Thursday, August 26, 2010

Dover and Deal World Mental Health Day

Cllr Ben Bano
The Worshipful Town Mayor of Deal
Invites you to a
Civic Reception
To mark
World Mental Health Day
On the theme of
“Time To Change”

Sunday 10th October 2010
Deal Town Hall, High Street, Deal, CT14 6BB
4.00pm – 6.00pm

Fairtrade Refreshments will be served


Rsvp: by Friday 1st October to Maria Duran 01227 812034
Email: maria.duran@kmpt.nhs.uk

CIH Level 3 in Supporting Homeless Persons Certificate

Dear Colleague

You may be interested to know that Porchlight is running another “Engage to Change” course, starting in October 2010.

Porchlight was the first centre in the country to be accredited to deliver this course, which leads to the “CIH Level 3 in Supporting Homeless Persons Certificate”. It has been developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), Homeless Link and Broadway as part of the government’s “No-one left out: communities ending rough sleeping” strategy. This new level 3 qualification has been developed specifically for people working directly with homeless people. It covers the mainstays of key working and aims to support workers in developing their approach to gaining successful outcomes for their clients. It is aimed at staff who are experienced in this sector, and is therefore not an induction programme.

We are offering places on the course to external agencies at a cost of £495.00 per student, which includes all course materials, support, CIH registration and student membership.

Course dates are 12th and 13th October 2010, 17th November 2010, 19th January 2011 and 23rd March 2011 and it is essential that students are able to attend on all five dates. The course will be run at our offices in the centre of Canterbury.

For further information about the course content, individual modules, support that students can expect and what we expect from the students, please follow the following link:

http://porchlight.org.uk/about/training/engage-to-change/

As we are expecting more interest than available places, acceptance on the course is by application. An application form is available from the above link.

Applications must be returned to us by Monday 13th September 2010. If successful at this stage, we will invite candidates to come into our Head Office on Monday 20th September 2010 to discuss their application and complete a literacy and time impact assessment.

If you still have any queries about the course, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Beverley Callaghan
Interim Head of HR

Porchlight
2nd Floor Watling Chambers
18-19 Watling Street
Canterbury
Kent CT1 2UA
Direct Line: 01227 813195
Reception: 01227 760078
Fax. 01227 453331

Research Volunteers Wanted

Hull University - Research Volunteers
Would you like to help to improve our understanding of mental health?
Have you a few minutes to spare?

An NHS mental health professional is seeking volunteers to complete some online questionnaires. It doesn’t matter whether or not you have experienced problems with your mental health – everybody can make an important contribution and anyone aged 18 or over can take part.
Payment is not offered but you will be entered into a free £250 prize draw.

To request more information, please email
volunteer4research@googlemail.com

Monday, August 9, 2010

A new play about the mental health sysytem

'Blue/Orange', Arcola Theatre, London

Tiata Fahodzi is a professional theatre company presenting drama representing the experiences of Africans in Britain. An experience which is statistically more likely to afflict Britain’s Africans, in line with other Black groups, is spending time in the mental health care system; a topic explored in Joe Penhall’s award-winning play ‘Blue/Orange’.

From Wednesday 27 October – Saturday 20 November 2010 a radically new, all-female, tenth anniversary production of the play will be staged at the Arcola Theatre in Dalston, East London.

‘Blue/Orange’ is a passionate, witty and ultimately devastating exploration of institutional politics, mental health and race. Unfolding like a game of human chess the drama centres on a patient alternately bewildering and beguiling her medical consultants. Her stories of a damaged childhood in thrall to Idi Amin and a precarious urban London upbringing are plausible but are they true?

Is it more dangerous to keep her inside than to set her free?

Tickets are available from the theatre on 020 7503 1646 or by visiting their website.

Tickets start from £10 and the theatre also operates a Pay What You Can scheme on Tuesdays. Please visit the website for more information.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

East Kent User Forum - New Website

Have a look at the East Kent User Forum website!

www.eastkentuserforum.org


Here you will find a wealth of information about East Kent User Forums, the different groups and activities that we offer as well as the many ways in which you can become involved and join our organisation.

Our primary aim is to give a voice to Mental Health Service Users in our region. We aim to help them become involved in shaping the quality and breadth of services offered in East Kent and on a personal level to aid their recovery

Here you will find a wealth of information about East Kent User Forums, the different groups and activities that we offer as well as the many ways in which you can become involved and join our organisation.

Our primary aim is to give a voice to Mental Health Service Users in our region. We aim to help them become involved in shaping the quality and breadth of services offered in East Kent and on a personal level to aid their recovery

Mental Health Related Programmes

Hi all,

Take a look at this website:

http://www.swuf.org.uk/7.html

It has details of mental health related radio and TV programmes!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Carers Reference Group

Dear All

We would like to invite all Carers to attend the next meeting of the Carers Reference Group when the topic will be "Carers having a life of their own alongside their caring role". The details are as follows:

Date: 18 August 2010

Time: 12.30 - 3pm

Venue: Billiard Room, Oakwood House, Maidstone



Regards

Barbara

Barbara Seaman
Kent Carers
Admin Officer
Policy & Service Standards
Tel: 01622 221460

Volunteers needed in Dover Deal & Ashford

Volunteers needed in Dover Deal & Ashford

Would you be interested in becoming a Service user
Forum volunteer?

The following are just a few examples of the different ways you could become more involved with your local user forum:

Ashford Area– to visit the Arundel Unit with Amanda & Maggie Worker) to help run the Patients Council.

Admin Support – give admin support for user forum meetings, this role would involve taking minutes and writing them up

Challenge Stigma – to be part of the user forum commenting on or challenging, mental health services in East Kent

To Lead a User Forum in Dover, Deal or Ashford – you may wish to join one or set up a new one

To be our local representative on committees and meetings – to represent East Kent User forum

Peers Support – helping to organise and support members participating in forum activities

Moderators - Would you be interested in being a forum moderator for the east Kent User Forum website



If you would more information on any of the above please contact Maggie or
Amanda at East Kent User Forum – on 01843 230726
Or email – furst@rethink.org

New Mental Health Website!

Canterbury and District Mental Health Forum announces the launch of a new website:

"We are now on the world wide web at

http://www.canterburymentalhealth.org.uk/

On there web surfers can find advice & sources of help for when in difficulties; information about local activities and campaigns; and our most recent newsletters.
We also include a list of other local and national websites for information and support on mental health issues."

Have a look!

East Kent User Forum - Time to Change Event

Time to Get Moving Campaign Walk’
Part of the Time to change campaign


It's time to ... get moving!
Time to Get Moving is the part of our programme which brings people together to get active, get informed about mental wellbeing and challenge public attitudes. Time to Get Moving Week will run from 9 to 17 October, with lots of fun activities across England.

We at the Thanet User Forum will be running our event with the support of Thanet College


On Tuesday October 12th – meet at Margate Clock Tower at 1.00 pm

Walk will be from Margate to Westgate and back approx – 2 hours
Free time to Change tee shirts for all participants

Everyone Welcome

For more information please call – Maggie or Amanda on 01843 230726