Nia Bannister
Nominated for critical worker award
Nia is the manager of Ty Canna Mental Health Outreach, which supports hundreds of individuals across Cardiff.
With over 35 years’ experience in social care, her commitment has helped people through recovery to reach their potential.
During the Covid-19 pandemic she realised the impact social isolation had, so quickly refocused critical services by delivering them virtually. She helped establish and oversee 40 online/in person support groups, as well as offering LGBT+ support via counselling services.
Services were offered to both individuals and families.
Nia also ensured that people could access essential goods, such as food and medication, by collecting them herself and arranged support to attend essential appointments eg cancer treatment.
Nia led several initiatives through covid such ‘School in a Box’, in partnership with Admiral, that offered family support for home schooling, trauma counselling and issuing IT devices to the most vulnerable. Volunteers with lived experience were key support throughout and received an award in recognition of this. Some volunteers now work as Peers in NHS and Social Care.
Nia moved quickly out of lockdown to re-open 55 weekly in person group sessions, delivering new initiatives in partnership with others such as “Growing Green“, “Breathe Creative“ and CREW User led support to minimise social isolation and support recovery.