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Community development approaches to working with groups of people with mental health problems to promote race equality in mental health
- Author:
- SEEBOHM Patience
- Journal article citation:
- Diversity in Health and Care, 7(4), November 2010, pp.249-260.
- Publisher:
- Radcliffe Publishing
Many black and minority ethnic people report experiencing fear or alienation in UK mental health services. Community development involves people coming together to address shared concerns and community development workers (CDWs) support these processes, promoting justice and equality. In 2005 they were introduced within mental health services. This study explores the role of CDWs working with peer-led groups. It begins with a survey to find out which CDWs worked in the area of mental health, what this involved and how they felt about the work. A total of 46 CDWs responded to the survey; about 11% of the workforce. Most worked with people with mental health problems to promote inclusion, well-being and engagement, and four sought to help groups to pursue their own goals. Nine CDWs were interviewed in depth. Three distinct approaches were identified. The first supported service user-led groups to address the power imbalance in services, the second supported community-led groups to promote social inclusion, and the third focused on policy implementation and outputs. Differences were associated with CDWs' previous experiences of mental health and their workplace. The authors caution against other then tentative conclusions because of the small sample size, but suggest that CDWs can promote race equality in mental health services, using diverse approaches to community development. However it was noted that few appear to help service user-led groups pursue radical change.
Using Appreciative Inquiry to promote choice for older people and their carers
- Authors:
- SEEBOHM Patience, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 14(4), November 2010, pp.13-21.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article describes how an ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ approach was used in south London to enhance the levels of choice that older adults with dementia or mental health problems and their carers have in relation to the care and support they receive. During this project, a wide range of participants across the borough of Lewisham took part in conversations about making the choices that matter most to them. This article tells the story of this project, its background, the Appreciative Inquiry approach, and what was learnt. The Appreciate Inquiry approach comprises 4 stages: discovery; dream; design; and delivery. In the discovery stage, over 60 people with different roles and backgrounds shared stories in appreciative interviews. The Design Group read all these stories and drew out their common and different themes. On 9 July 2010, 120 people including managers, practitioners, carers, and service users met to share more discovery stories and to convey their visions of the best possible future for older people and their carers, building on what works. Later, the Design Group drew up on action plan for taking the work forward. Through looking at successful stories about making real choice in Lewisham, the project provided information about the conditions that support choice, including the importance of good relationships, building trust, making time, giving and receiving encouragement, and support.
Valuing experience: thirteen people who have used mental health services talk about their work as "experts by experience"
- Editor:
- SEEBOHM Patience
- Publisher:
- Institute for Applied Health and Social Policy, King's College London,|Universit
- Publication year:
- 2001
- Pagination:
- 60p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
As service user involvement becomes a reality across mental health services, it is important that people should know what they are letting themselves in for, in order that they avoid feelings of being exploited as token users. This booklet was produced as part of Unlocking Potential, a three-year project based within the Employment Support Unit at the Institute for Applied Health and Social Policy Kings College London. With funding from the Department of Health, the project aims to develop user-led employment services .