0347 TWFW TimeTogether Issue 5:Layout 1 3/6/10 13:13 Page 1 Issue 5 time 2010 Crusading for change Female offenders and mental health Together Our Stories exhibition Recovery stars Celebs speak out www.together-uk.org 0347 TWFW TimeTogether Issue 5:Layout 1 3/6/10 13:13 Page 2 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 18 14 2 0347 TWFW TimeTogether Issue 5:Layout 1 3/6/10 13:13 Page 3 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. 3 0347 TWFW TimeTogether Issue 5:Layout 1 3/6/10 13:13 Page 4 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. 4 0347 TWFW TimeTogether Issue 5 AMENDED:Layout 1 8/6/10 11:02 Page 5 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.