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Issue 5 time 2010

Crusading for change

Female offenders and mental health

Together Our Stories exhibition

Recovery stars

Celebs speak out

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CONTENTS

Features 4 6 Crusading for change 10 Female offenders and mental health 14 Together Our Stories exhibition 16 Recovery stars 18 Cover story: Celebs speak out 10

Contents 6 Regulars 4 News in brief 12 First person: your life stories 22 Involvement update: service user action at Together 24 Share together: a celebration of survivor history 28 The notice board: your pictures and news

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timetogether ISSUE 05

Thank you

CHIEF EXECUTIVE - LIZ FELTON of Time to Change photo courtesy Cover

We are over six months into the essential changes we need to make in order to stand the best chance of achieving our strategic goals. FEEDBACK We always welcome feedback I am so grateful that during this heartening in this initial period is to >about timetogether from our initial period people have see different departments and services readers. So if you'd like to contact managed to retain their focus on working so well together, for example, the team to get your point across what we are all ultimately striving the members of the Strategy or would like to contribute an for - a better deal in life for the Implementation Group. We also see article, photo or letter, you can people we support. our plans to increase the levels of contact us at: That means providing the very best service user involvement across [email protected] in modern, high quality housing projects and departments going well, environments and flexible services. It with a new working group made up of also means adapting our services so people in different staff roles plus that people can use their personal service users now meeting regularly. budgets to buy what type of support Only by taking a whole- they want from us directly. organisation approach, with everyone Because where people live is just so playing their part, can positive steps important to their overall quality of towards making life better for the life, the work being driven forward by 4,000 adults a month we support Editor: our Director of Housing, John Brennan, happen. Claire Monger Together is particularly exciting. Indeed the benefit of being part of 12 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BE John is currently working on a a national organisation, as opposed to 0207 780 7366 project to transform an old residential being part of a small local group, is [email protected] home in Croydon, which has not been that we can draw strength from one in use for some years, into a place another. Which is why the Proofreaders: Rosie Shelley and Sarah Fuggle where 38 people with mental health development of a new online portal, issues can have their own homes. where marketing materials with a Design and Production: John Myers There is also some exciting work consistent message about who we are [email protected] being led by Elina Stamou, Peer and what we do can be ordered, was Support Development Manager, in treated as a priority. These materials preparation for our plans to pilot four will help everybody market their peer-led services. You can read more service more professionally at a local about that on page 9. level, and are part of our wider plans to And within our services too we see raise the profile of Together. Raising dedicated people working hard to our profile will in turn strengthen our timetogether and its contents are the sole © of achieve our strategic goals. For position as a service provider, as well Together: working for wellbeing. No part of example, at St. Helen’s Community as our fundraising case. this magazine may be reproduced in any form Support Service on Merseyside, the We realise that we are asking a lot without the prior written permission of Project Co-ordinator Michelle Durrant of staff at the moment and that there Together: working for wellbeing, registered and her team have been working hard are still many uncertainties. But please charity no: 211091. to ensure that people in receipt of believe that the changes we are individual budgets can buy the support making are necessary. I would like to they want from them directly. thank everyone for the work they are But perhaps what has been most doing to secure Together’s future.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Top marks for Norfolk Road Fantastic news for the team at Norfolk Road residential service in Sheffield, Walk this bay who have just found out they will retain their 3-star ‘Excellent’ Care Quality Clients, staff and supporters of Paul Harrison, Deputy Director of Commission rating. “The inspector was Lancaster Community Support Operations and Development, who really positive about what we’re doing Service (CSS) organised a nine mile raised over £200 himself says, “It was here, and as you can see from this sponsored walk across the sands of an absolutely brilliant day, the sun was photograph, we’re absolutely thrilled to Morcambe Bay in May, to raise shining and we all had a fun time, be keeping our top rating,” says Jo Gibson, money for its social activities fund. especially the dogs some of us brought Project Co-ordinator. The sponsorship money is still along! We’ll definitely be doing it coming in, but the team fully expect again next year.” to beat last year’s total of £700. Read more about our fundraising Daring successes on page 8. good deeds Two years ago a group of people Anne Beales MBE accessing Together’s Thurrock Personal Development Service (PDS) representing Together set up their own group called Drug Anne Beales MBE, Director of Service User Involvement at and Alcohol Rehabilitation Together, has been appointed to the newly established Extension (DARE). Ministerial Advisory Group on Equalities and Mental “We felt that Health. The group aims to ensure equality in services is a after treatment, top priority as the New Horizons mental health strategy is sometimes people implemented. Well done Anne! would be left more Anne Beales or less on their own to get on with things, and that this Together likes... Florid.org.uk could be really Florid is a website run by mental Florid is funded by NHS East London difficult, so we set up health service users for people who Foundation Trust. Through this DARE to offer have also experienced mental health connection with the NHS many mental support on a longer difficulties. It brings together health professionals have served as basis,” says Mike Prentice, one of its information relating to mental health guest speakers to the site, allowing founding members. in a way that is user-friendly and people to ask direct questions in a Together supported Mike and the simple. This includes vital relaxed environment. DARE members to get the group off the information about medication, the Mesha Mcneil of Florid says, “Many ground, and to apply for charitable status. Mental Health Act, and legal rights. people who use the site have That application was successful and It aims to provide a place where commented that our social approach to earlier this year, it became an anyone who has ever been affected by mental health has been, in many cases, independent charity in its own right. mental health issues can feel safe, and more therapeutic than clinical “We’re just starting out and there’s a lot can share experiences and opinions treatments. A further benefit is that the of work to do, but there’s a real need for without fear of judgment or criticism. It service users and carers that help to run this type of service in the area, and we’re hosts a number of message boards the project receive training to help them looking forward to making it a real where you can post your experiences, do that, and many of our ‘graduates’ success,” says Mike. thoughts and ideas. have found paid work either with the Read more about the service user NHS or elsewhere as a result.” involvement and action that’s happening at Together on page 22.

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NEWS IN BRIEF timetogether ISSUE 05

Voices of experience Thanks to a National Lottery Awards for All grant, nine people with experience of mental health issues have received top quality training, and are now Together’s first ‘Voices of Experience’ Jagadish Jha, media spokespeople. one of the trainees

After putting their new skills to good although everyone was nervous, they just Every little use during our annual awareness-raising threw themselves into it. By day two, week in March, the group have been without exception, they were fielding the helps hobnobbing with top BBC reporters, most awkward of questions on camera, Sittingbourne Resource Centre in taking part in documentaries, and getting their points across, and generally Kent is getting a helping hand from supporting student journalists at City being brilliant.” Sue Percival, a Community Bridge University. The Service User Involvement Champion employed by Tesco. “The trainer normally media trains Directorate has decided to re-fund the Under the supermarket’s scheme, celebrities, royalty and MP’s so the course Voices of Experience training. If you are employees like Sue are given time design was absolutely top-notch,” says interested in taking part, please call Claire off to support local community Claire Monger, Project Manager. “The on 0207 780 7366. groups. best bit about the training was that In April this year she joined Sittingbourne’s Good Food Group, which encourages healthier eating. Tesco kindly supplied the food for a session where Sue taught some willing trainees how to cook a shepherd’s pie and apple crumble from scratch. Tracey Bridger at the Centre says “Sue’s going to be doing some talks on confidence building next, and Tesco is going to be donating gifts for the next fundraising raffle, I think it’s a really great initiative.” Visit www.tesco.co.uk for more information about the Community Champions scheme. Do you have a story for Sporting life timetogether? Congratulations to Reading Andrew also received an We need your stories, news and Resource’s Table Tennis Club, which individual award in the Loyalty to features for the next edition, scooped the Mayor of Reading Sport category. A former England which will be published in Special Award at the Local Sports international, he was described as December 2010. If you have an Personality of the Year Awards in ‘one of the most devoted coaches in idea that you’d like to put February. the UK’, and has been praised for forward, please email Andrew Syed, the team’s coach says, his work to raise standards in the [email protected] or “To win the award was an extraordinary team to such a degree that they call her on 0207 780 7366 by achievement for the entire club, and the are now an established side in the 22nd October. presentation ceremony was absolutely Reading and District League. fantastic.”

