issue 1 summer 2008 together€¦ · peter tatchell visits together 14 the pride season is upon us...
TRANSCRIPT
DarlingtonAdvocacy
projectreaches out
Success for IndependentLiving in Swindon
The Art of the Interned:‘Captivated’ exhibitionat Our Space
Spotlight On: Money Matters project,how Together is helpingthose in debt
timetogetherISSUE 1 SUMMER 2008
CONTENTS
2
16
Regulars4 Together Communicates:
news in brief
8 Share Together: a column
for service users and staff
to air their views
9 Information Exchange: a
news update from the
Service User Involvement
Directorate
12 Spotlight On: Money
Matters project, how
Together is helping those in
debt
18 Get Involved:
opportunities to get
involved in the Service User
Involvement Directorate
20 The Notice Board: your
pictures and news
Cont
ents
86
Features6 Success for Independent Living
in Swindon
10 The Art of the Interned:
‘Captivated’ exhibition at Our
Space
13 Tatchell Talks: Rights activist
Peter Tatchell visits Together
14 The Pride Season is upon us
16 Cover story: Advocacy Together:
Darlington project reaches out
4
timetogether SUMMER 08
3
Editors:
Claire Monger and Mark Dearn
Together: Working for Wellbeing
12 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BE
0207 780 7366
Advertising Sales:
If you are an external group or organisation
and would like to advertise in time together,
please see the costs below or contact Vicky
Kington, Communications & Fundraising
Manager on 020 7780 7444 or
½ page - £250 ¼ page - £125
full page - £500 Inserts: £1,000
Art Direction: John Myers
Print Production: Steve Muscroft
time together and its contents are the sole ©
of Together: Working for Wellbeing. No part
of this magazine may be reproduced in any
form without the prior written permission of
Together: Working for Wellbeing, registered
charity no: 211091.
he re-launch of Rapport as time
together heralds plans and
ambitions to be better informed
about what we do and improve how
we inform others. Together does
amazing work alongside people who use
mental health services and I invite you to
spread the word about what you do in
your service or department as part of our
efforts to communicate better.
Together gathers a lot of information
routinely in its work, and much of this will
be very useful to us – for example, you’ll
be knowledgeable about all sorts of local
issues such as commissioners’ plans and
any new initiatives being developed. You
will also have areas of good practice and
stories about experiences in your service
or department that will be interesting and
valuable to others. We want to hear
about them.
Part of my role involves participating
in external events. For example, I am the
voluntary sector representative on the
board of the Mental Health Network at
the NHS Confederation. This body
represents the view of mental health
service providers, the NHS and others to
the Department of Health and plays an
important role in shaping future policy.
Through this work, Together was
invited to be part of the ‘Future Vision
Coalition’ and teamed up with Rethink,
Mind, the Mental Health Foundation, the
Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and
The King’s Fund to work on a document
outlining a future vision for mental health.
We launched the document this June and
will be promoting it further at the party
conferences in the autumn.
The document builds on the work of
the National Service Framework for
Mental Health, which reaches maturity in
2009.
The aims of the proposals are: • to remove barriers to social inclusion
• to improve life outcomes for those
suffering or recovering from mental
distress
And doing this by: • shifting from a health service
orientation to a social holistic one
• seeing mental health as a whole
population issue not the concern of
others
• focusing on quality of life and
recovery not illness role and
dependence
• shifting the locus of control as an
instrument of change
What does all this mean?Well it’s a long-term agenda and it means
over the next ten years we could see:
• higher expectations that people
experiencing mental distress will
recover
• more choice and control in the hands
of individuals to plan and purchase
their care and support
• ordinary work being the norm, not the
exception, for people
• less emphasis on segregated,
specialist mental health services in the
way we know them today
This agenda offers significant
opportunities to individuals as well as
challenges to them, and the
organisations that support them.
It is up to us to see that we are
equipped to ensure that the people who
we support are in the best position to
benefit from the new vision, and I believe
we are in a good place to do that.
Our approach to wellbeing and
underpinning values lend themselves very
well to an increasingly personalised and
socially inclusive agenda.
Liz Felton
Chief Executive
FEEDBACKWe always welcome feedbackabout time together from ourreaders. So if you'd like tocontact the team to get yourpoint across or would like tocontribute an article, photo orletter, you can contact theteam at: [email protected]
CHIEF EXECUTIVE - LIZ FELTON
T
Spread the word
>
DarlingtonAdvocacy
projectreaches outSuccess for Independent
Living in Swindon
The Art of the Interned:
‘Captivated’ exhibition
at Our Space
Spotlight On:
Money Matters project,
how Together is helping
those in debt
timetogether
ISSUE 1 SUMMER 2008
TOGETHER COMMUNICATES
4
EditorialBoardTogether: Working for
Wellbeing has set up aneditorial board toexamine the relevancyand consistency of itspublications. We arelooking for staff andservice user boardmembers who are able tomeet quarterly for threehours, maximum, eachtime. The board will takegroup decisions on whichtitles to update, when toupdate and what thebest approach forcontent edits would be.We currently have a widerange of publications atTogether and naturallymost have aged andrequire updating,content-wise andstylistically. Service userguides, project guidesand booklets will beincluded in the update,and over time all ourtitles will receive anoverhaul ensuringconsistency in design,writing and our brandstyle.
A full publicationsschedule will begin oncethe editorial board iscompiled. We see serviceuser representation as amust. The mainrequirement for a placeon the group will includeguaranteed ability(service users will havespecial remit to missmeetings according totheir health at any time)to meet every quarter forthree hours. A roledescriptor has beenproduced for serviceusers wishing to sit onthe editorial board.
