25 Years of Innovation
1985
Open Scotland’s first supported accommodation project for people with long term mental health problems, providing a home for seven people in Edinburgh as an alternative to long stay hospital wards
1989
Open three new supported accommodation houses in Edinburgh, and begin to offer services in West Lothian and East Lothian. Now providing tenancies for 57 people
1991
Develop and open two supported accommodation houses in Stornoway. These projects enable people to return to the Western Isles after many years in long term care in Craig Dunain Hospital in Inverness
1992
Launch the UK’s first national residential respite care project for people with mental health problems at Cairdeas House in Edinburgh.
Establish first project in the West Central region
1993
Develop a joint venture with the Romanian League for Mental health called Estuar. Estuar is launched as a Romanian not for profit organisation offering supported accommodation and support for people with mental health problems initially in Bucharest.
Partner in the European Exchange network with organisations from Italy, France, Holland and Belgium. This innovative network allowed organisations to develop house swaps so that service users could visit and holiday in other European countries
1994
Our pioneering Young People’s Project is launched in Galashiels to support 16 to 25 year olds in the Borders experiencing mental ill health and emotional distress
1995
Following the NHS and Community Care Act, Penumbra began to offer the first approved ‘Care at Home’ service in Lothian specifically for people experiencing mental ill health, a programme which developed into our current nation-wide supported living projects.
Open a Young Person’s drop in service in Hawick.
Open our first service in Glasgow, a supported accommodation project in Carntyne for people moving from Gartloch Hospital
1996
Develop new services in Grampian including four supported accommodation projects and a respite care project in Aberdeen
1998
Over 170 Supported Accommodation places operating in ten local authority areas from the Central Belt to the Western Isles
1999
Launch our National Young Person’s Development Programme
2000
Launch our Supported Living Service for those at risk of homelessness in partnership with West Lothian Council. Opened a dedicated Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD) Service in Edinburgh
2001
Extend Supported Living Projects and start an ARBD Service in Grampian. Publish the results of Penumbra’s research project on the experiences and needs of young people who self harm
2002
Launch Supported Living Services in the Borders and Fife. Youth Project Workers appointed in West Lothian and Glasgow to develop services specifically for young people. Help establish the award-winning ‘see me’ anti stigma campaign
2003
Open the Penumbra Youth Project in Kirkcaldy, Fife, as a community based mental health project working with young people aged 12 to 21. Formation of the Aberdeen Self-Harm Project, funded by the Aberdeen Choose Life Initiative and the Daily Record’s Save our Kids Campaign. Scottish Recovery Network formally launched to raise awareness of recovery from mental health problems
2005
Self-Harm Projects launch in Edinburgh, Fife and North Ayrshire in association with Choose Life
2006
Host the Scottish Participation Development Worker funded by HeadsUpScotland to promote the involvement of young people in issues which affect their mental health and wellbeing. New service to provide support to young people in West Lothian who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
2007
Edinburgh Crisis Centre launch in partnership with Edinburgh Carers Council, Edinburgh Users Forum, City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian. Launch the first formal peer support service Plan 2 Change in Edinburgh, employing people with a lived experience of mental ill health to support and guide those facing similar issues. Open the ARBD Learning Centre in Glasgow. Expand our services to Dundee and Moray
2008
Launch innovative new NOVA service in Dundee to promote social inclusion by supporting people with mental health problems to access mainstream leisure, recreation and education services. Partner with Women Onto Work to offer employment training for female Penumbra service users in Edinburgh. Support two young people as members of the Scottish Youth Parliament to represent mental health and wellbeing issues
2009
Quality Scotland award Penumbra EFQM ‘Committed to Excellence’ status, recognising the quality of the services we provide. Penumbra National Conference takes place, bringing together over 100 staff to discuss Penumbra’s future and the development of personalised care
2010
Celebrate 25 years of success with a new logo and website. Open a new homeless service in Aberdeen and Inclusion and Employment service in Angus