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“It’s quite a political piece. I wanted to show the audience that people in mental distress need things other than medication. They need calm, they need conversation, they need care.” Crusading for change Clare Summerkskill is the playwright and performer behind Hearing Voices, a critically acclaimed production inspired by her own experience of being on a secure psychiatric ward. She received assistance from Together and funding from The Arts Council to support a 14 date tour of the play, which took place earlier this year. Jessica Pike reports.

lare Summerskill is crusading for Drawing directly from her own audiences wince in both horror and change. Not one to shy away experiences of life in a secure psychiatric empathy. “We were incarcerated and Cfrom saying it like it is, the unit following a long period of feeling medicated and not properly looked after. London-based actress turned suicidal, the play exposes the bleak It was a horrid place to be ill in,” she says, comedienne (who was once described realities of life on a mental health ward with disarming honesty. as a lesbian Victoria Wood), has been and subverts any fluffy preconceptions She describes the ward as devoid of busy promoting and acting in her play the audience might have. any warmth, a lonely place where Hearing Voices, which looks at the This isn’t one for the faint-hearted – patients had no contact with the outside treatment or rather, in her opinion, Clare has a message to get across and world. Clare has met people who would mistreatment, of the mentally ill in there would be no point in sugar-coating actually choose to kill themselves rather hospital. it; the world she evokes has made than go back and spend time on a

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timetogether ISSUE 05

psychiatric ward. She says, “I left after two months and pretended I wasn’t suicidal just so I could get out.” She describes the nurses as particularly awful, like unforgiving prison “One contributor told me she felt like a bad person guards, “They looked at the patients as for being mentally ill and therefore deserved the ‘other’”, explains Clare, “And they were punitive towards self-harmers. They only poor treatment that she received from the nurses, really seemed to get up and move when but seeing the play made her challenge this feeling. they thought someone was going to try That was really quite moving.” and kill themselves. There was no caring involved at all.” The picture Clare paints becomes even darker – she talks about drugs on the ward, men on crack cocaine, people well hidden. People don’t want to admit At one point, there was demand for a smoking skunk in the toilets, as well as that these problems exist.” ‘Q&A’ session after each performance, violence between patients. The level of With mental health patients but I didn’t feel I could do that. It would malpractice that went on seems experiencing such terrible treatment in have just been too draining.” extraordinary. “The nurses just turned a some psychiatric wards, Clare believes But Clare has undoubtedly succeeded blind eye,” she says. that things need to urgently change, and in her aim of changing peoples’ Hearing Voices represents, for Clare, has an idea of how this could happen. perception of the mentally ill. Hearing an uncomfortable journey back into her “It’s not about money,” she tells me, “The Voices has had hugely positive reactions past. In December 2006 after a problem is that as a society we’re buying from audiences and received glowing breakdown she took an overdose and was into psychiatry – into drugging and praise from mental health service users. committed to a secure psychiatric unit . It medicating. I think that more talking “The feedback has been amazing,” she was a tough time, made even harder by therapy is needed. Drugs alone won’t says, “I invited the people I had how she was treated whilst trying to heal people in the long term.” interviewed for the play– fellow patients – recover. Therapy was not something that was to come to see it. I met some amazing As research for the play she readily available to Clare on the ward. people in hospital, and their response to it interviewed a number of her fellow Surprising as it may seem, in order for her was really positive. I think they hopefully patients and used their situations and to speak to a counsellor whilst in hospital, felt moved and empowered by it. One conversations to form the script (this is she had to put herself down on a year contributor told me she felt like a bad known as verbatim theatre). The and a half long waiting list. Even then, person for being mentally ill and therefore characters therefore reflect a rich mix of each patient would only be assigned a deserved the poor treatment that she people with different histories and therapist for six weeks. received from the nurses but seeing the backgrounds, suffering from a range of play made her challenge this feeling. That mental health problems. One character was really quite moving.” hears voices, another is bipolar, someone “We were incarcerated With such a fantastic response, it’s else self-harms. clear that Clare’s crusade is going well; in Putting on Hearing Voices was Clare’s and medicated and raising these issues, she stands up for a way of campaigning to alter public not properly looked group of people who continue to be perception of the mentally ill and sidelined in our society. “I hope things will encourage a review of mental health after. It was a horrid change as a result,” she says, before facilities. Clare describes the play as like place to be ill in.” heading off for another performance. “coming out”, in that in being so open With someone so honest and upfront as about her mental health problems she the driving force behind it, this crusade is sadly risks incurring prejudice from others. sure to make changes happen. The mentally ill continue to be stigmatised by society, she believes, and “You get no talking therapy in this must be addressed. hospital,” she says. “You’re confined and “It’s quite a political piece,” she says, medicated, and that’s all.” of the play, “I wanted to show the It took Clare months to recover from audience that people in mental distress her experiences on the ward, and need things other than medication. They subsequently years to recover from her need calm, they need conversation, they breakdown. Like many people, she still has need care.” down days. Putting on Hearing Voices The images that Clare conjures up – was not then an easy decision, because it of stony-faced nurses turning away from meant confronting some upsetting and their distressed patients and men traumatic memories. “It has been smoking drugs are startling and difficult,” she admits, “I had to explain upsetting. “It is shocking,” she agrees, what it was like to all to the actors, and For more information please visit: “It’s appalling and controversial – and then perform it, sometimes twice a day. www.hearingvoicesplay.co.uk

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FUNDRAISING

Fun fundraising ideas #1 Challenging sporting events aren’t for everyone, but most people enjoy a good dinner with friends. So why not Fundraising raise money for Together by hosting your own ‘Come Dine With Me’ BY SARAH FUGGLE, Fundraising Executive event? Just cook a splendid meal for your friends and loved ones, but charge them for the privilege. It’s been a busy and successful six months for fundraising What’s even better is that the at Together, and with a new plan in place for the future, website www.dinner4good.com can guide you through the whole process things can only get even better! from start to finish. From sending out the invites, to making sure that you raise as much money as possible from Breaking Supporters your event. wasn’t impressive enough, in May, a trio the cycle going the of mental health professionals from Too many people with mental Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust health issues find themselves in extra mile cycled the length of mainland Britain to contact with the criminal justice raise money for Together. system. Sadly, many end up We are incredibly lucky to have the Colin Dugdale from Morecambe, Alain receiving short term prison support of people like Jane Hoyle Choofon from Hest Bank and Tony sentences for relatively minor (pictured) who test themselves to Dugdale also from Morecambe set offences, when what they actually the limit in order to raise off from Lands End and arrived at need is treatment and care. As money to support the work John O’Groats just 15 days later. their mental health needs are not that we do. All the sponsorship money addressed in prison, they are likely Jane decided to run the they raised will go to our to re-offend when released, and this Virgin London Marathon on our Lancashire Community Support pitiful cycle continues. behalf as she has a number of Service, to support the work it That is why the work that friends and loved ones affected by does to improve the lives of those Together’s Forensic Mental Health mental health issues. She got in caring for loved ones with Practitioner Service (FMHP) does to touch afterwards to let us mental health problems. break this cycle is so important. With a know that she enjoyed Colin Dugdale, professional background in mental the event from start cyclist and Acting health, the team work across London in to finish, “I had a Deputy Director of magistrates’ courts and probation brilliant time,” says Nursing says, settings to help support or divert, where Jane. “The “Mental health appropriate, offenders with mental atmosphere was issues affect not health issues into treatment. great and it was just individuals, For these reasons, the Fundraising hilarious being but the families Team has been focusing its efforts on overtaken by who care for supporting the FMHP Service Manager, runners in them. We hope Linda Bryant, with funding applications gingerbread that the money we that will help it maintain and expand its man, apples raised will improve programme of work. So far we’ve and ice cream the quality of life secured donations from the John Paul cone outfits!” for the both the Getty Jnr Charitable Trust, Bromley And if carer and cared Trust and the Westminster Foundation. Jane’s for person.” achievement

Get in touch

We rely on people to keep us up to date with news about forget to send us your fundraising stories and news. interesting activities or events, so we can share the success Everything is of interest! stories. With every application for funding that I make, I send off a copy of timetogether, to show in detail the range of Let us know what you’re doing to fundraise for your project or work we do. It makes us stand out against other service. Email your fundraising achievements, news and organisations who are asking for money. So please don’t pictures to [email protected]

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timetogether ISSUE 05 Peer Support

Peer Support Workers are people who have experienced emotional difficulties and are interested in helping others with similar difficulties.