If you or anyone youknow would be interestedin joining this group,please contactFundraising andCommunicationsManager Vicky Kingtonat: [email protected]
2008 has been a busy year for
Old Street’s Our Space
gallery. In March, to launch
Together's inaugural Wellbeing
Week we hosted ‘Wonderful
Wellbeing’. Wonderful
Wellbeing explored the
importance of art for wellbeing,
quality of life and life
satisfaction, and the impact of
art for artists and viewers. The
project predominately focused
on personal narratives and lived
experience, as artists mapped
out journeys through distress
and difficulty. The exhibition
highlighted the creative process
of art-making as a discovery of
the self and learning process.
In June we launched
'Captivated' in conjunction with
the not-for-profit group
Cageprisoners. This exhibition
focused on the theme of
detention without charge, in
relation to the UK 'terror' laws,
and highlighted the mental
health fallout of the new and
disturbing age of security we are
entering into. See our full feature
on the exhibition on page 10.
In August we are working
alongside The Other Side Gallery
to present an exhibition with a
photographic and sculpture
focus. The Other Side Gallery is
well known for providing arts
activities for adults who use
mental health services, people
with physical disabilities, sensory
impairments and learning
difficulties. The gallery promotes
and sells artists’ work via a
virtual gallery, it also hosts
regular exhibitions and offers
opportunities for mentoring,
volunteering, networking and
professional development.
Later in the year we will host
an event showcasing art work
from Together’s service users –
check out the Our Space area of
the website for more updates.
Over the last year Together has been working
closely with a film production company called
Flexible Films. The Flexible Films team has
attended a wide variety of events and meetings
to speak to service users, staff and friends of
Together. The team have now produced a short
film to explain what Together does, and why. A
copy of the film has been sent to each service
and project, and we would like you to watch the
film and keep it safely at your service as a
promotional tool for you to use when you feel it is
appropriate – you could show the film to new
residents, their families or local businesses, but
ultimately the choice of how to use the film is
yours. A copy of the film will also be given to all
new staff who have their inductions over the next
year. The fundraising team will be using the film
to promote Together to a variety of agencies,
audiences and corporate organisations in the
hope they will support us, fund us and understand
who we are, what we do and why we do it. Please
contact Vicky Kington if you would like a copy of
the film.
For more information on Flexible Films visit
www.flexiblefilms.co.uk and to see some of the
footage Flexible Films and Together have shot on
individual budgets, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/user/flexiblefilms
Our Space
BY VICKY KINGTON
Together: the DVD
Media and Fundraising Training
timetogether SUMMER 08TOGETHER COMMUNICATES
5
Two training programmes created by
the communications and fundraising
team are up and running and
available for all Together staff and
service users.
Media training, a two-day course led
by Communications and Fundraising
Manager Vicky Kington has been
organised to ensure participants leave
with a full understanding of how the
media works, be able to deal effectively
with interviews and the ability to
approach and engage the media with
confidence.
Fundraising training also takes place
over two days. It’s ideal for project
managers and other staff with
fundraising responsibilities and aims to
ensure attendees can create, plan and
implement fundraising events, recruit
volunteers and approach corporate
organisations for support.
Both courses will be on offer at
national office in London in January
2009.
For more information, contact the
Learning and Development team on
020 7780 7300, or email
Glowing praise was heaped on
Together as it was awarded “Investor
in People” status after a six-day
assessment in October.
“Inspirational managers” who are
“deeply committed to their staff” were
highlighted in the report, alongside
“overwhelming” positive feedback from
Together’s staff.
Head of Learning and Development,
David Cankett, was singled out for praise
in the report, which said he “has made a
tremendous difference to learning and
development within Together”.
David said the tangible results of the
work Together staff do is key to their
success.
“Staff at Together are more positive
than at other organisations as they see
the benefits of the work they do and its
relationship with the bigger picture -
which for Together means promoting the
wellbeing of those who access our
services and, not least, the staff,” he said.
“Gaining IIP status is great for
Together, because from a business point
of view, organisations with IIP generally
outperform organisations without it.”
The report highlighted areas of
“particular strength” at Together. These
included: high levels of commitment to
the mission and values of Together; staff
feeling extremely valued; and robust and
inclusive planning at a local level.
Report author Julia Houghton said:
“Together is an organisation that
genuinely appreciates its staff.
“One of the key features of the culture
within Together is the extent to which
people feel included in decision-making
and valued as individuals. There are high
levels of morale.”
Investor in People Award
SpecialAwards –Round 8
Special Award nominations reflect the
high regard staff have for their
colleagues.
This year staff nominated to receive
the award were:
• Lesley Thomas of St Helens,
nominated by Michelle Durrant
• Richard Broad of Lawn Court,
nominated by Daniel Egyin-Hagan
• Justine Pearce of Barnsley
nominated by Kim Fairhurst
• Michelle Bunten, volunteer at
Avalon, nominated by Danny Osborne
• Debbie Retter of Broadmoor
Hospital, nominated by Janyne
Norgate
• Franco di Francesco of Hastings
Resource Centre, nominated by Tom
Gourlay
The panel considered there were
many worthy winners but felt that two in
particular showed good examples of
supporting the strategy of the
organisation.
The winners of Special Awards round
8 are:
Justine Pearce of Barnsley for staff
motivation and fundraising activities and
Debbie Retter of Broadmoor Hospital for
planning and organising a World Mental
Health day event.
Justine and Debbie have each
received a cheque for £250 to spend on
themselves. We send our congratulations.
Head of Learning andDevelopment, David Cankett,
was singled out for praise inan IIP assessment.
6
Area Manager Lorraine
Reeves explains how the
change in environment
from Redlands Residential
Home to independent living
at Willow Tree House has
radically improved the
residents’ wellbeing, how
the project came to a
successful fruition, and her
hopes that it can act as a
model for others.
I started off my career at
Together at Redlands as its
Project Manager so my
involvement with Redlands,
and subsequently Willow Tree
House, goes back some 12
years.
My brief as Project
Manager all those years ago
was simple: fill vacancies or
the home will close. Thankfully
we’ve come a long way since
then in terms of listening to
the needs and wants of
service-users, personalising
care, and recognising the
importance of independent
living.
