‘Community’ is the theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Whether it’s our geographical location, our faith, values or interests, being part of a community is important for our mental health and wellbeing. Having strong connections with others helps us thrive, and people who are more socially connected to family, friends, or their community are happier, physically healthier, and live longer, with fewer mental health problems. Communities can provide us with a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and give us purpose.

As part of JMW’s continued support of the Spinal Injuries Association, I’m fortunate to attend many of the local community support groups the charity organise and see first-hand how these groups have helped support countless disabled people and their friends and family. SIA’s community groups are informal, relaxed spaces for those affected by spinal cord injury (relatives often attend with and without their injured spouse/siblings/parent/child) to connect with other spinal cord injured people. Experiencing something as life-changing as a spinal cord injury is extremely traumatic, and despite best efforts from friends, family and clinicians, it’s only those that have been through similar experiences who can truly understand and empathise.

It’s not always easy joining a group when you’re the ‘newbie’, especially when there’s a good chance that catastrophic injury has stripped you of your self-confidence and dented your self-esteem. The sense of connection through shared experience is a vital component of SIA’s community groups, helping to create immediate common ground that enables people to build rapport. It’s not uncommon for strangers at the start of a group meeting to be best buddies by the end of it.

I often contemplate who these communities were set up to help. Was it the newly injured person who was struggling to adjust to life with a spinal injury? Where the community could offer an insight into living with a disability, the reassurance that life does get better/easier/more fulfilling, and the advice/information that years of experience provides. Or was it for the person who is further down the line and due to a lack of social connections via family/friends/work craves the social interaction and sense of belonging that these communities provide.

The beauty of these community groups is that they serve both needs and others beyond them. For the newly injured, an insight into living with injury can be invaluable. Very few have prior experience of disability and seeing what is achievable from positive role models can help inspire and motivate to raise goals and aspirations. The encouragement of others, celebrating achievements, both big and small, helps boost confidence and self-esteem. Solace can be found in the reassurance that barriers can be overcome and that difficult times are temporary, and a wealth of practical information tapped into that can be difficult to find in the labyrinthine-world of disability.

For those with a longer-standing injury, they face a greater risk of social isolation. Disabled people are less likely to be employment, and despite improving accessibility with regards to public services/transport, it is still too often the case that many disabled people rely on close friends and family to provide access to the community, and with it, social interaction. SIA’s community groups allow people to connect, providing a sense of belonging, and whereas the newly injured person gains insight into living with a disability, the person with an established injury gains a sense of purpose and satisfaction in sharing their experience with others.

I’ve seen the full spectrum of people in attendance at community groups, and the full spectrum benefit from being there. Whether dipping in for a specific reason or during a particular time of need, or it’s part of a regular routine, SIA’s community groups are wonderful, safe spaces that help people feel good about themselves.

It’s important that people who go through life-changing events get the opportunity to connect with others who have been through similar experiences. Whether it’s condition-specific groups like SIA’s, or more general support groups, finding your community can be the catalyst for a healthier and happier life.