Together has some ambitious plans to One of the Peer2Peer group’s investment over the past five years in develop peer-led services over the members is well known for its innovative service user involvement and training. coming years, and the wheels have peer-led work. Leeds Survivor Led Crisis We’re so lucky to have a skilled and been set in motion to make those a Service was set up in 1999 by a group of motivated service user team that really reality. Elina Stamou, Peer Support service users who campaigned for five want to make a difference, but we need Manager, and Anne Beales MBE, long years to create a local alternative to the support of everyone at Together to Director of Service User Involvement hospital admission for those in acute make our vision a reality, and to get at Together, explain. mental crisis - or in need of other involved themselves. By working together We firmly believe that to date, the statutory services. we’ll be able to make the four pilot peer- value of people with experience of mental 10 years later and it has helped led services we’re trialling over the next distress helping others in distress in a change the lives of hundreds of people, year a real success. mutually beneficial arrangement, based won countless awards, and continues to If you are a service user who would around principles of understanding, trust be governed and managed by people like to get involved in the Service User and respect, has been undervalued and with direct experience of mental health Involvement Directorate or member of under-researched. But there are some problems. project staff who would like to find out brilliant examples of best practice that we The whole service is based on the peer more about peer support and how it can learn from as we develop our own support principle that people are expert in could benefit your service, please call Elina work in this area, which is why we’ve knowing their own situations and with the Stamou, Peer Support Development established a new working group called right kind of attention and support can Manager, on 0207 780 7358 or email Peer2Peer. find their own solutions. You can see from [email protected] The Peer2Peer group is made up Leeds just how effective this approach primarily of service user organisations, can be when it’s managed well. To read more about service and we meet quarterly to discuss And the good involvement opportunities and training developments, identify areas where we news is that see pages 22 and 23. can work together towards a common Together is best cause and to share expertise. It’s going placed to develop really well. So far we’ve met four times this type of and have already started on a joint service, due to its research project that will help us better evaluate peer-led services. This evaluation is incredibly important to attract more support and funding to this area of work. In addition to the group, we’ve established an extended network of statutory and academic ‘friends’ that works with us to build on each other’s expertise, develop innovative peer support models, share resources, access funding and build valuable strong partnerships with key stakeholders to support the delivery of services.

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Female offenders and mental health Amanda Williamson meets a woman with mental health issues who, with the support of Together, is getting her life back on track after a life of short-term prison sentences.

melia is an elegant woman in her As a bright, feisty kid who thrived at diagnosed, or received support for her 50s. She’s intelligent, funny and school, and was part of a household mental health issues. And she now Agets so worried about the planet with loving, responsible parents, life admits that if she had, it might have that she often can’t sleep. She has also looked promising. saved her from years of chaos. battled for years with a crack cocaine But undercutting this was a crippling “It definitely affects your decisions addiction, lived in and out of drug dens lack of self-worth which led to periods of because you have such a lack of hope, and hostels, and been so many times in depression and loneliness trust in people and self-esteem that it prison she’s literally lost which, Amelia says, makes you withdraw from the world. I count. have blighted her find myself caught in this emptiness all her life. She between not wanting to actually die, has never but not wanting to live the life I have, been but not having the confidence to do properly anything about it. So you blot it out with drugs.” Amelia was 14 years old when she felt ‘the hand on my shoulder’ which changed her life. Falsely accused, she claims, of shoplifting, she was sent to Holloway Prison and initiated into what she calls the “University of Crime”. She was introduced to crack cocaine by a violent ex-boyfriend and quickly got trapped in the vortex of needing to commit crime to feed the addiction - a syndrome amongst many women offenders that is familiar to all those who work in the criminal justice system. “It was the classic vicious circle,” she says. “All I could think about was where to get the next high. You’re a slave to it. I lost everything – properties, possessions, and my children.” She took the ‘punishment’ that came with her numerous prison sentences with increasing

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SPOTLIGHT ON... timetogether ISSUE 05

stoicism; a pragmatic indifference to being incarcerated which suggests that any attempts at deterrence or ‘rehabilitation’ in her case were ultimately fruitless – except, she says without a trace of irony, “I developed a talent for ceramics.” In fact, prison, she says, was often a welcome respite from the chaos and darkness of her existence on the outside. “It was a place where I would get my sanity back and it has a structure. When you come out you have hopes and dreams; you really don’t want to go Matina Marougka back to the life you had before. But if you don’t have a place to live, and the support to help you start again, you are going right back to hell.” Together is helping many women like Amelia to break out of the ‘season ticket syndrome’ that defines many women offenders. With the support of Matina Marougka, who runs Together’s Women Court Outreach and Pathway Project, Amelia is determined to carve a new life. She has a good chance of permanent housing for the first time in years, and is considering enrolling on an evening class. She wants eventually to mentor other young women who are trapped like she was. Amelia is a compelling argument to the case for diverting vulnerable women offenders away from the criminal justice system, which gathered momentum after the publication of the ground- breaking report by Baroness Corston in 2007. A searing portrayal of the futility speed, with clients who are at their most me, but Matina helps me keep on track, of prison sentences for many women anxious and vulnerable, and the like helping me make appointments and offenders, it questioned why so many building of a relationship of trust and checking in afterwards. It gives you an more women were imprisoned for minor professional integrity with court officials. added incentive, it means someone offences than men, and called for a “Sometimes it feels like working on the believes in me. She’s my sounding- concerted effort to tackle the root set of CSI!” she laughs. board.” causes of their criminal behaviour, as The other part of Matina’s role is to Examples like that sustain Matina well as more imaginative alternatives to act as a bridge between women and through the difficult moments: “My prison. support services, to ensure they don’t motivation is helping to make women Through Together’s project, based at slip through the net, and can eventually stronger, seeing them motivated and Thames Magistrates Court in East break the cycle of offending engaged with the support services, London, Matina’s job is to provide “It’s small steps, one step at a time,” believing that there are alternatives.” instant interventions for women she says. “Many of these women have For Amelia it’s the classic one-day- defendants in court who she spots as been stuck in the system for so long, and at-a-time struggle, but she is clinging having mental health problems. Using lots have no external infrastructure onto the dream of finally having a place her professional expertise and her apart from negative influences. They’ve of her own, and rebuilding her background in forensic psychology, she lost faith in the system, but also in relationship with her children: is able make assessments which are themselves. Most I speak to don’t want “I don’t make myself any promises, then used to help the sitting to be living the lives they lead, they or goals that I don’t know I can reach. magistrates or District Judge decide want to get out, but just don’t see how.” But, is it worth going back to prison and whether an alternative to custody is Amelia testifies to the difference it losing everything now for a pair of possible. has made: “Matina has been fantastic. shoes? No, girl.” It’s a task that requires working at I had made the decision to change for

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FirstOne of the most powerful ways to fightPerson the stigma and prejudice that surrounds mental health is for people to describe their real life experiences. First Person is a regular spot in timetogether where we encourage our readers to do just that.

