Bridge-Building Between Communities and Psychiatry in Southern Denmark

The project develops and establishes a systematic collaboration between Social Sundhed (Social Health) and Psychiatry in the Region of Southern Denmark. The primary goal is to support individuals connected to psychiatry in engaging with community associations. The target group is young people aged 18-30 in Odense and Svendborg.

Purpose

• For the primary target group: people aged 18-30, the goal is to create opportunities for increased participation in community associations that enhance quality of life, well-being, meaningfulness, and relationships — ultimately contributing to reducing health disparities.
• For psychiatry: The aim is to develop and test a close collaboration with a civil society initiative. This collaboration seeks to foster a cultural change among staff, where civil society communities become systematically integrated into patients' recovery journeys.
  In the long term, this initiative and cultural change can help prevent readmissions, thereby reducing pressure on psychiatry services. Additionally, this collaboration may strengthen future recruitment in psychiatry by involving volunteer healthcare students, who gain experience through the project that they can apply in their professional careers.
• For the voluntary community bridge-builders: The initiative provides practical experience with psychiatry, preparing volunteers for their future work in healthcare.

Background

Mental health challenges are often accompanied by a loss of connection to education, the labour market, and social networks. This can lead to social isolation and a lack of meaningful activities and relationships, which can worsen mental health issues. 

Research in psychology and anthropology strongly supports the notion that improved mental health is closely linked to reintegration into social life. For young people in particular, moving forward in life is often tied to the sense of community and belonging. 

The project takes an exploratory approach to connect civil society initiatives with the core psychiatric task.

Deliverables

Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark contributes as a project partner, focusing on supporting implementation and method development, and will specifically:

• Plan and facilitate a series of collaborative workshops with participation from psychiatry staff, as well as volunteers and employees from Social Sundhed. The workshops will focus on strengthening mutual understanding across sectors, developing and adjusting workflows, and continuously gathering knowledge on what makes collaboration effective.
• Facilitate a reference group consisting of young people with ties to psychiatry in Odense and Svendborg. The reference group will ensure that the perspectives of young people are continuously highlighted and incorporated into the development and collaboration efforts of the project.
• Participate in the project group and contribute with ongoing advisory support.

Partners

• Social Sundhed (Social Health)
• Psychiatry in the Region of Southern Denmark:
  • Local Psychiatry in Odense and Svendborg
  • Psychiatric Emergency Departments in Odense and Svendborg
• Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark

Funding

The project is funded by a grant from the Velux Foundation.

Project Duration

The project runs from January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027.