[1/4] Co-producing Project COPE's support group sessions

​Problem statement: The unemployment rate among people with mental health conditions (11.5%) is more than double that of the general population (4.8%). That's a gap worth closing, and the people who best understand what meaningful support looks like are the ones who've lived it. Yet the voices of persons in recovery are often overlooked in programmes designed to support them. That’s where co-production and Project COPE comes in.

​What is Project COPE? Project COPE (Creating Opportunities for Peer Employment) aims to create a more inclusive and friendly workplace in Singapore for people with mental health conditions. We bring together individuals in recovery, employers, and community befrienders to support purposeful, sustained employment — building confidence, reducing stigma, and growing real community around the employment journey.

​What are the objectives of this co-production series? We'd love for jobseekers with mental health issues and caregivers to join us in co-producing the next iteration of Project COPE's support group sessions from start to finish.

​In co-production, we believe that lived experience and professional expertise hold equal power. The people who use a service often understand it best, and their ideas can shape something far more meaningful than what any professional could create alone. Co-production is also an invitation to reflect on how your experiences with mental health shaped who you are today. These reflections hold value not just for the programme that we’re building together but also for our individual journeys with mental health. Finally, we hope to deepen understanding and acceptance of what living with mental health challenges can look like, and to support the journeys of those finding their way back into work and the wider community.

​Who are we looking for? Jobseekers with mental health issues; caregivers of people with mental health issues

​What will we be doing across the series? We'll brainstorm and elicit ideas to build the structure, content, and facilitation of support group sessions for jobseekers with mental health issues. Each session runs 2 hours with facilitated discussion and breaks.

​What to expect? 

• ​A small, intentional group of 3-8 participants and 2 facilitators

• ​A safe space that welcomes your experiences, not just your suggestions

• ​Light refreshments to keep the brain juice flowing

​Do I need to prepare anything for the sessions? No formal preparation needed; come as you are and be open to contribute your ideas.

​Practical details

• ​📅 4 fortnightly sessions: 12 May, 26 May, 9 Jun, 23 Jun 2026 (all Tuesdays)

• ​🕑 2–4 pm each session

• ​📍 Venue shared after sign-up

• ​💸 Free to attend; inconvenience fee available upon request

• ​📧 Reminder email will be sent 3 days before each session

​We'd love to see you at all 4 sessions as your continued presence makes the work richer and the space warmer for everyone. That said, we understand that life doesn't always follow a schedule. Just come when you can.

​Note: this event page is for the 1st session on 12 May only. Please sign up for the other sessions here, here and here. Thank you!