Freda Lacey of PAVO spoke at the All Wales Residential Participation Network 2012 about the Making a Difference Together event and its success in engaging service users with mental health issues. Siaradodd Freda Lacey o PAVO yn Rhwydwaith Cyfranogaeth Breswyl Cymru Gyfan 2012 am y digwyddiad Gwneud Gwahaniaeth Gyda'n Gilydd a'i lwyddiant o ran ymgysylltu gyda defnyddwyr gwasanaeth sydd â phroblemau iechyd meddwl.

1. Freda Lacey
Mental Health
Development and Participation

2. • Who are we?
• General issues regarding Participation
• Recent Participation Case Study
– Overview of event
– Getting people involved/engaged
– Results
– Highlight two people’s experience
– Next steps
• Any questions?

3. Who are we?
Powys Association of Voluntary
Organisations (PAVO) is an interdependent
intermediary body whose purpose is to
empower and equip the third sector in
Powys, enabling it to deliver its aims and
objectives effectively, and to represent and
facilitate the engagement of the third sector
at all levels of the strategic planning process.

4. • General issues regarding Participation
• Understanding people – Stakeholder Analysis
• Overwhelming number of “participation”
activities? – What’s in it for me? (WIFM)
• Language – Keep it Short and Simple (KISS)
• How to reach the “Silent Majority” – Is this
possible?
• Statutory jadedness, how to collaborate?
• When to wield pressure and when to
massage need?
• Transportation, geographic issues

5. Recent Participation Event – May 16th, Newtown
“MAKING A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER”
THROUGH
STRONGER IN PARTNERSHIP

6. Keynote Speaker
Eleanor Longden
Mentioned as a key contributor
to success of event

7. The Making of a “Schizophrenic”
Cause
Eleanor Longden Sexual abuse
Physical and emotional harm
Lack of protection
No escape
Denial
Betrayal
Powerlessness
Effect
Hearing voices
Self-injury
Dissociation
Unusual beliefs - „delusions‟

8. Exerpt from Eleanor‟s mental
health assessment notes

9. % of Population With Experience
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Bl
ue
ey
es
He 17
a rs
vo
ice
s
13
Dy
s le
x ia 10
Le
ft-
ha
nd
ed
10
Bi
se
xu
al
8
He
a rt
d ise
as
e
7
Ve
g et
ar
ia
n
6
Re
d
ha
ir
4
Ha
s
a
Ph
D
3
St
a m
m
er
s
1
Hearing Voices and Human Variation
* Data limited to Western, industrialised nations

10. DVD available from
www.workingtorecovery
.co.uk

11. Round Table Discussion – Everyone equal

13. Participation Exercise – A Journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step (Lao Tzu)

14. Participation Exercise – Journey to Wall of Discovery – Words to Inspire

15. Hope
Belonging
Power
Control
Responsibility
Motivation
Inspiration
Choice
Recovery

16. (Feedback from participant)
Good morning Freda,
I came home yesterday absolutely shattered but full of hope. I learnt more yesterday about
Mental Health and indeed myself in what seemed like a few very short hours, than all of my ten
years fighting the illness and the system.
I don't normally write letters of praise but you and your team have taken the system and given it a
good old shake up and to give us "a voice" - fantastic! Until yesterday I thought I was a "Victim"
I want to keep this short, I have to mention "Eleanor Longden", when she stood up and
introduced herself and said "I will be talking to you all for 45 minutes" I thought oh god, 45
minutes, how wrong could I be! I could have listened to that brave and courageous lady all day.
It was a privilege and an honour to witness.
Lastly, my Wife Helen has organised trade and direct selling events etc for 24 years and I know
the hard work that goes into an event such as this. What impressed me was the "loose format".
The fact that all of the Survivors, who like me struggle at social events, it is a great testament to
you and your team that we were still there for the close of the event. Thanks again, John 52 - Bi-
Polar but not stupid :)
Freda, if you could make it happen, I would like this letter printed in a trade publication or local
press, somewhere that it might do some good for others. I think at long last I don't feel ashamed
of my illness!

17. Participation Result
Jane is now involved in speaking about her
experiences and participates in on-going
work with the Police

18. Next Steps?
• John – Event and Report consultation, photography and publicity
• Jane – Advising Police Confidence and Equality Group, Care Planning
• Participation – Four people who use services involved post event
• Report – Four people who use services involved in writing report
• Future events – World Mental Health Week, October 2012
Participation IS a
risk worth taking

19. To Risk
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk
nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
They may avoid great suffering and sorrow,
But they cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.
Chained by servitude, they are a slave who has forfeited all freedom.
Only a person who risks is truly free…..
William Arthur Ward

20. Any Questions?
Freda.Lacey@pavo.org.uk
Tel: 01597 828668