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  • Still breathing. Not dead.

    Still breathing. Not dead.

    Blog by Alice Smith, founder of NSUN member 361 Life Support. "We believe in emotional evolution - for ourselves and for society as a whole. To see beyond. Was this ever needed more than now?" Read more

  • Life's Lessons

    Life's Lessons

    Blog by NSUN Member Kerry Harrison. "They say humans have a unique vessel to heal after experiencing some kind of traumatic life event. What happens if you feel despondent and on mute or don't have loved ones and friends?" Read more

  • 2021: Let the adventure begin!

    2021: Let the adventure begin!

    Blog by NSUN member David Gibbs. "Covid has exposed many vulnerabilities but also has created an opportunity to look afresh at issues and reevaluate what is important as individuals and in our various affinity groups. We need new tools for a new age. The need for co-production has never been greater." Read more

  • Mental Health Peer Support Worker Competence Framework: A Personal & Professional Reflection

    Mental Health Peer Support Worker Competence Framework: A Personal & Professional Reflection

    Read more

  • Still breathing. Not dead.
  • Life's Lessons
  • 2021: Let the adventure begin!
  • Mental Health Peer Support Worker Competence Framework: A Personal & Professional Reflection
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  1. News & views
  2. Members' blogs

Members blogs

This is a space for blogs and vlogs about or by our membership, which we also regularly share in our bulletins. Our Network aims to be a forum for opinion pieces by our membership, platforming the voice of lived experience.

For articles published by NSUN, please see the News page (click here).

Still breathing. Not dead.

Still breathing. Not dead.

Blog by Alice Smith, founder of NSUN member 361 Life Support. "We believe in emotional evolution - for ourselves and for society as a whole. To see beyond. Was this ever needed more than now?" Read more

Published: 8th January, 2021

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Life's Lessons

Life's Lessons

Blog by NSUN Member Kerry Harrison. "They say humans have a unique vessel to heal after experiencing some kind of traumatic life event. What happens if you feel despondent and on mute or don't have loved ones and friends?" Read more

Published: 30th November, 2020

Updated: 10th December, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
2021: Let the adventure begin!

2021: Let the adventure begin!

Blog by NSUN member David Gibbs. "Covid has exposed many vulnerabilities but also has created an opportunity to look afresh at issues and reevaluate what is important as individuals and in our various affinity groups. We need new tools for a new age. The need for co-production has never been greater." Read more

Published: 17th November, 2020

Updated: 10th December, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Mental Health Peer Support Worker Competence Framework: A Personal & Professional Reflection

Mental Health Peer Support Worker Competence Framework: A Personal & Professional Reflection

Read more

Published: 3rd November, 2020

Updated: 4th November, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
How can organisations use the 4Pi Involvement Standards?

How can organisations use the 4Pi Involvement Standards?

Meerat Kaur, Sandra Jayacodi, & Rachel Matthews talk us through how the 4Pi Involvement Standards for co-production were used to facilitate meaningful partnerships between service users, the public, healthcare professionals, and researchers. Read more

Published: 26th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
African Health Policy Network and COVID-19

African Health Policy Network and COVID-19

Maureen Ndawana, Community and Engagement Officer for the African Health Policy Network and coordinator of Ffena, tells us about how they have been able to keep their members connected with help from NSUN. Read more

Published: 20th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
SM Talking Circles and COVID-19

SM Talking Circles and COVID-19

Jane Salazar, founder of SM Talking Circles, talks about her group for adults with selective mutism. They have been able to move online and start planning the use of non-verbal software for their group. Read more

Published: 13th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs

"Normal" saw millions trapped in the poverty cycle. Is that what we want to return to?

Part 2. Amy Wells explores the experiences of those struggling with work, benefits, debt, and housing. Read more

Published: 9th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs

"Normal” saw millions trapped in the poverty cycle. Is that what we want to return to?

Part 1. Amy Wells shares the experiences of those struggling with their mental health in poverty right now. Read more

Published: 8th October, 2020

Updated: 9th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
The old normal meant poverty and inequality. The new normal for mental health needs to be different

The old normal meant poverty and inequality. The new normal for mental health needs to be different

NSUN Trustee Emily Reynolds blogs about the return to a new normal. Read more

Published: 6th October, 2020

Updated: 14th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Mashriq Challenge Resource Centre and COVID-19

Mashriq Challenge Resource Centre and COVID-19

Salma Lokat from MCRC tells us about the work they do to support disadvantaged South Asian women with mental health issues in Birmingham. With money from the NSUN COVID fund they were able to continue providing practical outreach to isolated and digitally excluded women. Read more

Published: 2nd October, 2020

Updated: 14th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
There is no normal - Alisdair Cameron

There is no normal - Alisdair Cameron

"There is no normal": NSUN Trustee Alisdair Cameron responds to talk of "the new normal". This is our first of a short series of three articles exploring unmet need & what "business as usual" actually means for mental health community groups & survivors of distress & trauma. Read more

Published: 30th September, 2020

Updated: 14th October, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • News
  • Members blogs
Another shocking scandal - why does this keep happening?

