December 2007 Newsletter
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I love these frost-painted, sun-steamed mornings we’ve been having this December. They can remind us that one of the original reasons for having a mid-winter festival was to bring light into everyone’s lives at the coldest, potentially bleakest time of year.
In most other directions we are bombarded with images from multinational-backed high street chains assuring us that we will be promised the most magical of Christmases ever if we buy the latest games console / iPod descendant / Iggle Piggle singing doll. We will all apparently be sitting around open fires smiling and laughing and playing happy families – and the more money we spend the happier we will be.
While most of us know this is a myth, for many people who have mental health problems, are unemployed or homeless, this is actually a very difficult and painful time of year. The emphasis on being together can reinforce people’s sense of loneliness and isolation, of being the ones who are left out or pushed to the margins. Christmas is particularly seen as a time for children, and many people who do not have children of their own find themselves accorded a smaller space in their families while those who have their own family units are automatically at the centre of the festivities. For many others there may be no functioning family to which they can return and no replacement family to provide comfort and a friendly face.
These are familiar refrains, and one of the more heartening aspects of Christmas is the drawing out of compassion and understanding. SPN’s recent activities have had these aims in mind, and following the seminal recovery and diversity study day in October we were partners in a lively one day ‘MindThink’ seminar entitled ‘Recovery – the life and times of a supermodel?’ during which participants took part in an animated exchange of views about the politics and values of mental health and mental health care and treatment.
Vicky Nicholls
Santa's Stocking: Recovery and Diversity Paper available now
In the last few euphoric days before the Christmas holidays, SPN staff were delighted to receive boxes of the latest SPN paper, which followed on from the recovery and diversity study day held in London this October.
The dynamic red covered publications have already been sent out as a thank you Christmas gift to all the delegates on the day, and can be viewed online here. You can request a copy free of charge as an SPN member by sending us your contact address, subject to availability! Read more
Concordat
The new focus on personalised care reflected in the Concordat offers a chance to ensure that self-directed care really is owned and shaped by service users
Employment
Raise Mental Health Ltd are conducting a survey in the South East of England (excluding London) into the employment, education and training needs of people with experience of mental health problems. The survey is available from their website.
Mental Health Network
SPN is now having regular meetings with Steve Shrubb, Director of the Mental Health Network. MHN is the body representing Mental Health Trusts and is extending its membership to include all service provider organisations including both private and voluntary bodies.
Mental Health Code of Practice Update
Input for the Code of Practice consultation is already underway, with CSIP organising regional consultation events in Taunton, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cambridge, Newcastle and Manchester in December 2007 - January 2008. For further details and to book a place you will need to contact your regional CSIP Regional Lead.
SPN is also encouraging its members – particularly service users - with an interest in this area to send in their responses to SPN for inclusion into SPN’s own comments. Read more
Volunteer with the VSO
Mental health professionals from Britain are being encouraged to work voluntarily overseas.
Such professionals are, for the first time, being targeted to fill short-term placements with the development charity Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).
Malawi in Africa is one of the countries that mental health professionals are being asked to work.
VSO says mental health services have been neglected in Malawi as the government struggles to provide basic health care. There is one psychiatrist for the whole country.
The Sri Lankan government and local NGOs are asking for the help of experienced mental health professionals to build the capacity of its mental health workforce and institutions. You’ll share your vital skills with mental health workers across the country, strengthening existing services and developing new ones
VSO are also seeking a Social Work Trainer at the Hanoi University of Education in Vietnam. Further details.
Poem
Read Just a Life - a poem by Tracey Hayes, to whom we are grateful for letting us reproduce her work.
SPN wishes all its members a Happy Christmas and a good New Year.
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