Joy Mitchell
Joy Mitchell is Fireflies' main trainer/consultant and founder, working with skilled associates as relevant. A qualified trainer, community development practitioner and project manager, Joy has many years’ experience helping people find their spark.
Joy has been delivering personal development courses, mental health first aid and stress management sessions across the country for most of her career; including several years in lifelong learning in Glasgow NE and 16 years’ experience in mental health, participatory arts and community engagement in Lanarkshire.
Working with local organisations, designed, developed and managed an extensive mental health and wellbeing programme that engaged with 16,000 people of all ages, and reached many more through community events, school programmes, and online reach.
"Very friendly and really good at communicating with the team. Great to work with."
Training:
- Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid Instructor since 2007
- FAA First Aid for Mental Health Instructor since 2021
- 'Evaluation Train the Trainer', ESS/Health & Social Care Alliance, 2015
- Mindfulness for Fulfilling Lives Teacher, Martin Stepek, since 2020
- Happiness Skills Facilitator, MOH/CMA), since 2021
Mental health arts projects as part of SMHAF and throughout the year:
- 2012-18 Living Library (with Healthy n Happy), personal stories of lived experience and recovery
- 2015 to present, volunteer team member for Telling Your Story anti-stigma show on CamGlen Radio
- 2017 'Pockets of Calm' (with Healthy n Happy), mini movies using smartphone: 17 first-time filmmakers, with 'Oscar' ceremony!, and viewed by over 4000 on social media
- 2021 ‘SMHAF DOCMA Filmmaking Collective’, volunteer filmmaker
Memberships and Associations
- Member of Glasgow Connected Arts Network
- Member of Scottish Artists' Union
- Supporter of Health & Social Care Alliance
Work Achievements
- Safeguarding group, policy and procedure at Healthy n Happy
- Investing in Volunteers Award for Healthy n Happy
- Worked collaboratively with joint multi-agency and youth steering groups to deliver community programmes and events including 'Problem No Problem' in schools, and 'Mindfest' community event
"Joy was very supportive, encouraging and inclusive. Made everyone comfortable and able to speak, whilst being able to read the room and allow for 'breathers', distractions, discussions when required."
