About Us

The Star Centre

63-65 Bell Road

Hounslow

Middlesex

TW3 3NX

Tel: 020 8572 4211

Fax: 020 8814 0311

Compass : 020 8572 5115

Email: thestarcentre@btconnect.com

http://www.thestarcentre.org.uk

Text Box: What We Offer The Star Centre provides the most accessible mental health day care resource in Hounslow. To maintain this target the service delivery is constantly addressed via meetings with service users, referrers and funders and the timetable is updated accordingly. The drop-in continues to be the most popular feature of The Star Centre. This provides service users the opportunity to relax, receive support and encouragement from staff and also from other service users. The Star Centre has a comprehensive range of activities available on a daily basis, including gender specific groups, culturally specific groups, basic education groups, self-confidence groups, an out of hours service, plus complementary therapies. The aim is to empower users by promoting the recovery of self-esteem and self-confidence, plus the rebuilding of social skills and coping strategies. The user group is actively encouraged to run groups and their feedback is essential. Who We Work With The Star Centre also works closely with the three surrounding Community Mental Health Teams: Hounslow, Feltham and Brentford, Isleworth & Chiswick. Whilst The Star Centre is a non-referral day centre, the majority of service users attend The Star Centre via a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) and staff constantly liaise with the appropriate CMHT, as many of our service users are on a Care Programme Approach, which, as day service providers, the centre participates in. Many professionals involved in the care of Star Centre service users use the premises to see their client(s) as the centre offers a safe and non-threatening environment in which to meet and, in our opinion, provides the best possible combination of voluntary and statutory mental health services. The Star Centre often acts as a ‘stepping stone’ between discharge from Lakeside Mental Health Unit and returning to work. Star Centre staff regularly give presentations at Lakeside Unit in order to provide a link between both services. Prior to leaving Lakeside, service users usually attend for a few weeks at The Star Centre and this introduction is maintained following their discharge. Our Aims To support people who are vulnerable due to enduring mental health problems. To work to prevent further breakdown, maintain and improve the quality of life for people who use the centre. We aim to empower our users by promoting the recovery of self-esteem and self-confidence, plus the rebuilding of social skills and coping strategies. What We Do We offer a warm and friendly atmosphere, where people can relax, receive support and encouragement from staff and also from other service users, who may have experienced similar problems. A wide range of activities are on offer please see opposite for details. Our drop-in service is also available throughout the week. (We constantly update our timetable to reflect the ever changing needs of our service users). Why People Come To Us The Star Centre is a non-referral mental health day centre, therefore we are available to everybody who needs the mental health services that we provide. We constantly liase with local Community Mental Health Teams, Psychiatrists and G.P’s to provide a more effective day centre and to encourage service users to lead their own lives within the community. Before The First Visit As we are a non referral day centre, people in need of our service are invited to walk in without any formal referral process. However, if you are a professional involved in the care of somebody who you feel would benefit from attending The Star Centre, then please telephone prior to the first visit to enable us to arrange a time and date convenient to all parties (due to staffing levels we recommend Tuesdays). We also recommend professionals support clients on their first visit/induction. The First Visit / Induction We aim to do our inductions for new service users every Tuesday morning, between 10 and 11.30am. We can also, if needed, arrange an induction on another day if this is more convenient for you. The induction includes an assessment of your needs and a tour of the Centre so that you can see if you think it would be helpful to you. If it is agreed that this is the right place for you to attend, we will let you know the same day. You will then be able to attend the drop-in four days a week for six weeks. After the first six weeks you will be able to start attending groups.

Updated Feb 2010