The idea for the Willow
Tree House project came
around six years ago. We were
aware that residents at
Redlands had the ability to live
more independently than they
were, and certainly aspired to,
but that their environment
prevented them from doing
that. So we started to plan
how we could enable our
Redlands residents to do more
everyday things for
themselves.
It’s a simple concept but
one that presented many
challenges – not least to shift
the thinking of people
involved in mental health care
at the time in order to bring
them round to seeing the
importance of this.
I remember the early
discussions we had with care
inspectors on how we might
encourage people to do their
own cooking. It’s amazing to
think now how the residential
environment and its related
health and safety constraints
threatened to hold back even
this.
I remember that a
discussion point at our first
meeting with the inspectors
was: should we make people
wear white overalls while
cooking? We negotiated to
make sure they didn’t - our
first small step towards huge
change.
In conjunction with
Community Psychiatric Nurses
we started to look at other
parts of people’s lives where
they could become more
independent. When, 18
months ago, we got the
official go-ahead for Willow
Tree House and were sure that
Redlands would be closing, the
residents’ rehabilitation to
living more normal lives
increased.
Success for independent living in Swindon
Together’s dedication to meeting the challenge of the changing needs of
care provision was demonstrated this year as the Redlands Care Home in
Swindon closed after 30 years and was replaced by Willow Tree House, a
block of 16 independent, purpose-built flats with 24-hour on-site support.
After a hectic few weeks at the end of May, service users and staff have nowsettled into this brand new building designed for self-reliant living.
The self-supporting community empowers service users to make decisionsabout their own lives within their own neighbourhood, which is in line withtoday’s changing perspectives on mental health care.
Together worked in partnership with Bromford Corinthia Housing, SwindonBorough Council, and other bodies to ensure that Willow Tree House supportspeople according to need and ability.
HOW WE MADE IT HAPPEN
timetogether SUMMER 08
7
With notification of the
closure we immediately had
more freedom and scope to
put things in place that would
help prepare our residents to
live more independently.
Bigger changes began to take
place at this point including
making sure that, with
support, residents were able to
start the self-medication
process. Another progression
was that they started to
receive a self-care budget,
which meant they could buy
their own food and prepare it
on site, with minimal
assistance.
They say that moving
house can be one of the most
stressful things you can do in
your life, but none of the
residents’ health has
deteriorated throughout the
process. In fact, in this case
it’s improved. And that goes
for the staff too. We’ve only
lost one member of staff, our
loyal cleaner, which was only
because we no longer needed
a cleaner in the new service!
And I think that’s because
everyone was consulted about
the change, included in the
planning process and of
course, fully prepared.
The residents are now far
more financially self-reliant
and are actually looking
forward to receiving their first
set of bills. There aren’t many
people that do that! But
imagine not receiving your
own bill for 25 years, and
being completely dependent
on other people for everything
else too. Would you really
want that?
It might be surprising for
some people to learn that it
currently costs exactly the
same to support people in 24
hour supported
accommodation as it did in a
residential home. And that we
fully anticipate that in the
next three years, costs will
reduce dramatically.
It’s about being more
creative with the money you
have, rather than raising more
to improve standards.
For example, at Redlands
two members of staff
members slept at the home.
At Willow Tree House we have
one person on site, and
another on call. Yet not one
client has needed to use the
24-hour and overnight
support that’s available since
we opened.
Now, the residents’
positivity, enthusiasm and
determination in adapting to
and facing new challenges
and opportunities will help
them build an even more
independent life together.
The camaraderie and
support amongst this very
special group of individuals
has always been inspiring, and
we have been thrilled and
honored to be part of the
direction that the wellbeing
and recovery agendas are
taking to help more
individuals shape and
influence the support they will
receive.
The future is about high-
level supportive
accommodation like this. And
I’d urge anybody reading this
who is interested in finding
out more about how this can
work to get in touch.
Contact Lorraine at:
Lorraine-reeves@together-
uk.org
A RESIDENT’S VIEW
“What can I say?
I just love Willow Tree House”
I feel really lucky to have got my flat,
number 17. It was the last flat available so
I think I was lucky to get it. I think living
at Willow Tree House has given us a
chance to prove ourselves to be good
people, proper citizens.
I was at Redlands for nearly ten yearsbefore the move. At Redlands I had a pokeyroom and we had a shared dining room andlounge, everything really. I had my own nicelittle room and that, but it was different tonow. Nowadays I have my own place with aradio, TV, and everything. It makes a bigdifference.
The other residents are a nice bunch ofpeople and we’re all getting on together. Ofcourse, it’s so much easier to get on betterwith people when you’ve got your ownspace.
There are five staff at Willow Tree Houseduring the daytime. They make sure the flatsare maintained. People are becoming moreindependent as time goes on. I’ve alwaysfelt independent myself, I go to work andthings in Swindon. I do think that I’vebecome more independent since I moved inthough.
BY RESIDENT, PAUL GOULDING
Project manager Andy Warren withresidents of the newly openedWillow Tree House in Swindon.
I work for Together as a Project
Manager for the Personal
Development Service in Chelmsford,
Essex. I have had a lifelong interest in
mental health, and I myself have
suffered from Anorexia Nervosa.
Just recently I have become
increasingly aware of a new phase of
media interest in eating disorders and
have found it strangely reassuring to read
that at last awareness is being raised of
the issue of “older” people suffering from
eating disorders. However, I am surprised
that this is, apparently, such a shock to
people.
As with any mental health problem an
eating disorder can develop for many
reasons and to a wide range of people at
various stages in their lives. Perhaps it can
be said that the classic conditions of
Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
will befall types of personalities dealing
with certain issues (and even these differ
quite widely from each other), but there
are so many circumstances that can
cause people to suffer from disordered
eating problems it is no wonder that
these are now coming to light.