Eric Davis’ experiences that. On top of this, my wife was taken ill. of being bullied have I called her every day to make sure she had a dramatic impact was okay. The day before I had my on his life, but after breakdown, I telephoned but there was working though those no reply. Instinct kicked in - something was wrong. I had to get home, but there difficult times, he’s now was no-one to tell. I left a note on my helping other people manager’s desk. It transpired that my with mental health wife had been taken to hospital. issues at a Together When I got to work the next day, I project in Berkshire. was called into see my senior manager who accused me of going AWOL. I protested my innocence but she was not prepared to listen. I collapsed in front of her and was sent home. During my time off, I was prescribed a Beating bulling range of anti-depressants and underwent counselling. I tried to find another job but BY ERIC DAVIS no-one was keen on employing a mentally ill person who was already off I’m writing this article because I’ve This was 1974. My doctor prescribed sick. I returned to the civil service but I’d suffered from depression and anxiety anti-depressants and I saw a psychiatrist. been scarred, so I resigned and found from the age of 14 and want to share He claimed I wasn’t “normal” as I employment elsewhere. with you how I cope, and how I’ve wouldn’t go to school. My parents I stayed in the wine trade for three overcome the difficulties and wouldn’t allow me to be taken into care, years. Work was fine, but I wanted to try challenges I’ve faced in life. so I stayed home until I could return to retail management and the opportunity I’m currently a Support Officer at mainstream education and then into presented itself. It was okay for a year Reading Resource, a day service. But I employment. but then a colleague physically attacked started out my working life in the civil For the most part, I enjoyed the job. I me. The attack was ferocious and left me service, before working in the wine trade was working with colleagues I knew and a broken man. I was absolutely finished. and in retail management. trusted. But there was one individual who I felt suicidal. I made an appointment, I suppose my problems started at made my life hell and triggered another more in desperation than anything else, secondary school. The first two years breakdown. Again, it was bullying that to see my GP. He gave me hope. I spoke were okay; I had some older friends to proved the cause. He tormented me to him about the work incident and he hang out with. But when they left, I was relentlessly. The mind games he played asked why I was beating myself up over on my own. Then when my class was were cruel. it. He said that the way I reacted to the split up, it really affected me. I hated it I asked for a move from the assault was normal and I felt better. I and my work suffered. I was about to department, which worked for a little looked for employment again and found have my first breakdown, but not before while. But I didn’t bargain on the it with Reading Resource Centre. things got even worse. influence the person bullying me would I joined in June 2006, and I’d like to I started getting bullied really badly have on colleagues I regarded as friends. think that I’ve got some insight into how and I began to avoid lessons or going to I became isolated and fearful, but I was mental health sufferers see life and school; I would pretend to go to then hide determined not to fall again. I made a understand the challenges they face. I away. Things came to a head when my complaint against my old manager and know that life can be difficult, but now parents took me to school to meet the my bosses eventually conceded that it I’ve got my coping techniques and I am Head. I was a wreck. The Head told me I might help if I was to move to another stable, I’m okay. Yes, sometimes I would be fine and I should report to my work area. I was at the end of my tether. struggle, but there is help available, you class – I couldn’t do it – I ran out of I took the move – this was the final straw. just have to ask. school and didn’t stop until I got home. I The new job was a non-job; I had no fell into my dad’s arms and broke down. work to do and was resented because of

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Gareth and his partner just when I needed it as I thought I was Sian have faced their going to have a nervous breakdown. She mental health problems gave me information on benefits and together. It hasn’t housing and helped me through been easy, but with the particularly difficult times. Jackie also referred me on to other groups that have support of Jackie put me in touch with other people who Carpenter, and others are going through similar experiences to at our St. Helen’s me. Community Service, A few years later I needed help again they’ve managed to and Helen Sinnot at Together became my turn their lives around. carer support worker. Again, she was fantastic. She helped not only by understanding what I was going through but also with practical advice like finding a new home. Both Helen and Jackie are Husband and wife team down to earth, empathic and they will do anything for you. They are warm and BY GARETH AND SIAN funny and instantly put you at ease making you feel better. Together, as an Gareth: My wife was the first one to get in organisation, is invaluable to both mental health carers and service users. I, for one, When I was 17, back in 1996, I joined touch with Together when she was visited don’t know where I would be without the army. I was a fit and healthy by a carer support worker, Jackie their help and support. young man and the world was my Carpenter, who helped her to fill in forms for housing, gave us information on Gareth really looks forward to his oyster. It was a great life and I served sessions with Jon. They get on really well all over the world - from Cyprus to benefits and assisted us to complete application forms. Jackie also gave us and Jon encourages Gareth to get out of Qatar. information about local groups and the flat and be more active. Gareth has Three years into army life my mother activities for us both, and gave my wife changed for the better since he started passed away and I became incredibly emotional and practical support. going to the Together drop-in and seeing depressed. To deal with the feelings I was In 2008, I started to receive support Jon. He is more open with his feelings and having I started drinking heavily. It felt from another Together worker, Jon less dependent on me. I feel Together has like there was no-one in the army I could Finney. Jon introduced me to the helped ease the inevitable strain that turn to, and nobody seemed to notice Together Oasis drop-in group, which runs mental illness put on our marriage. how low I was. I did ask my Captain if I every Monday. I went along and met Gareth and I talk openly and work could speak to someone; unfortunately he people who had been, or were going through problems together but know that said our regiment was too busy and there through, what I was going through. we have outside support to turn to if was no-one available. So I continued to Now Jon and I play squash, go for needs be. struggle through. walks with my dog and play chess - all When I first got involved with Two years to the day of my mother’s things I thought I would never do again. Together I was unemployed, depressed death, I took my first overdose (one of A simple chat, encouragement, having and didn’t know how to care for myself, fifteen since then). I started to cut myself someone who understands, has empathy as well as being a carer for my husband. and I was admitted to the army’s and listens, has made all the difference in Now, I have a part time job that I love, I psychiatric hospital. I was seen by a slowly but surely increasing my think about myself as well as Gareth and I psychiatrist and received four sessions of confidence and independence. have more confidence and self esteem. I psychology before being discharged. But It is a pity I did not receive the help feel we are lucky to have Together in our then my brother committed suicide and sooner, perhaps when I first started to lives and I would recommend them to my depression deepened. I was become ill – maybe it would have not got anyone in a similar situation to myself or medically discharged in April 2002 but to this! Gareth. not referred on to, or seen by, anyone after that. I went downhill from then on. I was Sian: drinking a lot, cutting myself and I took I met Gareth in 2003. By the summer What’s your several overdoses. I was referred to a of 2004 I felt I was living in a story? Community Mental Health Team later on nightmare. Gareth was extremely ill that year by my GP and admitted to a and I was struggling to cope. My Would you like to write an article psychiatric unit in my local area. The whole world revolved around him and based on your own life that offers next two years were a blur, numerous his needs. hope and support to others? Or admissions, overdoses, cutting, heavy I suffered from depression and severe perhaps you’d like to express your drinking. At one point I was admitted to anxiety. It was when I was visiting him in views on a topic that directly HM Prison in the hospital wing. They hospital in 2004 that a nurse suggested I affects or concerns you? To find could not help me and I was locked up 23 get in touch with Together. That’s when I out more about contributing to hours a day, doped up on medication. met Jackie Carpenter. She was amazing. this part of the magazine please During this time I met my wife – my She was so sympathetic, understanding call Claire on 0207 780 7366. saviour. and caring, and helped me out so much

13 0347 TWFW TimeTogether Issue 5:Layout 1 3/6/10 13:15 Page 14 by Tom Medwell Tom by Kevin Our Stories The lives of people supported by Together were the focus of the Our Stories exhibition, which ran at the Together Our Space Gallery from March to April 2010.

BY ROGER MACLINE

Billed as a sound and photographic who have the most amazing stories to recorded using sound equipment. exhibition into understanding mental tell, but very often they are just not "I didn't just rock up and start to ask health issues through the voices and going to appeal to mainstream media, personal questions!” says Christina, who images of people affected, eight and that’s where the idea for the has worked as a support worker herself. residents at Together projects in exhibition came from," says Claire. “This “I spent a few hours getting to know London, alongside five people involved exhibition was about trying to overcome each person taking part before we in our service user steering groups, that barrier to people speaking out and started to do the recording to try and volunteered to take part. having a say in a creative way, and not build up more of a rapport, so that the The idea for Our Stories came from letting the power of those stories go to interviews would be more genuine." Claire Monger in the Communications waste." It was important to Christina to Team, with the concept for the To produce the content for the make sure people from residential exhibition then being developed and exhibition, Christina arranged to meet homes were included in the exhibition produced by Christina Millare, the with each volunteer to talk about their as she feels these are often the people gallery's new curator. lives, mental health experiences, and that, as a society, we hear from least. "I speak to so many service users hopes for the future, which she then “I met some really inspiring people