Another shocking scandal - why does this keep happening?

Blog post by Andrew Lee, Director of People First, on the recent news from Yew Trees Hospital in Essex of ten staff being suspended after a CQC report found they "dragged, slapped and kicked" people staying in the unit. Read more

Published: 24th September, 2020

Updated: 25th September, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Talking Sense and COVID-19

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. Read more

Published: 24th September, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Wish and COVID-19

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. Read more

Published: 15th September, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Youth Activism and Intentional Peer Support with Hearts and Minds

Youth Activism and Intentional Peer Support with Hearts and Minds

We hear from five young mental health activists from Hearts and Minds about their experiences on the Intentional Peer Support Training programme. Read more

Published: 11th September, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
‘Call Before You Walk’ for A&E – how will this impact treatment for self-harm?

‘Call Before You Walk’ for A&E – how will this impact treatment for self-harm?

Naomi Salisbury, Director of Self Injury Support, talks about the proposed changes to A&E treatment for self-harm - a "call before you walk" system - and concerns around the approach. Read more

Published: 5th September, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Adira and COVID-19

Adira and COVID-19

This week we hear from Adira, a survivor-led mental health & well-being organisation based in Sheffield supporting Black people with mental health issues. They used money from the NSUN COVID-19 grant for listening training for their peer supporters. Read more

Published: 31st August, 2020

Updated: 15th September, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Taraki and COVID-19

Taraki and COVID-19

Shuranjeet and Kuljit from Taraki tell us how they adapted to lockdown, using the NSUN COVID-19 grant to expand the reach of their groups and engage more people using digital design tools. Read more

Published: 26th August, 2020

Updated: 27th August, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • COVID
  • Members blogs
Traveller Pride and COVID-19

Traveller Pride and COVID-19

Tyler, the founder of Traveller Pride, talks about how the NSUN fund has allowed them to set up a phoneline and make therapy more accessible for their members during the pandemic. Read more

Published: 11th August, 2020

Updated: 26th August, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs

"Riding the Pandemic waves of Bipolar" by Matthew Jackman

Blog by Matthew Jackman, self-described Mad Academic and holder of many mental health roles, including being a representative of the Global Mental Health Peer Network and a Global Ambassador for Generation Mental Health. Read more

Published: 10th August, 2020

Updated: 11th August, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Let's Talk About Loss and COVID-19

Let's Talk About Loss and COVID-19

For the second film in our series showcasing the work that community groups have been able to do with NSUN's COVID-19 grant, we hear from Beth from Let's Talk About Loss. Read more

Published: 4th August, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Nomad Radio and COVID-19

Nomad Radio and COVID-19

Mohamed and Amina from Nomad Radio tell us about the activities they've been able to carry out with NSUN's COVID-19 grant. Read more

Published: 29th July, 2020

Author: Amy Wells

Related topics:
  • Members blogs
Sybil on NSUNCovidLife

Sybil on NSUNCovidLife

In the 34th and last post in our series #NSUNCovidLife, Sybil  shares her experience of lockdown, and her reflections working on #NSUNCovidLife. Read more

Published: 3rd July, 2020

Author: Akiko Hart

Related topics:
  • #NSUNcovidlife
  • Members blogs
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Latest

  • Still breathing. Not dead.

    Still breathing. Not dead.

    Blog by Alice Smith, founder of NSUN member 361 Life Support. "We believe in emotional evolution - for ourselves and for society as a whole. To see beyond. Was this ever needed more than now?"

  • Rai Waddingham

  • Vikki Price

  • Community Constellations

    Community Constellations

    Community Constellations is a new capacity-building project for the vibrant but precarious user-led and community-led sector in London

Most read

  • Jobs and involvement opportunities

    Jobs and involvement opportunities

    Please bookmark this page as we will share employment offers and involvement opportunities here as soon as they arise.

  • 4Pi National Involvement Standards

    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 improving experiences of services and support.

  • Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit - Open Letters

    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

    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

    History

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

  • Join as a member or supporter

    Join as a member or supporter

    We are a user-led network of over 5000 individual and group members or supporters. We aim to connect, inform, influence, and improve the experiences of people who need services and support when in distress.

  • Survivor Researcher Network launch manifesto

    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?

    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

    Our vision is for the lives of people who experience mental distress, discrimination and disadvantage to be better

  • The Principles of Peer Support Charter

    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.

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© 2020 The National Survivor User Network (NSUN) is a registered charity in England (no.1135980) and a registered company limited by guarantee (no.07166851). NSUN, Kemp House, 152-160 City Road, London EC1V 2NX