MAD Alliance

'M.A.D Alliance' started out with NSUN members from eight North West London boroughs who formed a leadership group to establish a culture of co-production at all levels of commissioning and influence provision of mental health care and support across North West London.

'Mad', whilst implying a 'tongue in cheek' adoption of a word often used as an insult, has a secondary meaning here: it stands for 'making a difference'.

Drawing on their individual and collective experience, 'Mad Alliance' members advise the North West London Mental Health and Wellbeing Transformation Board of Commissioners.

The group challenges, informs and drives the redesign of services, improving delivery of the Crisis Concordat standards for care and support.

The concordat is a national agreement between services and agencies that sets out how they will work together to make sure people get the help they need when they are having a mental health crisis.

'Mad Alliance' members were recruited by NSUN and got to know each other whilst attending our 2015 Creative Leadership Programme, which consisted of an an introduction day followed by 12 interactive sessions.

This page is a collection of resources relating to this programme as well as other materials which 'Mad alliance' members use in their work. The Alliance is now managed by a collaboration of local providers accross North West London.

Creative Leadership Programme Handbook

Handbook - Creative Leadership Programme

Creative Leadership Programme Materials

Day 1 - Introduction to Leadership - slides
Day 1 - Influencing User Leadership by Janice Lowe - slides
Day 1 - Leadership by Janice Lowe - slides
Day 1 - Authority and Power - notes
Day 1 - Influence through stories - notes
Day 1 - Servant as Leader - notes

Day 2 - Introduction to Leadership by Naomi Good
Day 2 - Introduction to 4Pi Indicators
Day 2 - The Origins of 4Pi by Alison Faulkner

Day 3 - Session facilitator Brian Joof's article 'there needs to be change'

Day 4 - Session facilitator's Ian Pringle's website
Day 4 - The Forum Project's website, introducing Augusto Boal's Forum Theatre, the Theatre of the Oppressed
Day 4 - Video on how Forum Theatre can blast stigma to change minds and end mental health discriminatation
Day 4 - Video showing an example of Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed on the theme of suicide

Day 5 - Culture Race and Ethnicity in Commissioning for Mental Health by Dr Colin King - slides
Day 5 - Video on ethnic issues
Day 5 - Dancing to Our Own Tunes Report
Day 5 - Influencing Mental Health Services - a Guide to Values Based Commissioning (VBC)
Day 5 - guidance on VBC from the joint commissioning panel
Day 5 - MH services for black and minority ethnic communities
Day 5 - Doll Test Video

Day 6 - Session facilitator Dr Jonathan Campion's Public Mental Health Indicators

Latest

Talking Sense and COVID-19

Janey from Talking Sense, a Hearing Voices Group, tells us about their group and how moving online using funding from NSUN enabled them to expand their reach.
NSUN leaflet (download)
Wish and COVID-19

Wish, a user-led charity for women experiencing mental health difficulties in prisons, hospitals, and the community, talk through the move to online and their hopes for the future.
Arweinyddiaeth yn seiliedig ar Brofiad Go Iawn

Jobs and involvement opportunities

Vacancies with the National Survivor User Network
4Pi national involvement standards

Developed by people with lived experience as part of the National Involvement Partnership (NIP) project, the 4Pi National Standards ensure effective co-production, thus really improving experiences of services and support.
Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit - Open Letters

The UK government is hosting a Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London on the 9th and 10th of October, 2018. The Summit aims to “build momentum on global mental health issues such as early intervention, public health, research, tackling stigma, and promoting access to evidence-based services.”. Read the Open Letters to the Organisers, Partners and Delegates of the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit, London
BME mental health service users launch manifesto

The Kindred Minds BME mental health service user led manifesto is a unique resource, has been written by BME mental health service users and has a comprehensive vision for the policy and practice changes needed to improve the mental well-being of BME mental health service users.
History

About the National Survivor User Network (NSUN) and the wider service user survivor movement. What we have achieved.
Join as a member

We are a user-led network of over 5000 individual and group members. Join us to find out what's happening across England to improve the experiences of people who need services and support when in distress. We aim to connect, inform and influence.
Survivor Researcher Network launch manifesto

Written by the Survivor Researcher Working Group, the SRN manifesto sets out the background and context to survivor and service user research and SRN's aims and values as a network
Alternatives to detention/sectioning under the Mental Health Act 1983. Can you help with suggestions?

As part of her work for the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act, Dorothy Gould is trying to collect as many examples as possible of alternatives to detention/sectioning.
Our vision

Our vision is for the lives of people who experience mental distress, discrimination and disadvantage to be better
The Principles of Peer Support Charter

A collaboration between statutory and voluntary sector organisations has facilitated the production of a peer led and produced Principles of Peer Support Charter.