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at Southbury Road, service users and the with things. So my work was inspired by support workers too. There was a real the feelings of isolation you feel when sense of ‘family’ and unconditional depressed, no matter how much support support at all of the project houses I you get." visited, which is so important in ensuring After meeting with all the volunteers people living in supported living receive and reviewing the the right care, and the encouragement work of each to live independently.” photographer, "Getting my Accompanying Christina on these Christina then visits were Carmen Luvian, Tom structured the confidence back, Medwell, Julia Sasse and Frida stories of people getting my trust Bengtsson, four professional taking part into an back, that was tricky photographers with backgrounds in inspiring, stigma- but I managed it. documentary and band photography. busting exhibition, Christina persuaded them to give their with the portraits Don’t just keep time, free of charge, to take portraits of accompanied by yourself to yourself Julia Sasse by the volunteers taking part. audio interviews because that just Carmen Luvian was able to bring her playing into the makes it worse." Jayanta own experience of mental ill-health to gallery, giving Jayanta Christina found the the portraits context whole process a real she took. and learning curve. “Listening to Having insight people’s experiences experienced “I bottled a lot of into the lives of the people completely overturned many a breakdown things up, drank a involved. preconceived ideas I had on the issue of lot, got myself The launch event in March mental health and the people living with attracted over 200 guests, into big problems the issues surrounding it. A lot of people including the volunteers who would like to absolve themselves from and I didn’t really took part, journalists from The prejudice, myself included. And even as talk to the right Daily Telegraph and Guardian someone who has worked within the people. Things newspapers, as well as respected care environment, I openly admit I arts magazine The Playground, just got worse walked into this project with which gave it a four out of five preconceived ideas. and worse.” star review. I realised more than anything how Adam "I was pleased that by taking much I had to learn about the issues of a different approach, finally some mental illness and how this affects the of the most disadvantaged people living with distress. Hearing after moving back people we support got a chance to get Adam by Carmen Luvian everyone talk so openly highlighted for to the UK from their stories heard by the national me how living with a mental health abroad, she decided to include a self- media as well as the visitors to the illness affects many aspects of portrait amongst her selection. "I was exhibition," says Claire. “I was especially someone’s life, aspects which I have really eager to get involved in this proud of the way Hilary and Adam, who taken for granted. Learning from project, as mental illness affects so featured in the exhibition, handled their everyone involved in Our Stories’ many of us, yet still has such a stigma interviews for the video about the inspiring experiences was an emotional attached to it,” says Carmen. “When I exhibition on the Daily Telegraph's rollercoaster, and one that I felt so had my own problems I saw a therapist website. Hearing from them and the privileged to be a part of.” and my family thought I was being silly other people who took part just and self-indulgent. There is this sort of normalised the issue, taking the 'issue' stiff upper lip British mentality that bit out of it altogether really." makes us feel like we need to just get on

"My mother died very suddenly and two weeks later I took off for outer space and landed in the local psychiatric hospital. I’d like us to keep a bit of humour in the topic. Let’s not get too serious about ourselves, because that in itself can cause mental health problems, when people take themselves too bloomin’ seriously.” Hilary

Hillary by Carmen Luvian

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Recovery stars

As part of a pilot that took place in the summer of 2008, Together introduced the Mental Health Recovery Star to key working sessions between service users and staff members. David Cankett, Head of Learning and Development, explains how it works, and how it’s helping to improve outcomes for the people and services involved.

Many people find it helpful to think of funders and commissioners happy! anxiety, you’d probably give yourself a recovery from a period of distress as a The star (opposite) takes a whole- lower score in the social networks area. journey with different steps along the person holistic view, with the service user The idea is that it helps to open up a way. The Recovery Star tool, which at its centre. It addresses ten different dialogue between the key worker and the was developed by the Mental Health areas of life, such as living skills or social client where both people are speaking in Providers Forum (MHPF), helps people networks, which are important to overall the same language. Another obvious along that journey. wellbeing. The journey to the edges of benefit is that, from session to session, MHPF, a body representing service the star are numbered one to ten. People you can measure progress and providers in England (including Together), are asked at key working sessions to rate achievement in different areas of life, as developed the star having identified a real where they think they are in each of the well as identifying and focusing support need for a tool to better measure the ten areas of life on that scale. on those areas where more work might progress and outcomes for adults For example, if you were really happy be needed. accessing mental health services. Being with the way you had managed to handle As part of the pilot, the Learning and able to evaluate what you are doing is an addictive behaviour, e.g. reducing the Development Team trained a number of incredibly important in the development amount of alcohol you drink, you might service users and staff to use the star and running of a quality service. And it score yourself an eight in the addictive themselves, as well as delivering training helps to demonstrate that what you are behaviours section. Whereas, if you’ve to others. doing is making a difference, which keeps been avoiding leaving the house due to

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Mike Prentice, a Together service user star gives you more freedom,” says Nigel. original pilot. Kim Fairhurst, Project Co- and trainer, found using the star helped “Although it is called the mental ordinator, is pleased that using the star him focus on the areas in life he wanted health Recovery Star, it actually applies to has impressed the commissioners of the to improve, “For the first six months of everybody; all ten points of the star can service. using the star, the numbers were very apply. It’s about a personal journey, and “We currently have 48 service users useful as it gave me an idea of where I you have more say in how it is done, and using a model of the star to measure the was in my recovery,” says Mike. who you involve.” outcomes of our support service delivery. “But when I started to use the star on For others, the Recovery Star has been It is also used to monitor progress made my own, I found it more helpful to just a call to action. Saira Walker, part of over a period of time. The work done so look at the areas where I want to make Together’s National Service User Steering far highlights the areas that need further improvements, without focusing on the Group, says, “When the Recovery Star was support in a person’s life. When that’s numbers from the previous time I introduced to me over two years ago I been identified, the staff and service user completed it - that worked for me, and is was instantly impressed and wanted to work together towards a set goal or still helping me today.” know more. Before I knew it I was target. Commissioners in Barnsley Another service user trainer, Nigel learning not only how to train other definitely like the star as an outcomes Moyes, was in 24 hour supported service users to use the star, but also model within Together and are accommodation for 11 years before he health care professionals too! But for me encouraging us to continue using it.” got involved with Together’s Service User it’s been about more than ‘spreading the Barnsley CSS has also developed a Involvement Directorate and through word’. I have been part of a Therapeutic computer programme that helps service that, the pilot for the Recovery Star Community for over a year now and users track their progress. It allows people training. Just over a year later he moved included the star as a large part of my to reflect on progress over a longer period into his own place and he credits the star Care Planning Approach, which helped and means that the system can produce as being key to making that important me pinpoint exactly what I needed to a report to look at outcomes of the development. work on. It’s been great and it really service as a whole. “The Recovery Star is my passion, and works.” Kim continues, “We’ve found that of all the training I am involved with, this The star is now being used by a most service users have responded in a is the one I enjoy delivering the most. I number of projects around the country, very positive way, and found the process think that the Care Plan Approach (CPA) including Barnsley Community Support useful in monitoring their wellbeing.” system is very regimented; whereas the Service (CSS), which took part in the Like all approaches to measuring outcomes, the use of the Recovery Star must be seen as part of a bigger picture. Just as Mike Prentice has indicated in his approach to implementing the star in his life, some feel that there is too much emphasis on the numbers involved. While the statistics gained from those numbers will almost certainly be popular with commissioners, it needs to be balanced with an understanding that people’s lives can have ups and downs, and that there are factors which affect outcomes beyond the control of the services offering support. However, what is clear from the pilot is that the service users taking part found it really useful in their lives and work, which is why the training is now open to everyone at Together. Details of forthcoming Recovery Star training sessions, all of which will be co- facilitated by service users, are included in Together’s current Learning and Development Programme. If you would like further information about the Recovery Star, please contact [email protected]

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Celebs speak out

Mike Yeoman, Together volunteer, shares his views on the growing trend towards celebrities discussing their mental health experiences more publicly.

