About Us
We are Penumbra Mental Health, a pioneering charity providing dedicated services for people with mild to serious and enduring mental ill health.
We support people on their journey to better mental health, by working with each person to find their own way forward. The power of people’s lived experience enables us to provide pioneering services which transform lives.
Our Story
From being there for people in crisis to suicide prevention, supported living to self-harm management and peer support. We are with those we support every step of their journey to a better place.
People’s experiences are at the centre of everything that we do. We champion peer workers; we know that recovery is possible, because they’ve been there too.
Of course, everyone’s journey is different, so we work with people to identify, believe in, and reach their goals, whatever they may be. Often, it’s about hope, but we know that’s not always easy for people to hold on to. And so, when times are tough, we hold it for each person, keeping it safe – just until the time is right.
You see, Penumbra has always been about people; listening and learning, challenging, encouraging and enabling.
It’s why we’re trusted to provide services across Scotland, supporting thousands of adults and young people every month, because when people need us, we’re there.
We live and breathe our values
- Compassion: we will listen and respond with hope, kindness and respect.
- Courage: we will do the right thing. Standing up for people, their rights, wellbeing and recovery.
- Curiosity: we will explore, reflect, learn and adapt to create solutions that are best for people’s wellbeing.
- Collaboration: we will work with those who share our vision and values.
Seamus Heaney
Hope is not optimism which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for.
Campaigning for change through the power of lived experience
We’ve long championed the power of lived experience and we’re proud that 27% of our colleagues are employed in peer support roles
By listening and working alongside people with lived and living experience of mental health recovery, we’re able to create meaningful change across Scotland.
Supporting people to share their own mental health journeys will always be an empowering part of our work in promoting positive and hope-filled messages around mental health recovery.
Our People
Mike Burns
Chief Executive
Charles Sweeny
Director of Finance
Issy Murray
Director of National Programmes
Doug Gibson
Director of Services
Walter Kane
Director of People and Culture
Mia Dowman
Director of Business Development
Stephen Finlayson
Head of Innovation and Improvement
Kenny Thom
Head of Services (North)
Debbie McLachlan
Head of Services (East)
Shaun Macaulay-Davidson
Head of Services (West)
Anne-Marie Logan
Services and Development Lead
