Getting service users involved at Maybe Southwest

The Pitch

Problem statement

Maybe SW already offers free mental health support to children and adults in Bristol who have been unable to get appropriate support through the NHS and who do not have the financial means to access private services. Our services include working with children from challenging socio-economic backgrounds, care-leavers, the homeless and ex-offenders. We are oversubscribed and want to grow, but we would like service-users to be involved in the direction and planning of this growth and the future development of the charity. We need volunteer service-users on our board and holding other roles in the charity, but this requires recruitment and ongoing support.

Solution

The goal of this project is to recruit two adult and two CYP service-users to sit on our board, to advise and feedback to the Trustees on issues relating to the development and growth of the charity. We require funding for the administration hours to complete this task, including: 1. Develop an appropriate, accessible volunteer contract for the role 2. Advertise the positions 3. Assess applicants to ensure they are able to fulfil this role, without detriment to their mental health and wellbeing 4. Carry out appropriate DBS checks prior to applicants being accepted 5. Support service-users accepted to this role whilst they settle into the positio

Why are we best placed to deliver?

Maybe SW has been established and working effectively in Bristol for four years. We have an excellent track record with over 80% of clients showing an improvement in their wellbeing after mental health support from our service and over 90% rating their experience as Good or Excellent. We are oversubscribed, with referrals coming from GP's, Wellbeing practitioners, CAMHS, Interventions Alliance, Homeless Health and many more organisations. We want to do more, and we want to do it well. Who can guide us better than the service-users themselves? And we can also give service-users a positive experience of volunteering and getting involved in the running of the charity.

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

150 people

Who will benefit

Expected impact

At present Maybe SW has the capacity to provide mental health support to around 50 children and adults at any given time. We hope to double this number over the next two years. This project is a first crucial milestone to achieving our aim. By offering accessible forms of therapy, such as art and creativity, as well as talking therapies we are able to support those who otherwise are unable to engage. We help children return to school, offenders to reduce their likelihood of reoffending, adults to return to work or education and the homeless to re-engage with helpful relationships and reduce dependencies. The long-term benefits to society for each individual are immeasurable.

Track record

Client example (identifiable information has been changed): George is a 25 year old man who was referred to us through a Homeless charity. He had run away from home many years before, due to the sexual and physical abuse he was subjected to. George had been through an addiction program and was clean when we assessed him, but he had not had access to any trauma therapy as NHS Services would not provide it. They felt his needs were too complex due to his previous addictive behaviours. George was offered sessions with a mental health professional at Maybe where he was able to work through many of the worst traumatic experiences of his childhood, and from violent events that occurred during the time since he had been homeless. George attended 40 sessions, his symptoms of PTSD subsided. Towards the end of his treatment he was able to establish links with an employment support service to start the process of finding work and suitable training. He has remained sober and clean since.