What astounds me is the disbelief
that someone who is coping with an
eating disorder could possibly be holding
down a job, raising a family and
outwardly appearing “normal”
For example the case of Professor
Rosemary Pope, regarded as an
outstanding academic and the pro Vice
Chancellor of Bournemouth University.
She sadly passed away in April this year
at the age of 49 after her weight dropped
to just five stone.
Having suffered from Anorexia
Nervosa in my teens at a time when little
was known about the illness, let alone any
other eating disorders, I know that the
treatment at the time was less than
helpful, and indeed left me with a number
of scars and residual issues in my attitude
to food, eating and body image.
I do however manage to hold down a
job, raise a family and, to the best of my
knowledge, appear ‘outwardly normal’.
Also, I know I am not alone. There are an
increasing number of people who
perhaps have a predisposition to an
eating disorder that only rears its head in
later life due to stress, divorce,
bereavement and the like. Whatever
happens throughout one’s life people
develop coping mechanisms and I have
mine. The implication is that perhaps the
sufferer cannot possibly be doing as well
as the rest of society. I would argue the
opposite. Over the years I have had
counselling, supported self-help groups,
participated in research studies as well as
my on ongoing “study” of the disorder so
I think I know myself, my strengths and
weaknesses pretty well. Anorexia is
commonly about control, perfectionism
and self-esteem. This could be interpreted
as organised, attentive to detail and
unassuming - a perfect employee,
partner, sibling or friend you might say?
Contact Susie at:
SHARE TOGETHER
8
We want you –
whether staff or
service user – to
be able to use
time together to
air your views on
topical issues
concerning
mental health
and to share your
own experiences. And to ensure that you can
get your point across, whetherTogether as an organisationagrees with it or not, we’reputting aside some space inevery issue.
So, whatever it is you wantto get off your chest, we’realways interested in hearingyour individual thoughts.
This issue, our guest writer isPersonal Development ServiceManager, Susie Nankivell.
Anorexia and the media
Factfile• Approximately 11
people in 100,000
develop anorexia
nervosa each year
• 76 per cent of people
with anorexia report
the onset of the
disorder as occurring
between the ages of 11
and 20. However,
anorexia is also seen in
older people
• Around 10 percent of
cases of anorexia arise
in men
Former Deputy PrimeMinister JohnPrescott revealed hisbattles with bulimia.
Pict
ure
supp
lied
cour
t esy
of t
he L
abou
r Par
ty.
>BY SUSIE NAKIVELL
timetogether SUMMER 08INFORMATION EXCHANGE
9
For the past four years Anne
Beales has headed up
Together’s Service User
Involvement Directorate and
in 2007 she received an MBE
for services to healthcare.
The Service User
Involvement Directorate works
in partnership with leading
bodies to influence the NHS at a
policy making level and strives to
ensure that the voices and
experiences of service users are
included in decisions being
made about their futures.
Anne has seen much change
during her years promoting user
led organisations and believes
that as service users gradually
become more organised and
pro-active, as a group, they are
more powerful.
Last year the Service User
Involvement Directorate
supported a consultation with
Together’s service users to find
out their thoughts on the Care
Programme Approach (CPA),
which is the Department of
Health strategy for the provision
of care in Mental Health
Services. This information was
then fed back via Together to
the NHS policy makers.
It offered the NHS an insight
into how service users would like
to be involved in partnerships
around the approach and gave
the clear message that service
users need to feel empowered
by their care, rather than
experience having things done
to or for them.
Anne explains: “Sensitive
and supportive care plans can
only be designed and worked
through in a way that empowers
service users. If the suggested
approach we put forward is
adopted it will facilitate an
irreversible shift in everybody’s
thinking around attitudes to
people experiencing distress.
And this in turn will address
many of the negative
complaints service users have
about care plans.”
An example where people
who require support have
spoken about feeling
empowered via partnerships
influenced by the Service User
Involvement Directorate is in the
area of Direct Payments.
The aim of a direct payment
is to give more flexibility in how
services are provided. By giving
individuals money in lieu of
social care services people have
greater choice and control over
their lives and are able to make
their own decisions about how
their care is delivered. Below are
a service user’s thoughts about
their experience of the Direct
Payments scheme:
“It’s a really good idea. I
think direct payments should be
available to people who
experience mental distress.
Initially, I was put off trying to
access them as I had to get in
contact with social services and
a social worker again. I don’t
know why we can’t just refer
ourselves, as we know what we
need. I got direct payments
and, although it was difficult at
first, having to set up a bank
account, in the end it was OK. I
have a friend who chose to use
her direct payments to learn to
drive, and it has definitely
altered her life for the better
too.”
One of the major successful
components of service user and
self-help led groups is the
solidarity that people
experience. And Together works
to make sure medical
practitioners understand how
these can be accessed by people
they are working with, who may
well experience their distress in
terms of feeling alone, isolated,
and facing the stigma still
attached to mental distress.
Together provides locally
based forums as well as a
national forum for individuals to
join and believes this offers an
incredibly valuable opportunity
for people to gain a route back
towards having a purpose.
Anne says: “By getting
involved service users are finally
able to influence the
development of practice and
more able to shape the agendas
of organisations and
government. One day a fully
service user led national charity,
which also provides services, will
become a reality and lead to
success at every level.”
Contact Anne at
YOUR
THOUGHTSService users’ views on
taking part in Together’s
planning meetings and
steering groups:
“It feels like a veryvibrant group”
“It is almost beyondbelief how muchwork we do andeveryone isincluded”
“It is special foreverybody and thiswill be good stuff forthe future – that’sfrom my heart – Ilook forward to it asit gives me hope. Iwish everyone hasgood health”
“It makes me feelimportant as myviews are listenedto”
“Change and hopefor the future – Ifeel there is a goodfeeling of warmtharound – itssomewhere where itfeels ok – it’s nice”
INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Service User InvolvementDirectorate
See page 18 foropportunities to getinvolved with theService UserInvolvementDirectorate
>
OUR SPACE GALLERY
10
On June 16th 2008 Together: Workingfor Wellbeing and Cageprisonerslaunched Captivated, an exhibitionaiming to help raise awareness of theproblematic nature of counter-terrorismdetention in the UK. The exhibitionsought to humanise those detainedbeyond the guilty before proveninnocent image presented in the media.