Celebrities discussing their mental reason celebrity interviews about health issues through the media is by mental health tend to dominate in the and large beneficial in raising public public eye, and we are now starting to understanding and awareness. But the see a number of problems arising from

famous do not live in the same world Callard Beverley the promotion of mental health issues as us ‘normal folks’ and the real from such a narrow range of viewpoints. difficulties and issues around mental The first is a question of health problems are in danger of representation. Celebrities simply do not being distorted. represent the harsh reality of what Walk past the magazine stand at mental health can be like if you are on a any newsagent and you will often see low income and have very little access celebrity faces peering out at you with to support, as many people with headlines regarding their ‘mental illness complex and enduring issues do. hell’. It can sometimes seem like these From the people I spoke to when confessional interviews are everywhere. researching this article I found that the The ability to speak out on the issue general impression for those with highlights a massive sea change that mental health difficulties is that those in has happened within the past decade. the world of celebrity, and therefore Suddenly mental health is not money, can get the best support and something that needs to be hidden, a interview in the national media with a private treatment to be found. shameful secret that the public must normal person, unless they have an Simon Hepworth, whose wife is not see. incredibly unique story. So celebrities bipolar says, “Money [is the main Some celebrities, such as the ex- definitely have a role to play in raising difference]. They can afford more chatshow host Trisha Goddard, do a awareness. support whereas a normal person still fantastic job campaigning for positive I think the second wave of the Time has to struggle along and can’t just take mental health reform on a long-term to Change campaign is achieving a off to refresh and cool down. I know for basis, and have an impressive track good balance. On the one hand they a fact that getting away from it all record of supporting multiple charities had celebrity spokespeople, like Trisha sometimes would help my wife 100%.” and organisations with their work. Goddard and Frank Bruno, but on the Hilary Egan, one of Together’s Perhaps what makes Goddard such a other made sure that they had a troop Voices of Experience Spokespeople also great spokesperson is that she herself of service user spokespeople too. raised the issue that a celebrity’s mental has spent time in a psychiatric hospital, Inevitably, the media were more health can often be perceived more and was also affected by the suicide of interested in the celebrity stories, so forgivingly, “You can be as odd, eccentric her sister, who was schizophrenic. She is they did a sponsorship deal with the and off the wall as you like when you currently playing an active role in the Daily Mirror, where they paid them to have pots of money, but I have found in second wave of the ‘Time to Change’ print the service user stories, just like an my experience for most non- celebrity £18million anti-stigma campaign, which advert. It’s certainly an effective and people with a known diagnosis it is a aims to ‘end mental health low-risk way to ensure more everyday totally different ball game.” discrimination’. people get the chance to have their When the actor Stephen Fry Claire Monger in the say.” confessed to bing bipolar it was to Communication’s Team at Together However, paying for advertising is ‘fight the public stigma’ of the comments, “It’s difficult to place an expensive, and rarely possible. For that condition. However, an unintentional

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side effect of his celebrity status and that mental health is in danger of being trivialised. The experiences of others is that it creates, for some, an becoming another arrow in the celebrity everyday people who experience mental almost aspirational desire to be promotional bow; that it is a tool agents health issues are vastly different from diagnosed with bipolar. Worryingly, use to keep their client on the front those of a celebrity. And these are the some doctors have reported an increase pages of the newspaper, a teaser to stories that need to be highlighted in patients who have self-diagnosed read a new autobiography. It is a given more, however difficult and expensive themselves with the condition, as fact in today’s celebrity focused media that might be, in order for the public to reflected in a recent UK study published that some celebs will do or say whatever be truly educated about the realities of by Dr Diana Chan and Dr Lester Sireling it takes to stay in the public’s mind. mental health. called ‘I want to be bipolar’. The real danger is in mental health History has shown us past ‘celebrities’ who probably would have been diagnosed as bipolar today such as Beethoven, Isaac Newton and Vincent Van Gogh so it is perhaps forgivable, if not commendable, that people might wish to be associated with the condition and the perceived status that comes with it. The real danger is two-fold. If people desire to be diagnosed as bipolar they may be misdiagnosed and put onto drugs that are dangerous to them. Secondly, if people with normal mood swings are asking to be diagnosed as bipolar then this suggests that there is a gross underestimation of the impact it has on the lives of people who actually live with it. This might be because people’s only experience of mental health is the successful, the famous and (seen through the filter of TV) apparently happy. Another issue can arise from ‘The Fame Game’. Celeb careers can often depend on the public’s perception of them and the need to stay constantly in the limelight. Mental health issues, whether genuine or not, might be used as a tool to excuse bad behaviour, to gain public sympathy or to promote a book launch (or DVD, new album etc). This spring, Beverly Callard of Coronation Street spoke about her experience of clinical depression to the News Of The World. This was part of a publicity campaign for her new autobiography ‘Unbroken’. The headline to the article was ‘Frankenstein Op Saved Me from Suicide’, a reference to the Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) she was prescribed as an inpatient. As terrible as Beverly Callard’s experiences may have been, and no doubt she did a lot to help people in similar experiences by sharing what happened to her, there are moral questions that need to be raised when the disclosure of mental health problem happens to be linked to the launch of a new book, album or film. Trisha Goddard However, it is not so much an issue Photo courtesy of Time to Change

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Life Support

BY GRACE MILERNO On a typical day Stephanie tends to see around three to four patients. “Most of the problems I deal with are related to housing, especially for people People with complex and recurring mental health issues on the ward,” she says. “For example, not having anywhere secure to live once can have their lives rudely interrupted by sporadic periods clients are discharged, or finding their of illness, which in turn can cause all sorts of problems tenancy under threat due to non-payment of rent. Having somewhere safe to live is with finances, housing, work and relationships. incredibly important to somebody’s Together’s Rochdale Community Support Service (CSS) mental health, and that’s where I come in.” runs a number of initiatives that aim to reduce the Problems with housing can lead to impact of these on the lives of its clients. people staying on the ward longer than they need to. “While patients are on the ward, they Last year the service was awarded funding for a brand are treated entirely medically. The staff don’t have the time to help them look at new post aimed at helping people make a smoother the wider world, to help them prepare for transition from in-patient care, back to life in the life outside. If they don’t have any family community. One year on, they are seeing some extremely or a care co-ordinator to help sort out practical things there can be a long wait positive results. for help from Community Mental Health Teams or social workers. There can be a lot of wasted time for people.” Stephanie has had fantastic results “When you see somebody sorted out, and Stephanie was originally appointed as preparing patients that have been on the they give you a call to let you know how a ‘Crisis Worker’ with a remit to work for ward for longer periods to be discharged. they are getting on, it makes all the hard six-week periods with individuals facing “I started working on the ward in work worthwhile,” says Stephanie Dawson, practical problems like these. However, it February and met a guy who had been an who was appointed to the new role at soon became clear that it would be more in-patient for three years. Within three Rochdale in August 2009. sensible, and possible, for Stephanie to months I found him somewhere to live The funding for Stephanie’s post was start working with clients before these and he’s doing fine now. awarded after the local Together team types of issues reached crisis point, and Because I have more time, I can submitted a proposal detailing how the her role evolved. She is now Together’s provide support more intensively. I am post would address a problem they saw first ever ‘Link Worker’ and works with able to help view a flat and sort out all the affecting people in the area - a lack of people while they are in-patients, before bits and bobs they need to move in. This immediate support for people with mental they are discharged. can be a massive deal for somebody after health problems after they had been “All of the people I work with are having so much help to do everything for discharged from in-patient care. considered in-patients or under the crisis so long. “People were being discharged and resolution team, and my clients tend to Often they need that sort of intensive finding themselves in all kinds of crisis have more severe and enduring mental support. A social worker might think that situations. Real problems with housing, illnesses, like bi-polar disorder or if a person has the capacity to sort finances and other things, like sorting out schizophrenia. Most are fairly young, in themselves out, they should. But the utilities, which obviously you just don’t their 20s and 30s,” Stephanie says. “I reality is, when people have had a crisis, need if you’re trying to stay well. The suppose, in short, my role is to provide a they can’t always do it on their own.” absolute last thing you want is your link between primary services and It can cost hundreds of pounds a day landlord on your back, your electric cut off, secondary services in the community to keep people on a ward, plus it’s not a or even finding yourself homeless,” says which can help my clients get back to great place if you don’t need to be there. Julie Radcliffe, CSS Project Co-ordinator. living their lives and stay well.” So it makes good sense to make sure

