VOX recently held a national members’ meeting, online, on the 28^th October with 4 key aims. Firstly, to meet VOX’s new staff (Paula Fraser, VOX’s Development Officer, Lewis MacLeod, Membership Development Officer and Michelle McBride, Volunteer Engagement Officer). Secondly, for members to have the opportunity to ask questions to Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister of Mental Wellbeing and Social Care. Thirdly, to launch our animated film on covid which highlighted how our members felt during the pandemic. And finally (and the focus of this update) to understand what matters to our members, and start the process of thinking how we can build programmes of work over the coming year based on these priorities.

We’re very aware that these are the priorities of those who attended and we are very keen to hear from others who maybe aren’t online, or don’t want to attend an online meeting. So, we will shortly be making contact with all of our members to find out your thoughts about what we should be focussing on and if you would like to help us shape any of these areas of work. Remember, it’s your organisation, not ours, and we want to make sure you are at the heart of what we do.
 

MEMBERS PRIORITIES 

1. Access to Services
2. Impact of Covid
3(a). Isolation and loneliness
3(b). Benefits System/PIP/Poverty
 
Other key issues members’ highlighted underpin all our work such as stigma & discrimination, and human rights. Please get in touch with us if you would like to support our programmes of work!

Important dates
Deep Dives - We are running ‘Deep Dive’ Sessions via Zoom to understand your experiences of trying to Access Mental Health Services, do come along to help us understand the reality of what is happening just now! Each session has a slightly different focus.

Dates
The type of services - what we need, and what we get
14/12/21 – 1.30 to 3pm
 
Trying to access services (waiting times/geography)
12/01/22 – 1.30 to 3pm
 
Barriers to services (e.g. diagnosis or breakdown of relationships)
13/01/22 – 10.30am to 12pm
 

Deep Dives to understand the problems related to Accessing Services- We want to fully understand what is happening when people are trying to access services; we have lots of snippets of members experiences, and we want to spend some time to fully understand why so many people can’t access services. To do this we will be facilitating themed discussion groups we will be running on 1. the type of services available/what we need and what we get, 2. trying to access services (time issues/geography) and 3. barriers to services (e.g. diagnosis or breakdown of relationships). We hope this will build a clearer picture of accessing mental health services, both in general, and in relation to the pandemic. We want to have clarity on what needs to happen so we can push for change. For further information and to book a place please contact Paula by emailing pfraser@mentalhealth.org.uk Or, if you would prefer to arrange a telephone conversation, call 0141 226 9855 (please leave a message with your name and number if there’s no answer, and Paula will get back to you as soon as she can).

Creativity to Create Change! To complement the deep dive sessions, and capture experiences in a more innovative way… with an aim to try and reach policy makers on an emotional (as well and an intellectual) level we are looking for ways to put across your experiences creatively.  We will be providing taster sessions in the not too distant future, looking at visual arts, zine-making, photography and creative writing, dates to follow!

The Benefits System- Your experiences – we are keen to capture people’s experience on trying to access benefits such as Personal Independence Payments, and would like to invite all members to get in touch to share their experiences. If you are happy to spare some time to chat through how you have found the benefits system, please do get in touch. Contact Wendy on wmcauslan@mentalhealth.org.uk or 0141 226 9856. At this stage we are trying to understand where the key problems lie by having informal phone conversations with members, with a view to developing a more in-depth process of capturing viewpoints in the near future.

Capturing your views - We know meetings and long questionnaires aren’t everyone’s way of getting involved, and we are currently exploring how to capture views quickly on topical issues. This will never replace meeting in person, but it is to open up another avenue for people who may just want to answer a question or two about a subject they are interested in. We will have further information in the near future, but in the meantime if it is something you would be keen to get involved in or help shape get in touch with Lewis on lmacleod@mentalhealth.org.uk

Co-production and Lived Experience – Back to Basics
13th December at 1pm to 3pm
“how power is held matters, without looking at this co-production doesn’t work”, come along to VOX’s discussion session, aimed at people with lived experience, to help us understand what is needed to make co-production work. We want to know what would make you feel equal to policy makers and services providers when you working together to create change? How do we make genuine connections and shift to a more relational approach in co-production? We hope to work with you to start to create a Lived Experience Charter over the coming months, which we hope will influence and shape how co-production is understood. Contact Michelle on  0141 406 0629 for further information or join through our registration below.

Co-production Meeting Registration - Zoom

“Yearning for a Connection” Project – The Importance of Empathy & Connection
We are currently looking for more volunteers for our new “Yearning for a Connection” project which has recently started.  We meet fortnightly via Zoom to discuss the themes of empathy & connection. We are currently exploring creative ways in how we as members can share our human experiences and have a voice on what is means to be human and capture what matters!
contact Michelle on 0141 406 0629 for further information, the next Meeting is on the 6th December 3pm to 4.30pm via Zoom.

Volunteers! - Volunteers at the heart of all we do! Are you interested in sharing your experience of being involved at meetings, at groups, in trying to make a difference? We want to understand what works and what doesn’t in relation to creating the right culture. If you would be interested in thinking through how we can create a safe space in terms of involvement, please let us know. We will be contacting people over the coming weeks to find out your areas of interest.



Remember VOX is your organisation, not ours, and we want to make sure you are at the heart of what we do.