Chairman's Corner

Who are we you ask?!

We are a group of approximately 60 service users who decided to join together to share a common goal and dream.

The dream is to remove the current stigma surrounding mental health and to unite as one voice to support positive change. Through personalisation we aim to promote and sustain people's right to have control over their own life and support regarding mental health. We aim to do this by promoting direct payments, peer support and demonstrating a full community approach to personalisation.


Some critics may say that personalisation is a waste of money, a new fangled approach and that there are already services provided by the LA and the NHS. I say that these services often do not work and are not responsive enough to individual needs. Just because a person has mental health problems, it does not mean that they cannot have a voice. It does not mean that we should not have choice and control over the support that we receive. I believe that there are better ways of supporting people and it starts and ends with listening to the individual.

We are all individuals with individual needs that mainstream treatments and services may not be right for, besides, it is not always about the treatment aspect of a person's needs, it's also about the social support and a holistic view of a persons well being. Its about being a valued member of our community, having friends, things to look forward to and feeling good about ourselves.

Our goal is simple, to continue what we are currently doing. We hold a group meeting every Wednesday to discuss arising issues. We give and receive peer support, helping each other through difficult times, supporting each other to attend meetings and appointments or just participating in a game of pool or offering a friendly ear to listen, which we consider a very important aspect of our work.
We have already used our own individual experiences to create a new mental health model and will present this nationally. The model suggests a simpler system with a greater focus on community and peer support. It shifts the focus to prevention and recovery with the individual being experts in their own life. It demonstrates how the system can be improved, saving public money and resources whilst improving and changing the lives of thousands of people who experience mental health difficulties. There is no miracle cure or quick fix regarding mental health. However, with the right education, knowledge and experience of people who use services, then maybe we can prevent many avoidable crisis points and promote wellbeing, social inclusion, chioce and help to shift power back to the people that really matter.


In September 2010, we as a group were nominated for the PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST AWARD at the GREAT YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE REGIONAL CARER'S AWARD, to which in November 2010 we attended the awards ceremony at The National Railway Museum in York, and well CONGRATULATIONS GROUP. We WON, and not only that we have been nominated for the NATIONAL AWARD that will be held in London, not bad for a group that has only been running several months!


We have also gained support and partnerships with various organsiations and individuals such as:

Kelly Hicks, Personalisation Plus.

Rebound

Simon Duffy, The Centre For Welfare Reform, and more recently The Department of Health.

Doncaster CVS

The People Study, to which a member of the group has been asked to join LEAP ( Lived Experiances Advisory Panel).

And also Mr Ed Miliband and Paul Burstow.

We hope that you will take some time to regulary look through this site, and maybe even contribute to the group We extend our thanks to everyone who has given us help and support, and to you reading this, we hope that you may join us at one of our forum group meeting.


All the best Vinny.