Together understands that thosedetained may experience mentaldistress and would like to see concernsabout the mental health needs of thosedetained (and their friendsand families) addressed.
With the first arrests in2001, the UK has falleninto the trap ofenforcing legislationin a bid to tacklesuspected terrorism.Despite numerousstatements that “ourvalues” will not be
changed by the terrorists, the countrynow finds itself in a position wheredetention without charge is prevalent
through various forms of legislation.At the exhibition’s private
view on June 16th, MoazzamBegg, a former Guantanamo
detainee, spoke alongsideBaroness Helena KennedyQC and others whodebated these issues
further.
An exhibition to humanise the detained
timetogether SUMMER 08
11
For more informationabout Our Space andforthcoming eventsplease visit:www.together-uk.orgor contact a member ofthe Communicationsteam on
0207 780 7376
SPOTLIGHT ON...
12
Against this backdrop Together is pioneering
an innovative nationwide project enabling
volunteers with personal experience of mental
health issues to assist others who are experiencing
financial difficulties.
Locally-based volunteers from areas including
Leeds, East Sussex and Berkshire, will form a
national team and will be trained to ensure they
have the skills to work with and provide support to
individuals and groups from the mental health
arena. Key to the volunteers’ work will be helping
people to develop skills in budgeting, credit
options, debt management and navigating the
challenges of the welfare benefits system.
Money Matters Project Manager Angela
Newton says: “Research suggests that people with
mental health problems are more likely to face
debt problems and have difficulties managing their
finances, especially during periods of ill health.
Staff and volunteers at the Money Matters project
understand this and will provide much needed
information, guidance and support. The volunteers
involved in the Money Matters project are able to
help because they’ve been in a similar position
themselves and truly understand how difficult life
can be.”
Together hopes to recruit volunteers across the
country and the volunteer recruitment for this
specific project is directly in line with Together’s
ethos believing that people who confront mental
health issues are experts by experience; the belief
that those who have accessed mental health
services themselves are in the best position to help
others in a similar situation.
Together: working for wellbeing is the oldest community-based
mental health charity in the country and the leading national charity
working for wellbeing: that means we support people with mental
health needs to get what they want from life and to feel happier.
Together: working for
wellbeing is recruitingvolunteers to provide
information, guidanceand support aboutmoney matters to
people who experiencemental distress.
For further information please
contact:
Angela Newton on
07739 506 583
If you’ve got just a few hours to spare each week, would like
to be part of an exciting new project and really make a
difference to other people’s lives, this could be the perfect
volunteering opportunity for you!
In return, we’ll provide you with a fantastic training
programme, the chance to develop new skills, flexible hours to
suit you, ongoing support and supervision, reimbursement of
out of pocket expenses and the opportunity to work with
like-minded people.
Volunteering opportunities are currently available in
Merseyside, Lancashire, Leeds, Reading, Northampton,
Bedford, Essex, Kent and East Sussex.
Registered charity no: 211091
Would you like to be a volunteer?
A few years ago Sue* became very low and depressed. Shefelt unable to manage life, let alone her finances. As a result,she got into over £29,000 debt and things quickly spiralledout of control. It’s taken Sue a long time to get back on herfeet, emotionally and financially, but she now knows how tomanage money better than she ever did before.
Sue is now a volunteer with Together: working for wellbeing
and is able to use her experiences and knowledge to helpother people get through similar situations.
If you would like to volunteer for the
Money Matters project and help support
vulnerable individuals, please contact
Angela Newton on the details below:
Email:
Mobile: 07739 506583.
Money MattersHow Together is helping confront Britain's
debt problem.
With the credit crunch biting across the country, the pressure of debts on
people with mental health issues is higher than ever. Recent research has
highlighted that debt problems hit the mentally ill extremely hard and often
lead to worsening of an individual’s mental health. Similarly, increased
vulnerability can also lead people with mental health problems to be sucked
into a harsh cycle of debt, made far worse by a lack of sympathy and
understanding of mental health issues from demanding creditors.
timetogether SUMMER 08
13
An inspirational talk
from rights activist Peter
Tatchell was enjoyed by
members of Castle
Resource’s pioneering
Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual
and Transgender (LGBT)
group, 4All.
The South LondonLGBT group - named 4Allas it welcomes everyone,including those whoidentify as heterosexual –has, with the help ofvolunteer grouporganisers James Pretloveand George Taxidis,organised a series ofevents in recent months.
A historic walking tourof Soho provided byLondon charity Kairos, asexual health talk fromthe Terrence HigginsTrust, visits to the localLGBT pub and talks onissues as diverse asreligion and sexualityhave been just some ofthe activities on offer.
Mr Tatchell told thegroup he believed currentlegislation only allowingcivil partnerships for gayand lesbian people was
unfair and that, althoughthe local area hasimproved, he stillencounters homophobiaon the streets ofSouthwark.
“I don’t hate straightpeople, I don’t hatestraight bigots; I want toembrace them,” heexplained. “I may want tochallenge them, but Iwant them onside, I wantthem to be our friendsand allies.”
On civil partnerships,he said: “Why shouldn’tgay and lesbian peoplehave the right to getmarried?
“How would theJewish community or theblack community feel if itwas them who wereprohibited from gettingmarried?”
And Mr Tatchell gavea tip to the group on thecampaigning he has beenso successful at: “Have aconcrete plan of action:you can’t just say thingslike the services are bad,you have to say ‘this iswhat we want and these
are the differences’. “Change comes
through perspiration,sometimes education, butoften through challengingand confronting.”
Event co-organiserJames Pretlove said: “Itwas really great foreveryone to havesomeone so significant onthe LGBT scene come andtake the time out to talkto them. We had a veryinteresting discussionabout his important work.
