With the aim of raising further awareness on mental health and to familiarise the public with the issue of mental health services in the community, the Richmond foundation’s Villa Chelsea has been holding an open weekend, which wraps up this evening.
The open house, which is being held today between 9am to 8pm, also commemorates the 10th anniversary of the opening of Villa Chelsea in May 1996.
The event is also a means of raising essential funds for the Foundation – a non-governmental, non-profit organisation.
Villa Chelsea provides residential and community-based care for those suffering from mental illnesses and aims to help users learn, or relearn, the skills needed to live an independent, active life in the community. Such skills range from mundane tasks such as cooking and cleaning, to higher level skills such as problem-solving, budgeting and social skills.
Speaking at the event’s opening on Friday afternoon, Richmond Foundation chief executive officer Doris Gauci explained that since the foundation is an NGO, it receives a certain amount of funding from the government but has to meet the rest of its needs through fundraising activities.
“Fundraising is always challenging, given the stigma that exists as regards the mentally ill,” she comments. “There are a number of ‘sexier’ causes that seem to attract more funding than mental health. The open weekend is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness on mental health problems, while at the same time raising awareness through visitors meeting the users of the service and the dedicated staff.”
A bazaar with baked goods as well as a wide range of other small buys has also been set up at the open house.
Meeting residents at Villa Chelsea on Friday, one could hardly believe any stigma whatsoever exists when it comes to the mentally challenged, and the public is strongly urged to pay a visit to the premises this weekend so as to put a face to a problem that much of the public shuns for lack of understanding.
Speaking on Friday at Villa Chelsea, Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina congratulated the Richmond Foundation on 10 years of sterling community service, citing it as the perfect example of how an NGO should operate, while also commending its strong vision for community care.
Ms Cristina also referred to the degree of stigma related to the mentally ill, but also cited the fact that the incidence has decreased substantially over the years. She urged the public to support the work of the Foundation, not only financially but also in the form of volunteering their time.
Referring to the EU Green paper on mental health to be published in the near future, Ms Cristina augured that it would bring the issue of mental health to the fore of the European and national agenda.
Malta’s Health Division is expected to deliver new terms of reference to the mental health commission in the near future, while a national action plan on mental health is also in the pipeline.