Become a Member of The Mental Health Forum

Welcome.

We can help you find confidence, improved wellness tools, peer support, new life skills, ways to direct your passion for helping others.

Every voice matters, and in our membership meetings we can help you use yours in coproduction with Southern Health & Social Care Trust Mental Health Division.

We can also help you with your personal wellness.

Keep reading to find out more, and comlete a quick form!

What is Forum Membership?

Forum Membership is not a fixed term progamme. It is a free, on-going, peer-led space to exlore and develop confidence and tools while connecting with others who have had similar challenges and share similar wellbeing goals.

The monthy meetings are held over zoom and you can read more below.

Who can become a member?

You can join for free if you have accessed any kind of support or care for your mental wellbeing  with a GP, therapist, counsellor, or support group.

Suitable for Adults who are

• experiencing general sense of wellness drift
• who currently have a professional keyworker and feel ready to further support that progess
• managing wellness well, and seeking connection with others who 'get it'
• looking for a comfortable bridge when moving out of therapeutic support and interested in ways to practically invest in their own welness and self care.
• looking for ways to get involved and add lived experience to devlopment of Trust services or the Community.
• wanting to get involved in raising public awareness about mental health, wellness supports, or suicide prevention.
•  

We are based in the Southern Trust area, however...

as our monthly meeting and many of our other membership benefits are delivered online, we can also accept enquiries from those living in other Northern Ireland Trust Areas.

What are the benefits?

• Ongoing structure & support of the monthly peer led zoom meetings
•  
• Peer connection and exchange of insights on wellness topics
• Confidence building
• 1:1 Mentorship oortunities
• Develoment of communication & social skills
• Info and encouragement for selfcare, wellness, and community connection
• Oportunities for service user/carer involvement
• Information and context about Trust services
• Signposting and information about community supports and services
• Information and connection to advocacy and advice services
• Lived Experience involvement opportunites/feedback/story sharing
• Updates on learning and resilience-building opportunities in the community
• Access to training courses and skill-building opportunities
• Priority access to our 1:1 Recovery Journey Reviews or a 1:1 WRAP refreshers
• Priority access to our 'PeerChat...' service (peer support by appointment)*
• Guidnace on connecting with Care Opinion, 10,000voices, and SHSCT complaints and compliments processes
• Volunteering opportunities*

•  * Subject to criteria and possible wait list

For those who choose to delve deeper, we offer lots more, including...

• Confidence and supported opportunities to add their voice and experience to the planning and development of mental health services
• Opportunites to further develop skills and confidence for coproduction 
• Ways to identify and apply personal strengths in their local community
• Assistance to write define and write their personal recovery story

Some develop a strong interest in the Coproduction and direct involvement aspects of the Forum (UCSIG or other Workstream or T&F groupwork)

To facilitate this OTIONAL more complex activity, we can discuss progression into our unique Capacity Building Programme where members can develop their Coproduction skills and personal developement training & experience.

What is the time commitment?

• One monthly online membership meeting  (1.5hrs)
• Occasional email responses or feedback     (c 2hrs)
• Occasional 1:1 mentorship meeting           (c 1hr)
• Beyond this, additional time is only required if attending optional training or events, or if you have chosen to become involved in one of our projects or our Capacity Building Programme.

If you live in N. Ireland,

you can complete form below to register interest

What does the overall structure look like?

What does the optional Capacity Building look like?

What is Coproduction

Co-Production is about mindset and culture. In a health care setting this means the key stakeholders (people involved/affected) are those of Lived Experience (Service Users), Carers and supporters, frontline and support Staff/Professionals, Managers, Peer Workers, Community and Voluntary representatives and Advocates. Respectful, reciprocal, and rewarding involvement are the building blocks of Co-production.

Noone  is more important or more valued than another.

This kind of partnership working is not something that can rest in a tick box or slot into a process towards an approaching deadline because Co-production exists only if it runs throughout the entire process. It is the natural way of doing things from the very beginning, and without pre-conception about where the most useful skills or expertise may lie within the group.

“It is more about the WAY things are done than WHAT is done”

It is a coming together of people interested in and affected by a shared issue, to work together as equals to achieve the best shared outcome. They value and utilise the experience, expertise and vision of all stakeholders who have the courage to think and act in ways that promote positive change.  Good practice will always measure progress and decision-making against the ‘CUP model’ and ask whether all stakeholders are equally informed and involved (Carer, User & Professional.)

Co-production is the pinnacle of Service User and Carer involvement in Health & Social Care. Processes within Personal & Public Involvement (PPI) and Quality Improvement (QI) rely on it. Patient & Client Experience (PCE) drawn from many different points of feedback puts Service User and Carer input  at the heart of efforts to work as equals in creating better services. From a personal, professional, governance, and community development perspective, Co-production is evidenced to be effective. It  places people at the heart of building systems, services and relationships that work better. Quality care in a Mental Health setting  is now being underpinned and driven by Co-production - it is the direction of travel , for  all  divisions in The Southern Health and Social Care Trust.                   

Tell us about your interest, your ideas, your passion

Learn what opportunities are available right now

* This is about using your lived experience as an asset...

   You already have something very valuable to contribute and the           Forum will provide, and signpost to additonal skills and

   opportunities that will help you become more knowledgeable,

   confident, articulate . We will help you  direct your passion into

   improving the expereinces of other carers and service users in

   mental health services.

* You start by joining the Forum Consultation Group and begin 

   learning more about Services and Coproduction practice, by giving   

   direct personal feedback on the range of documents, policies and

   new initiatives that are at the heart of mental health care. You do

   this be email within manageable timeframes and from the comfort

   of your own home. You will be given the information and help you

   need for this important coproduction work.

* As a member of this group you will have one to one support and

   mentoring as you develop your skills and become more confident.   

   You will be an important part of positive change and help

   improve experiences of care for others.

You can begin making a difference RIGHT NOW

& without any major time commitment.

Click here to learn more

* Your time availablity and personal life circumstances may change

   and so you can adjust the level to which you contribute feeback in

   the Consultation Group to suit your needs. You can take a break at

   any time, or leave if you need to, knowing you made a difference.

* Any member of the Consultation Group can explore opportunities for

   deeper Coprodution involvement, Personal development, or Training

   at any time. The Forum coordinates a wide range of Coproduction

   activity in Southern Trust and has a dedicated Capacity Building

   Programme to inform, guide and support you.

   You will have a named contact throughout your involvement for support.

* You have options - If you become a member of the Capacity Building

   Programme, you will be supported one to one as you develop skills

   and identify your strengths as a Coproduction representaitve.

    Not all opportunites are long-term or have a     

   high time demand, so we will help you  find the     

   pieces of work that best suit your life/work balance     and your condition management or caring

   commitments.

   We can also provide information about becoming involved in     

   community volunteering, learning about mental health  & personal       wellbing, and personal development.

* Everyone working with us, in any part of our Learning and   

   Coproduction Pathways, will be given opportunity to learn about     

   suicide awareness and prevention.