our services in Leeds. Following a minor offence as a teenager, Peter found himself having to spend three years at an approved school in Todmorden. Life here was tough, and it was during his third year at the school that Peter attempted to take his own life. (Until 1969 approved schools were institutions modelled on

2020-04-17T10:24:37+01:006th December 2016|Annual Report, Blog, Case Study|