“It was inspiring foreveryone who attended.”
Factfile• Born in 1952 in Australia, Peter Tatchell has twice been a Parliamentary candidate –
for the Labour Party and the Green Party – and was voted sixth on a list of ‘heroes of
our time’ by New Statesman readers
• His political campaigning began at school, when, in 1967, he launched a campaign
in support of aborigines
• In 1990 Peter was one of the founders of LGBT campaign group OutRage! The group
that famously ‘outed’ ten Church of England bishops in 1994
• He twice tried to perform citizen’s arrests on Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe. He
was beaten by his bodyguards and suffered permanent damage to his right eye
Tatchell Talks
14
Royal Parks Half Marathon12th October 2008Why not sign up to raise money to support your project
and Together’s work by entering The Royal Parks
Foundation Half Marathon? It takes place on Sunday 12
October 2008, and starts and finishes in London’s
beautiful Hyde Park.
For more information please contact Claire Haslam,
Fundraising Co-ordinator:
[email protected] or call: 0207 780 7374
Or visit the Royal Parks Half Marathon website at
www.royalparkshalf.com
I.T. Training atReading ResourceOver the past 6 months, Reading Resource Centre (which only
joined Together in October last year) has been running an in-
house I.T. training program for its members. This has been an
incredible success, with more than 30 members having
attended over the weeks.
Rob, the I.T. Coordinator in Reading, has been training
members in groups and 1-to-1 sessions, covering everything
from Microsoft Word skills in order to equip themselves for a
job they wish to apply for, to researching their family tree on
the internet, through to shopping for birthday presents online
or even setting up their own webshop.
Rob has also designed the Reading Resource website,
which you can find at www.readingresource.org.uk
If you would like to know more about the sessions, or how
it could be introduced to your service, you can contact:
Rob on 0118 958 0722, or email:
Liz Felton sealsthe transfer ofSCB to AttendChief ExecutiveDavid Wood.
FUTURE EVENTS
Future of servicefor carers securedThe Supporting Carers
Better Network (SCB) offers
carers in the mental health
arena support by
connecting people together
so that they can share good
practice, policy and
learning.
Eight years after the SCB
was established by Together,
its future success has been
guaranteed by transferring it
to leading health and social
care organisation, Attend.
The transfer of the project
comes after six years of
consecutive Department of
Health funding came to end.
It was important to keep the
network running and so when
Together’s funding ran out the
perfect solution was to
transfer it over to Attend,
which has the funds to
support it long term.
Together Chief Executive
Liz Felton says she believes the
network is ‘in good hands’.
“Attend's long history of
supporting carers fills me with
confidence that the most
important people involved in
this - our hardworking carers -
will continue to be supported
in the priceless work they do,”
she said.
“I am sure carers will look
forward to a continuing high
level of high support, and I
must thank everybody who
has worked hard towards a
seamless transition to ensure
that this is the case.”
Attend’s Patron is the
Duke of York and was formed
in 1949 as the National
Association of Hospital and
Community Friends.
Chief executive David
Wood said: “We will be looking
at the core values of the SCB
network and whether there is
any synergy with what we do.
We will look to any areas that
we can effectively integrate
and anything, for example
new services, which add value.
“Phil Partridge, who ran
the SCB network for many
years, will be carrying on the
network in this organisation.”
Factfile• Attend launched as a charity
in 2006, and currently has
745 member groups with
31,000 active volunteers in
hospitals, community care
settings, courts and prisons
• Attend’s mission is to
“improve communities'
experience of health and
social care by maximising
the effectiveness of
volunteering”
• In 2006, Attend raised £47
million for hospitals and
health services
PromotingExcellence The Communications
Department is working with
the Learning and
Development Department to
develop customer service
training for staff.
Whether we liaise primarily
with staff and other
departments, support those
who access our service, or
provide a mixture of both, all
Together staff have
‘customer’ relationships and
it’s important to make sure
these are effective.
The provision of
outstanding ‘customer’ service
will not only improve efficiency
internally, but also enhance
our profile. So from a
Communications, Learning
and Development point of
view and for the organisation
as a whole, it’s a great idea.
timetogether SUMMER 08
15
Every year, Pride does a good job of
showing us off as a revelling lot:
glitter, dance music, humour, after
parties. If the rest of the country had
to form an opinion on us after the
Pride season, we’d be thought of as a
happy crowd, made of strong
individuals who laugh in the face of
adversity.
When a Pride Crowd comes to a street
near you, it brings irony, costumes,
feathers and laughter .Guaranteed
entertainment.
But are the revellers really happy?
Forget the crowd and look at each
individual: I bet you that most have
suffered mental distress in their lives.
Really. those party people? Yes. After
more than 10 years on the gay scene (I
actually prefer to refer to the LGBT
scenes), I’m still to meet one person who
does not talk about traumas or other
neuroses.
Most mention coming out trauma.
Many recall a childhood spent in isolation,
sometimes at the mercy of bullies. Nearly
everyone would tell you they always knew
they were “different”. And that it was
tough.
Liberated from the social constraints
of the straight world and usually talking
from past personal experience, LGBT
people can freely discuss past traumas
and openly admit to being imperfect.
Not that mental health distress is
generally accepted on the “LGBT scenes”.
It’s not. It is met with the same fear as in
the “straight world”. We’ve all seen our
loved ones at a loss once confronted with
our “episodes”. The immediate reality will
cause problems, like everywhere else.
But whatever the response, when an
LGBT person is in trouble, they tend to
look for help amongst other LGBT people.
We think of our Rainbow Flag
companions as our family. It’s reassuring
to get assistance from someone who is a
little like you. Think about it, revealing
mental distress to anybody else sounds as
easy as a second coming out. When
seeking help outside of their community,
LGBT people need to feel that they will be
understood. That is why most of those
who suffer from mental health distress go
to PACE, the only charity which exclusively
cares for LGBT mental Health in Britain.
