Inclusive - Diverse -
The Person Not the Diagnosis
We say the “person not the diagnosis” because when we initially started this project in 2019 that we are all are more than any label we are given
We believe through our own lived & professional experiences that the unique people who engage with us here at Functional People may have overlapping complex challenges.
Empowerment
Mental Health
accessing the right services
or maybe just here to listen without judgement
Art & Craft Groups
Empowerment Groups
send us a message on Facebook @ Functional People Exeter & East Devon or email us @ functionalpeople2024@aol.com.
We aim to improve our communities well-being & to improve our mental health services through co-design with you & the community around us.
We meet up for community support and if needed 1-1 by appointment & a short triage.
We have art & craft afternoons
We raise money for low level therapeutic interventions & specific Counselling Services
We have a crisis talk down professional on hand over the phone or via message
We have a befriending group
We also signpost severe complex needs
In the UK 30% of people reported that they were suffering from at least one mental health illness.
Conor Stewart 2020.
37% of all adults who reported feeling stressed reported feeling lonely as a result.
Mental Health Foundation
Learn about how we work > We support all of our volunteers and friends of functional people to have a safe aware approach, this is where we keep safety in mind & make sure we all work in a safe, caring non aggressive environment.
What we do
Suicidal thoughts and self-harm
Suicidal thoughts and self-harm aren’t mental health diagnoses. But they are related to mental health. Over the course of someone’s lifetime [2]:
1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts
1 in 14 people self-harm
1 in 15 people attempt suicide.
Labels can be stigmatising so we work on a person by person basis to support the people in our community.
Diagnosis can often fluctuate & may change over a lifetime.
Mind England, 2025.
However, the data speaks for itself on the labels given for Mental Health
Mixed Anxiety & Depression 8 in 100
Generalised Anxiety Disorder 4 in 100
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 4 IN 100
Depression - 3 in 100
Phobias - 2 in 100
Statistics from Mind England 2025
Working together @ Functional People work following themes & areas of action by promoting autonomy & respecting your needs through advocacy
What we do (and do well)
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What we do (and do well) *
We try to demonstrate an effective approach @ F.P we treat each & every individual & situation in a person centred way focused on you not a diagnosis.
Integrate services & support that provide wrap around support & a continuity of connection
IMPROVE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS & PARTICIPATION & RECOVERY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES & BEYOND
Meet our volunteers
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We Will Walk With You @ functional people
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✴︎ We Will Walk With You @ functional people ✴︎
We work together with you to access services that may mean being on a waiting list; We wait beside our members until the support or a settled conclusion to a situation is in place before we disengage our support.
We encourage autonomy & empowerment with our members in seeking positive measures to address complex mental health and disabilities while also supporting all signposting services in our community .
We are a small organisation that rely on volunteers, Volunteers who use their trained expertise to support those most at need of support.
We care about long-term results we want to help you engage with the services you need access too, we are also an active listening & emotional support service
We also focus on four primary ethical principles
Ethical Code
Respect to accountability
Trust - Integrity - Honesty - Faith -
Individual & Group Support
Early Support & Enablement
.Gov Form Assistance
Complex Cases
Advocacy Support
Signposting
Right Person @ the right time
Focus on Social & emotional detriments
Early support & Outreach to mainstream services
Emergency
Mentally Healthy Communities
Research
Evaluation
Quality
Improvement