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“When you see somebody sorted out, and they give you a call to let you know how they are getting on, it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

psychiatric hospital because I could not cope anymore. I Brian’s view stayed there for five months. In that time Stephanie at Together helped me keep myself going because I was “I had a breakdown and a heart attack in 2009 and ended getting lots of help and support, going to Rochdale CSS up in hospital for a year. When I came out, they put me in Activity Centre learning how to cook and Stephanie found the Salvation Army for seven months. I was scared and I had me a supported accommodation house. I say thank you to no help and I got picked on by residents in there. Things got Stephanie and the Together staff that helped. There are worse and I could not cope anymore. My health deteriorated days when I’m down and days when I’m up but I’m happy and I was hearing voices day in and day out. now.” Brian Bannister, pictured with Stephanie. I have a mild learning disability and I went back into the

people can get back to living Local knowledge, local get together and discuss how things can independently as soon as possible.” be further improved. Stephanie’s job isn’t just about impact housing, she also helps people increase Stephanie is local to Rochdale and Rewarding confidence in other practical skills they believes that local knowledge is incredibly Stephanie is extremely proud of her might need to live more comfortably after important to her role. achievements to date. their discharge. “I’ve lived in Rochdale all my life, and “It’s just common sense and listening “When there is a wait for housing, it’s worked in mental health for years, so I to people really. And a whole lot of form about encouraging people within that know what’s available for people in our filling! Making sure that people who have period to want to get off the ward in the community, plus I’ve got good had a really tough time are OK and happy meantime. I encourage them to look relationships with the local agencies that is really rewarding, and I’m pleased to forward to being independent again and can help out. play a part in that. Plus it’s saving money increase their confidence in their ability to Sometimes when social workers go off for the NHS that can be better spent cope. So I might take people out to sick, people get locums (temps), and they elsewhere.” socialise, or shopping, or anything else are not necessarily from the area so are they want to feel more comfortable less likely to know what’s available.” doing.” The whole project has helped to identify gaps in services in Rochdale, and Stephanie is now attending monthly mental health and housing steering groups where lots of different agencies

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Involvement update Together’s mission is to become trusted for our expertise in service user involvement. This means we aim to ensure that service users contribute to every aspect of our work, in the belief that this approach leads to greater wellbeing.

Established in 2004, the Service User Involvement Directorate (SUID) is our unique department tasked with improving levels of involvement within Together, as well as promoting service user involvement and leadership externally.

Describing the Wellbeing amount of energy and commitment from achievable action plan to put the learning Approach to Involvement everyone at the first meeting was into practice. I would really encourage all fantastic. There was a real sense of ‘we Together’s services to take advantage of Over the past five years the SUID has are in this together and we can do it’.” this fantastic resource and have a good developed and refined a programme The next meetings for this working time whilst you’re about it!” called the Wellbeing Approach to group will take place on Wednesday 29th Involvement (WAI), which ensures September and Wednesday 15th involvement of service users is effective, December. We’re always happy to In Control Event and adds to their wellbeing. welcome new members, so if you are The long term aim of running the WAI Together attended the biggest interested in coming along, please email international event about across all of our services will improve the [email protected] lives of the people we support, and it is of personalisation in March, which was central importance to our business plan. So hosted by the charity, In Control. it’s incredibly important that everybody Entitled ‘The BIG Event’, it was held in understands what it is and how it works. Good Practice in Service User Liverpool, and had over 2,000 delegates, We are currently working with the Involvement Training 100 exhibitors and 50 different Communications Team and an external workshops to learn from. agency to improve how we describe the Good Practice in Service User The SUID was pleased to be asked to WAI to people. By the end of the process Involvement training is open to facilitate a workshop about the Wellbeing we’ll be able to communicate its benefits in everyone at Together and every staff Approach to Involvement, exploring how a way that will be clearer and more member is expected to complete the it can be used to help with the challenges understandable to service users, staff, course within the next year. of the personalisation agenda. It was run mental health commissioners, external This training, which is taking place in by a team of staff and service users and organisations and agencies. projects and departments across the took an interactive approach. country, has been developed to ensure Rowland Urey, a service user first-class involvement of service users in volunteer, helped develop the session and all that we do. It is delivered jointly by used his experiences to demonstrate how New Working Group staff and service users and helps people experiencing distress can exert The Wellbeing Approach to Involvement participants to explore what involvement more power in a creative way. He says, is, the benefits it brings to projects and Working Group has been established to “At first it all sounded very formal but on individuals, as well as the challenges that the day it all just seemed to fall into place, lead on service user involvement and arise and how these can be overcome. I went with the flow and just drew from the WAI internally. Additionally, it helps staff think about my lived experience. I opened up a The group has a supportive role, with what they’re already doing, and what natural dialogue with the group and the a remit to advance involvement of service they can do more of in the future to interaction was emotional, moving and users across all projects and departments. ensure that involvement is meaningful stimulating.” It will also have a role in developing future and a reality for everybody. When asked what top tips he would peer-led services. Linda Bryant and her Forensic Mental give to other service users who’d like to We met for the first time in March, Health Practitioner (FMHP) Service team get involved with Together and share bringing together staff and service users accessed the training in February. Linda their views through presentations and who are leading on this work. It was says, “The training got us motivated to workshops his response was simple, “just great to see a range of staff teams at think about how we might engage and be yourself.” Together working alongside service users support service users to become more who have already been through the WAI involved with the FMHP Service. programme. We were given ‘top tips’ and some Paul Harrison, Deputy Director of great ideas, particularly as to how we Operations and Development says, “The might go about developing a realistic and

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timetogether ISSUE 05

A matter or trust

BY ANNE BEALES MBE, Director of Service User Involvement It’s been a busy six months for the Service User Involvement Directorate, especially since it was confirmed that Together’s mission is to become trusted leaders for Involvement our expertise in this area. in action As well as increasing the level of and bolts’ review of the social work CASE STUDY involvement for service users within profession, and to advise on the shape Together, we also seek to strengthen and content of a comprehensive reform the service user voice externally, and programme. As a service user as well as #1 encourage greater involvement of an ex-social worker, I was invited to be a service users at other organisations by member of this group, and after a lot of Together’s Reading Resource raising awareness of our unique hard work we reported back our findings Centre has developed a Peer approach. So as a team, we make the in December 2009. Support Worker course, which 11 time to speak at external events and There were some influential people at clients have completed so far. to sit on external groups and the reception, so it was great that I was Cath Cooper, Employment Co- committees that will help us to further able to allocate my guest spaces to ordinator explains how it works. those aims. people with direct experience of distress. The eight week course is a This also helps to raise the profile of The Ministerial receptions continued mixture of practical and written work. Together generally, and often leads to in March and I attended another We’re running it in partnership with new opportunities and partnership reception hosted by the Office for our local Further Education provider working. I thought I’d use my regular Disability Issues to launch the ‘Trail and college, New Directions. One of spot in this edition to give a few examples Blazer’ pilot sites for its Right to Control our managers and a local of how we’ve been doing that recently. programme, which is being hailed as a Community Psychiatric Nurse In February our new Deputy Director major step towards achieving disability developed the original course of Service User Involvement, Dominic equality. materials, which were refined by the Walker and Funmi Eddo, Service Manager, For too long people with ‘mental tutors there. met with The Samaritans. They wanted health’ issues have not seen themselves The college provides further to ask our advice about getting a service as part of the larger successes of the support via their internal verifier and user perspective on what it’s like to live ‘disability rights’ movement. The Right to liason with the National Open with suicidal thoughts, which is obviously Control work has so many positive College Network (NOCN), which gives incredibly useful given the type of work implications (particularly around support accreditation of 2 credits at level 2 that they do. We put forward a proposal to return to work) that this celebration for completion of the course. and The Samaritans then commissioned was really important. If you’d like to find Those that wish to can then put us to run a bespoke service user focus out more about it visit their website these credits towards another group to gather a range of experiences, (www.officefordisability.gov.uk). qualification, or use them to show a just one example of the work that we do The above may all sounds exciting, prospective employer in the social to help other organisations. and it is. But it’s also important that care field that they have useful skills And although Together is not a more people at Together involve and knowledge. ‘campaigning’ charity and does not have themselves in this type of work. Which One of our trainees has since a public affairs department to lobby is why some SUID staff who are keen to been offered employment as a parliament, we do a lot of work to make play a more active role are planning to Physiotherapy Assistant by a local sure the service user perspective is ‘shadow’ me for a week. NHS Trust, and many of the others included in decision making at the It is so important to make sure will apply to become sessional Peer highest levels. In the run up to the others have their sights set on playing Support Workers within our service, as election I was invited to a number of a more strategic role, and central to a step towards employment parliamentary events. that is the ability of others at Together elsewhere. Next time we run it we The first was a reception to celebrate being able to communicate our hope to train up a couple of our the work of the Social Work Taskforce mission to be ‘trusted leaders in current Post Study Workers to co- (SWT). The SWT was commissioned by service user involvement’. facilitate the course. government in 2008 to conduct a ‘nuts

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SHARE TOGETHER A celebration of survivor history

WORDS BY ANDREW ROBERTS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATHALIE FONNESU.

