Service User Involvement Project
Involvement is recognised as a vital component in recovery from mental ill-health. Service users are the experts in their own condition, and learn from experience which services work for them.
The service user involvement project takes this knowledge and uses it to shape current and future services.
The Mid Hants Locality Service User Involvement project was set up in May 2006. It developed from the Andover Service User Involvement Project, also hosted by Andover Mind, and applied what was a successful model to both the Andover and Winchester areas. The service continued to expand in October 2007 by taking on the Eastliegh Service User involvement Project, to compliment its other activities.
It acts as an information source, an educational tool and a two way communication vehicle. Empowerment enables service users to be fully involved, not only in their current treatment but also in future developments in mental health services. It gives service users an individual and collective voice. The project is run by Barbara Allen (the Project Co-ordinator) with two Project Workers (Frances Boyd and Paul O'Neill) and a team of service user representatives, both paid and voluntary.
In addition, there are a number of self help groups running under the project’s umbrella which are a great help to those service users involved. Groups include Manic Depression Fellowship (MDF), DASH for people with depression and anxiety, Sounds for those people experiencing hearing voices, OCD for those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and a Women’s Group for those who experienced childhood sexual abuse.
Another important annual event for service users is the Mental Health Forum. This is a chance for service users to listen to speakers on relevant topics and to pose questions to an invited expert panel.
Important factors on the road to empowerment are gaining knowledge and receiving training, which are both focus areas for the project. Every year the project takes a number of service users to the Mind conference. This provides an opportunity to hear about new treatments, new initiatives in service provision, government policy etc. and also presents an excellent opportunity to network with other mental health service users and providers. Training in presentation skills, selection and recruitment and becoming a service user representative are also available.
If you require further information, we can be contacted at: www.serviceuserinvolvement.org
