As our mission statement and values state, the people who use our service are at the very heart of all we do at Solent Mind. They are involved in all aspects of our organisation, from telling us what they think about services, to being a Trustee.
Our commitment
Service users make up some of our volunteer base and some members of staff have had direct experience of using our services in the past. Whatever we do in our work, we are doing it to benefit the people we are set up to support.
Getting involved
We want service users to be involved in shaping and influencing Solent Mind. The people who use our services are the people we need to tell us what is working well, and what we can improve on. We ask for service user involvement in a range of ways:
Talk to us – If you have something you want us to know about, then any member of our team wants to know! This could be at the service or project you go to, or might be if you see one of us at a meeting or conference. Let us know what’s on your mind – your opinion is important and we need it to always be looking to improve what we do!
Service User Forum
Our Service User Forum (SUF) began in 2007 when it became clear that service users wanted an organised way in which to come together and act as a group in order to discuss important issues affecting services and the people using them. It was also a clear body to represent service users as a whole to discuss high level strategic issues with Solent Mind. Since then, the SUF has developed into an effective and important part of Solent Mind, with wide representation from service users. Successes include the creation of Service User Involvement Policy for Solent Mind driven by the SUF, market research into personalisation and what service users want in the future, recruitment training and one of the SUF members becoming a Trustee.
Following these successes, the focus of the SUF is currently undergoing a review (early 2010) and the results of this will be put into practice shortly.
Volunteer for us
Many of our volunteers have previously, or still, use our services. This brings a unique insight and value to what you can offer as a volunteer. If you are at a stage in your recovery where you think that this may be something you would like to do, then let us know! Click here for more details.
Supporting Us
Become a Trustee
We ensure we have at least 2 trustees on our Executive Committee who are service users, but we would like that number to be higher. Having people on the Executive who have experienced mental ill health and have used mental health services provides a powerful insight which is crucial to have at a strategic level. Being a Trustee will give you a wide range of new skills, increased confidence and an opportunity to really influence how we operate. We offer support, guidance and training to ensure that you are fully equipped to take on this important role. The commitment to being a Trustee is a big one, and we will ensure that you are fully supported to manage it.
User Story Section
Service User Story section coming soon.