Other mental health organisations do not
obviously demonstrate any knowledge of
LGBT issues, leaving LGBT service users
worried about the level of understanding
they will meet. However, the Commission
for Social Care Inspection seems to have
addressed the issue by publishing
guidelines. Maybe one day more LGBT
people will rely on non LGBT mental
health organisations…thus revealing the
surprisingly high number of those
suffering from mental health distress.
When I take part in Pride marches and
parties, I often think we’re a bunch of
distressed kids laughing it off. It works.
Laughter and partying are wonderful
remedies. I’ve got my Pride Events
calendar and I’m ready for a little bit of
LGBT companionship therapy.
TIME TO MARCH
UNITED, MAKING OUR
MARK, FEELING THAT
WE BELONG
TOGETHER; TIME TO
TELL THE COUNTRY,
ONE MORE TIME, THAT
WE ARE PROUD TO BE
WHAT WE ARE.
Fly the Rainbow Flag
at high mast.
BY STEPHANIE TAYLOR KING
ADVOCACY TOGETHER
16
The main role of an
Advocate is to make sure their
clients views are heard and
understood by the medical
practitioners involved in their
treatment, which can be difficult
for some people to do alone.
Advocacy Together, a project
commissioned by Darlington
Borough Council and Darlington
Primary Care Trust works to help
a range of people in this way.
From adults with mental health
needs, physical or learning
disabilities, to people who have
difficulties due to their age. They
also support the families, friends
and carers of clients.
Now, after three years of
operation, the service has re-
launched itself with a brand new
look and is trying new initiatives
to raise awareness of the service.
Since it started operating a
key part of the project’s work
has been attempting to reduce
misunderstandings about the
role of advocacy. So new
materials have now been
produced to get its message
across in a clearer way and to
publicise the fact that the service
can now also accept self-
referrals.
Graphic designer
John Myers, also the
artistic director of
time together,
provided the creative
drive behind the
redesign of its
pamphlets. The
project staff worked with John to
produce a new logo. It was
decided that the design chosen
– ‘little green bubble people’
would reflect the service’s
inclusive feel, and get the
message across that people who
need support from the service
could be anyone, and not
necessarily someone with a
‘diagnostic label’.
In addition to the redesign,
an Advocate at the service, Ellen
Wilson, has developed and
hosted a well-received
awareness workshop to get the
message out to the local
community about how the
advocacy project can help them.
And, says project manager
Shelagh Templeton, the hard
work of everybody at the project
is now beginning to pay off.
“The last 18 months of the
service have seen us forging
strong links with statutory
services and others, and regular
referrals are now coming in,” she
explained.
“There are also good links
with supported housing
providers and care providers,
and Advocates are increasingly
being included in various groups
and sub-groups as a matter of
At times of mental distress people need to be sure of andinformed about their treatment choices. So it is often helpful -and sometimes essential - that people experiencing mentaldistress have somebody working alongside them as an Advocate.
My advocate has given me the confidence and support
to raise issues and concerns with organisations I would
not have been able to contact without her support.
Advocacy
Together has
helped me to
communicate.
>
The Advocate’s
ViewProject Manager
Shelagh Templeton
The aim of what we do is to give
people the opportunity to have
their views heard about the
services they receive. People can
find this difficult to do for various
reasons. Some lack confidence
and fear repercussions for asking
for what they want and others
have difficulties with speech and
language. Many are unused to
making their own choices and
expressing opinions because they
are used to professionals taking
decisions on their behalf.
In our work, the client is
central. The Advocate does not
tell the client what to do or think,
or suggest what is best for that
person, their role is to help the
client gain the information
needed to make an informed
decision. The Advocate then
discusses this with the client to
find out what course of action
they wish to take and how to
take this forward with the
relevant health professionals.
Clients then decide on how
much talking they do in this
situation and agree this in
advance with the advisor. Some
just want ‘moral support’ and
perhaps the occasional prompt,
while others may want their
advisor to speak on their behalf.
Ultimately, the goal is for the
client to eventually have the skills
and confidence to self-advocate.
Contact Shelagh at
timetogether SUMMER 08
17
course to ensure that clients’
wishes and rights are taken into
consideration when decisions
are made.
“As the Project Manager my
ideal would be for every Social
Services or Primary Care Trust
client to have an advocate
allocated as a matter of course.
I believe this would enable the
client’s view to be put forward
at the earliest stage, and be
incorporated, where possible,
into the care package provided.
In turn this would be likely to
increase client satisfaction and
reduce the number of
complaints - a positive outcome
for all concerned.”
www.together-uk.org/darlington
My advocate
always listens to
my concerns and
views
‘little green bubble people’
The Advocacy Together Logo
SERVICE USER DIRECTORATE
18
Dates for your Diary
South Regional
Steering Group
meeting:
Tuesday 12th August,
10.30am – 3.30pm
Hastings Service User
Group meeting:
Friday 15th August,
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Castle Resource
Service User Group
meetings:
Friday 29th August,
11.00am
Friday 26th September,
11.00am
National Steering
Group meeting:
Tuesday 30th
September
– 10.30am – 3.30pm
World Mental
Health Day :
Friday 10 October
Henry Hawkins Event
at Somerset House:
Tuesday 11 November
Time TBC
On-going involvement roles
FundraisingThere is great scope for fundraising opportunities
within Together and most are listed in our
fundraising e-bulletin, which is published every
other month and sent out via email. Our
fundraising team has also developed training for
anyone interested in fundraising for their own
projects or groups. The next training is on 15-16
September 2008. Contact:
[email protected] or 0207 780 7374
if you would like to book a place.