Phillip Morgan

A unique event celebrating An African prince Asylum voices the lives and achievements of Seeking to restore strength through throughout history people affected by mental history THACMHO researched and published ‘Writers and the Struggle The nineteenth century confined health problems from the Against Slavery - Celebrating five African increasing numbers of people in 18th - 21st century took place writers who came to the East End of lunatic asylums. One of these earlier this year. Entitled ‘A London in the 18th century’. One of the was John Clare, a man described as ‘the greatest labouring-class Pageant of Survivor History’ it writers profiled in the book, Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, was remembered at the poet that England has ever was organised by independent pageant. produced’. survivor-led group Friends of Ukawsaw, born a prince in West One of Clare’s best-known East End Loonies (FEEL). Africa about 1705, was considered sonnets The Nightingale was FEEL was inspired to organise the foolish or insane by his community written at Northampton event by historical research conducted because he imagined a God who Asylum where he was confined into the lives of survivors by Tower created the sun and the stars. Because from 1842 to his death in Hamlets African and Carribbean Mental of that belief he was sold into slavery, 1864. The last line of verse, Health Organisation (THACMHO), and crossed the Atlantic, and became a which was read at the the Survivors History Group, which domestic slave in New York. Eventually pageant, ends at evening meets at Together from time to time. he was granted freedom and came to when "the fields lose all At the pageant, which took place in England. their paths in dusk" as the London in March, the lives and voices of Perfomer Phillip Morgan gave voice Nightingale sings “her soft survivors throughout history were to Ukawsaw’s own story at the pageant, melodious song.” celebrated and brought to life through telling how in spite of the many readings, poetry, music and song. problems he faced after arriving in England, he married Betty, an East London silk weaver, settled in Essex, and brought up a family, before dying aged 70 in October 1775.

Eric Irwin drawn by Colin Hombrook

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SHARE TOGETHER timetogether ISSUE 05

Speaking out and Civil liberties In July 1971 the "Petition for the challenging the system Redress of Grievances" was signed by The audience at Kingsley Hall then patients in Hartwood Hospital in heard how in July 1924 six patients in Lanarkshire, and the signatories became "The Royal Albert Institution for the the founders of the Scottish Union of Feeble minded of the Northern Mental Patients. Two of them were Counties" bravely wrote and signed a among the founders of the Mental statement that they had witnessed an Patients Union, formed at a packed attendant kicking a patient and injuring meeting in London in March 1973. him. The London meeting was in The work of Peter Whitehead, who response to a pamphlet called The Case was put into solitary confinement at for a Mental Patients Union. The Rampton Hospital and campaigned Sophie Mirrell pamphlet was published by, among tirelessly in the 1950s for his freedom, others, Eric Irwin. Eric was born in as well as the civil liberties of other Belfast in 1924. During his life he was Creative routes patients, was next. Working through the detained in 17 psychiatric institutions in In the early 1990s the life of old National Council for Civil Liberties large Ireland, Australia and England. Hackney Hospital in London was numbers of patients, including Peter, In July 1974, Hackney Hospital drawing to a close and the emptying won their liberty in the 1950s. Mental Patients Union won the right to buildings became the site of artistic Peter advised other patients at that meet on hospital premises, becoming activities. Artist Paul Monks made his time to: "Write letters. Get people the first United Kingdom patients’ union studio in a vacant ward, and patients outside interested in you. Tell them known to have been recognised by the seeking refuge from the monotony of you've been wrongly shut away. If you hospital authorities. life on the psychiatric wards immersed stay quiet, nobody will lift a finger to themselves in a world of paint and help you, however long Battle for survival colour. Out of this, Core Arts was born in you stay here." 1994, an organisation with a mission to In the 1980s, Eric Irwin came to promote the creative abilities of people think that the word "patient" was too with mental health problems. passive. He helped to form a group One of the artists who now works called Campaign Against Psychiatric through Core Arts is the gospel singer, Oppression. Sophie Mirrell, who sang her own Another group of people who had creation "Loneliness is not the will of been in psychiatric hospitals produced a God!" at the pageant. television documentary called "We're Frank Bangay, a poet who often Not Mad - We're Angry". Out of this works with Sophie, was one of Eric ferment of activity a new name was Irwin's closest friends. His struggle for born - mental patients became the dignity of people who suffer from "survivors". mental distress goes back many Survivors Speak Out (SSO) was decades, and he concluded the pageant founded early in 1986, and for more with a poem that sums up all our than ten years it was an important struggles: "...memories haunt in the networking organisation for the growing deep of the night - Leaving a longing to "survivor movement". The pageant open up and cry - But a proud rhythm audience burst into spontaneous beats inside, A proud rhythm beats applause when Peter Campbell, a inside, Yes we will be strong this time.” founding member of SSO, performed the poem "The Mental Marching Band", which he wrote in support of its work.

Pageant: http://studymore.org.uk/Pageant.htm

Tower Hamlets African and Caribbean Mental Health Organisation: c/o Social Action for Health, The Brady Centre, 192 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5HU. http://thacmho.wetpaint.com

Survivors History Group, 177 Glenarm Road, London, E50NB http://studymore.org.uk

Friends of East End Loonies Meets at the LARC Centre, 62 Fieldgate Street, London, E1 1ES on the third Monday of every month at 6.30 pm. Email: [email protected]

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LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

An update from the NVQ Assesment Centre Training matters

BY JACKIE MACINTYRE, NVQ Assessment Centre Manager

The NVQ Assessment Centre team has been extremely busy recently. Especially since the introduction of the Level 4 Leadership and Management for Care Services award, and new Advocacy award. Since the last edition of timetogether there have been a number of staff at Together who have worked incredibly hard to earn new NVQ qualifications, and I’d like to use my regular slot in this particular edition to say well done! Congratulations to.... Jane Gregory at Sittingbourne generating income for the organisation. Hazel has already taken the next step Resource Centre, Gabriella Loades at Finally, congratulations are also due towards teaching, achieving a suite of Kirtling House, and Mavis Bowerbank at to Judy Pearson and Hazel Ducker in teaching qualifications by starting the York Road. All three Project Co-ordinators the Peripatetic Assessor/Internal Verifier Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong have now completed their NVQ Level 4, team), and Anna Robertson, Assessment Learning Sector (CTLLS). Health and Social Care (H&SC) awards. Centre Administrator, for recently NVQ Level 3 H&SC achievers are completing Preparing to Teach in the Joseph Arayathel at Lawn Court, Jane Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) awards. Savage at Winchester CSS, Lydia Nyaga at Gloucester Road, Helen Townsend at Barnsley Community Support Service, and Cornelia Mpofu and Tina Broadhurst, who both work at Ravenhill Way. More good news is that our Advocacy award candidates are already starting to complete their first units. So far, Jonathan Burke and Dave Leigh at Ashworth, Jayne Reynolds at Lincoln, and Jayne Osbiston at Darlington, have made a brilliant start. Workshops to cover the core units for the advocacy award are currently being Learning and Development run for the advocacy staff at Southend. Other core workshops are being arranged to meet the needs of candidates Programme 2010 / 2011 registered at the assessment centre in our This programme includes information You can access the other advocacy services. on courses available to employees, programme via the Together Together’s assessment centre is one people who access our services, as intranet, and you can now book of the very few providers of the Advocacy well as those involved with Together yourself spaces on courses online. award in the country. There have been a as service user volunteers. It provides Simply go to www.together-uk.org considerable number of external enquiries easy to read course summaries to and log-in. about it and plans are in place to help you make the best learning advertise it more widely, with a view to choices for you.

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timetogether ISSUE 05

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