- Family Support for Schizophrenia will hold its monthly meeting on 28 October via Zoom, offering carers a platform to share experiences and receive advice.
- The organization, which started in 1981, provides crucial support to families of individuals with schizophrenia.
- The online format, adopted during the pandemic, has extended their reach across South Africa.
Family Support for Schizophrenia, a long-standing support group for families and carers of individuals with schizophrenia, will be holding its next monthly meeting on Monday 28 October via Zoom.
The session, “Caring and Sharing”, offers participants a chance to ask questions and share experiences about supporting a family member with schizophrenia.
Marijke Littlefield, a key figure in the organisation, emphasized the importance of creating a supportive environment. “We believe in empowering families and carers, providing them with the knowledge and emotional support to better understand schizophrenia,” she said.
Reducing stigma
Founded in Cape Town in 1981, the organiwation was originally named Cape Support for Mental Health. It was the first South African support group dedicated to helping relatives of people with psychiatric disorders. The organization has evolved over the years, with its primary focus on providing emotional support, raising awareness about schizophrenia, and countering the stigma associated with mental health conditions.
Reflecting on the group’s mission, Littlefield added: “Our goal is to reduce the stigma and misconceptions that surround schizophrenia. We want to foster understanding in the community so that individuals with schizophrenia and their families feel less isolated.”
The group’s activities initially centered around monthly face-to-face meetings and the collection and distribution of information on schizophrenia, creating a vital resource for families in the pre-internet era. Notably, in 2008, they published Coping Skills for Carers, a book that became a widely used resource. A revised edition was made available in 2022 as a downloadable PDF.
Among the group’s significant achievements is the establishment of the first Comcare group home, providing supported accommodation, and the founding of South Africa’s first Fountain House, a rehabilitation and vocational training center for those with psychosocial disabilities.
Littlefield highlighted the critical need for such initiatives:
Since 2020, the organisation has moved to an online platform due to the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing it to extend its reach beyond Cape Town to families across the country.
Online
In 2021, in celebration of their 40th anniversary, the group changed its name to Family Support for Schizophrenia to better reflect its focus and goals.
“Our shift to online meetings was a game changer,” Littlefield explained. “We’ve been able to connect with families from all over South Africa, offering support and advice to many more people than we could before.”
The upcoming Caring and Sharing meeting is part of the group’s broader mission to support families and carers, educate the public, and reduce stigma. In addition to the monthly meetings, the group offers a free newsletter, email support, and access to valuable mental health resources, including a lending library.
The meeting will start at 19:00 and Littlefield encourages families and carers to participate.
“These meetings are not only informative but also provide a space for families to express their feelings and share their experiences. It’s a chance to realize you’re not alone in this journey.”
For more information or to join the upcoming session, you can contact Family Support for Schizophrenia via email at mail@familysupport.org.za