Wellbeing GroupThe ‘Roll-out Wellbeing’ Group ensures we take
forward the wellbeing agenda across Together, and
embed it in all our activities. As well as identifying
work needing to be undertaken, the group has
initiated, developed and co-ordinated key events
each year, including the 2006 Together Conference
on Wellbeing and the 2008 Wellbeing week and
Wellbeing pack. The Wellbeing Group is looking for
wellbeing champions to help co-ordinate local and
regional events and activities for the 2009
Wellbeing Week, the week is being held from the
9th – 15th March. If you or a colleague or service
user from your project would like to get involved,
please contact Emily at:
Regional Steering GroupsThe regional service user steering groups bring
together people who access Together services,
(some external service-user groups and forums are
also represented) and the groups meet quarterly. If
you would like to be involved in these steering
group meetings, please contact Emily at: emily-
[email protected] to enquire about the
Northern group and Sarah at: sarah-
[email protected] to discuss
involvement in the Southern group.
Opportunities for involvementoutside Together
The BBC is putting together a film that gives an
impression of what it is like to live with paranoia or
paranoid thoughts. They want it to give the
viewpoint of people with mental illness, as
opposed to 'experts' in the field of mental illness.
If you are interested in being involved (at this
stage it’s to learn more about the kind of film they
would like to make or it would be possible to
make). Speaking to them now doesn’t mean you
would necessarily be volunteering to have a film
made about you. Support is available from
Together’s Communications Department for
anyone interested. Please contact Vicky Kington,
[email protected], or call Vicky
on 0207 780 7444.
Consultation on the future of social care inEngland. The Government wants to hear what
people have to say about how we should improve,
provide, and pay for social care in the future. It is
important that people with mental health
problems contribute to this consultation to ensure
that future policies are suited to your needs. You
can have your say on these issues online by
visiting: www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk
Get involvedOpportunites from Together's Service User Directorate
What issues are being discussed? How can you have your say?
There are many ways for service users at Together to be involved. One of the
challenges is making sure everyone knows the opportunities there are, and
does not feel overloaded by information. This update provides an overview
of current involvement roles and explains how Together's service users can
get involved themselves.
Satisfaction GuaranteedTogether’s commitment to service user involvement
took another step forward this year with the initiation
of “Service User Satisfaction Teams”.
Congratulations toTogether’s staff & serviceuser teams:
timetogether SUMMER 08
19
The Mental Health Foundation would like to ask
you about discrimination againstpeople with mental health problems.
1) Have you or has anybody you know been
discriminated against because of a mental health
problem? We would be very interested to read
short accounts of your experiences of
discrimination in relation to our ongoing anti-
discrimination work. If you are happy to share
your experiences of discrimination please send a
short account of what happened (up to 250
words). Your information will not be shared with
anybody else without your permission.
2) Where do you think most discrimination against
people with mental health problems takes place?
For example at work, in the media, in the justice
system, at the bank and so on
3) What one thing do you think would be most
effective in ending the discrimination against
people with mental health problems?
Send responses to: [email protected]
or: Policy Team, Mental Health Foundation,
Sea Containers House, 20 Upper Ground,
London SE1 9QB.
Concessionary bus pass petitionThe Transport Act 2000 would currently only
enable someone to qualify for a pass if they would
be refused a driving license. Would this mean that
you would not qualify for help with transport costs?
Should there be a specific qualifying category for
people with enduring mental health problems?
Visit:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/BusTravelPermits
There is also an Early Day Motion calling for the
Department of Transport to Review eligibility
criteria. We have a template letter to write to your
MP to ask them to sign Early Day Motion 1411. We
can also help you find out who your MP is, or you
can look it up at www.locata.co.uk/commons
World Mental Health DayWorld Mental Health Day will take place on 10
October. It is an awareness raising initiative and
aims to focus worldwide concern on mental health
issues around the world. The theme for this year’s
day is ‘scaling up services through citizen advocacy
and action’. It might be a good idea to start
planning your event, and how it might fit into this
theme now.
If you would like to plan an event to mark the
day, support is available from the fundraising and
communication team at the national office
contact: [email protected] or call
on 0207 780 7366.
To find out more about World Mental Health
Day visit: www.wfmh.org/00WorldMentalHealth
Day.htm
Together would like to thank the
service users and staff who jointly
facilitated 3 Mental Capacity Act
events in April / May, including
presentations and 6 workshops to
189 participants. The evaluations
were very positive and we look
forwards to rolling information
about this important legislation
across the organisation. We have
also developed a Bill of Rights for
service users based on the Mental
Capacity Act.
Further congratulations go to
service users who access our services
in Wakefield and were involved in
recruitment and selection of the
Independent Mental Capacity
Advocates. Service users were also
on the interview panel for staff at
Hillden House in Wandsworth. New
beginnings for all!
Co-ordinated by QualityAssurance Manager IanMuhammad, the teams follow thecore Together ethos that serviceusers are experts by experience;that those who access services arein the best position to evaluatethem.
In total, about 50 service users– all of whom have attended aseries of training courses – havebeen preparing to use newly foundauditing skills to help evaluateTogether services affecting thelives of the more than 3,000service users who access them.
At the heart of the project isthe Service User Directorate’sWellbeing Approach toInvolvement - Together’ssystematic approach for recruitingservice users and providingtraining in self-leadership in orderto pave the way for involvement inthe charity’s specialist work.
And, said Ian, service userinvolvement has brought benefitsnot only to quality assurance, butalso to the service usersthemselves.
“It’s widely acknowledged thatthose who access services are
ideally placed to work with otherswho use services: people whoidentify with those asking thequestions are less likely to fear anyhidden agenda, particularly if theyhave had similar experiences, andthe empathy people have witheach other can give the necessaryconfidence to answer difficultquestions.
“I’ve noticed a real boost in theconfidence and self-awarenesslevels of those involved, and,importantly, an ability to articulateviews about services that affectthem.
“And that is part of the wholeobjective – to get service users to alevel of expertise and experiencewhere they can develop anddeliver the training themselves.”
Send us your pictures and storiesIf you have a photograph or story to share we’dlove to hear from you. Please email yourcontributions to [email protected]