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

UN Special Rapporteur for Extreme Poverty and Human Rights tours UK

'I have never before received so many submissions in advance of a country visit and I believe this level of engagement indicates a real appetite for a discussion about poverty and human rights in the UK'
SRN seeks new working group members

Following the launch of the SRN Manifesto and review of the future of SRN with NSUN, we are now re-advertising for up to four new members of the SRN Working Group. We are looking for people with a range of different experiences and interests and from different communities to help develop the SRN. The working group meets and communicates online, and the positions are currently voluntary.
Trauma Informed Care in Mental Health Services: Identifying good practice

The Mental Health Foundation is holding a half day workshop for health professionals, commissioners and women with lived experience exploring how mental health services can provide effective support for people, that takes into account the impact of traumatic events, like violence, neglect or losing a loved one, earlier in their lives.
NSUN has further concerns about the Mental Health Act Review

Despite a meeting in July between NSUN representatives and the Review Chair and Vice Chairs, little has changed. We continue to have strong misgivings about the Review in human rights terms. NSUN has now written a further letter of strong concern to the Review Chair and Vice Chairs and, this time, is contacting politicians as well. If you agree with our concerns, please support NSUN’s campaign by sending the letter to your MP

Reigniting the space steering group

Steering group members for Reigniting the Space
Reigniting the Space: for BME user/survivor voice

A national forum to facilitate networking, information sharing and collaboration between racialised groups, and to sustain a collective political voice.
Involvement Workers

The service user involvement workers peer support and development group was established September 2009. This was in response to requests from members to provide support to people who are in a professional role as a direct result of their own personal mental health experiences.
Peer 2 Peer
Real Insight

‘Service user involvement’ has become a mainstream concept. However, there are still major challenges in building mutual understanding, trust and respect between ‘service users’ as peers, staff, and service providers....
North East together (NEt)

NEt is the network for people with lived experience of mental health conditions living in the North East of England.
Survivor Researcher Network (SRN)

The network aims to provide mental health service users and survivors who are involved and interested in research a forum for networking, sharing information and supporting each other.
Survivors History Group

A group of survivor historians who ensure our past is not lost
London

mental health news from London
London network

London network

Jobs and involvement opportunities

Jobs and other involvement opportunities that call upon your lived experience as a mental health survivor / service user / carer.
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

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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.
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
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 4500 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.
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.