bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Positively Transitional or Unfortunately Permanent?: The Status of Work Within Clubhouses in the UK
Authors: Hill R.
Published: August 2011

The clubhouse in Britain is a phenomenon of the 1990s. However, their influence possibly far exceeds their numbers in terms of the overall provision of work opportunities for individuals with mental health problems. Maybe such visibility is one reason why clubhouses provoke support and hostility in about equal measure. Often when this occurs both supporters and detractors focus on one particular attribute of the clubhouse to the exclusion of others. There have been few impartial examinations of the clubhouse (and fewer still empirical evaluations of the efficacy of the clubhouse approach to work rehabilitation). In this paper we wish to examine some of the advantages and disadvantages of the clubhouse in relation to vocational rehabilitation goals and offer some thoughts on its future role within mental health services.
European Networks
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

The Network page is your chance to share information or make contact with others. If you are involved in an innovative project, network or partnership that might be of interest to others, why not use this space to tell our readers about it?
An Act to Follow?
Authors: Perkins Rachel
Published: August 2011

In relation to employment, mental health difficulties are almost invariably seen as ‘problems’ to be overcome, but this is not always the case. Within services for people with mental health problems, personal experience of such difficulties can afford an expertise not shared by non‐user staff: having ‘been there’ can be positively useful. The User Employment Project at The Pathfinder Mental Health Services NHS Trust has, for over two years, provided supported employment for service users in ordinary, existing clinical posts within teams: mental health support workers, occupational therapy assistants and technicians and physiotherapy assistants. More recently, the Trust has broadened its approach and begun to examine the ways in which its more general employment practices have been discriminatory. This has lead to the development of a ‘Charter for the Employment of People who have Experienced Mental Health Problems’ covering the whole of the Trust.
‘There may be trouble ahead’
Authors: Bates Peter
Published: August 2011

It was John Perske who wrote about the ‘dignity of risk’ and reminded us that a good quality of life includes the right to try things out, to experiment, to fail. If every toddler who tumbled over was protected from further harm, then nobody would be walking on two legs. Many employment and education projects for people who use mental health services invite their participants to take a risk — to try out a new activity, take on a new role, or learn a new skill. But how is this risk managed? In the advanced capitalist economy of the late 1990s, a whole industry has grown up around the reality of risk. People at risk of theft or loss have property insurance. Those at risk of loss of earnings can take out cover. There is injury and sickness protection, and finally financial protection against the devastation of premature death. Empowerment is about having the same right as every other citizen, about having the same insurance policy in your pocket as the next person. Where do people who participate in mental health workschemes fit in? Do they hold this key to power?
The Role of Education in the Lives of People with Mental Health Difficulties
Authors: Austin Tracey
Published: August 2011

Tracey Austin draws on her experiences in community mental health and further education t introduce a regular feature exploring the opportunities for education in the lives of people with mental health difficulties.
Having Your Say
Authors: Bates Peter
Published: August 2011

The word ‘empowerment’ appears in the description of almost every project these days, so we have come a long way from the old paternalism. It means that the people who use a service should have some power over how it is run and what it does. This is great, but how do people get to participate? For most projects, the answer is to have meetings.So this edition of Keys to power is mostly about meetings, and asks how they can be harnessed to ensure that everyone has a say.
A Day in the Life of David, John and Nettie
Authors: Nettle Mary
Published: August 2011

Here are three contributions from mental health service users who feel very positive about the help and support they have received. David is from Kent and works with the Shaw Trust, who believe in releasing the potential of disabled people. John and Nettie work with Restore, ‘a creative mental rehabilitation service’ in Oxford.
Images of Possibility
Authors: Austin Tracey , Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

Have you read something that has changed your life, made you see things in a totally different way or captured your own experiences so beautifully that you felt absolutely validated, that everything suddenly made sense? A life in the day will devote its book (or article) reviews in the coming year to giving readers the chance to share their recommended reading in 250‐500 words. Do get in touch if this stirs something in your memory.
Snakes and ladders
Authors: Scott Judy
Published: August 2011

I invited service user representatives and mental health association leaders to comment on the benefit system in just 50 words. A torrent of criticism poured out of my fax machine. In this we are united. They are demanding a system free from fear which enables and rewards working as and when health allows.The Green Paper March 1998 failed to remove ‘serious barriers to work’. The modest improvements are described on p34.The Snakes & Ladders of the system remain as real life: shake the dice, move four steps forward and find you've landed on the wrong square. The DSS regulations snatch your security and toss you down. You are worse off than before you started.The Government invites our response to the Green Paper; we must ensure that they get it.
ACCEPT Northern Ireland — Taking Mental Health into the Boardroom and on to the High Street
Authors: Magill Carol
Published: August 2011

Over the years there have been many transnational partnerships formed under various European programmes — many under the HORIZON strand of the European Social Fund's Community Initiative EMPLOYMENT. These sound good in theory, but do they work? Carol Magill from the Industrial Therapy Organisation (ITO) in Northern Ireland says they can, as long as you know what you are doing.
Three Work Initiatives
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

In this issue, we have profiles from three very different work initiatives: a pioneering regional consortium in Northern Ireland with extensive international links; a social enterprise in Leicester producing craft products — its members tell us why they like it; and the National Clubhouse Association (United Kingdom).Do not forget, the Network page is your chance to share information or make contact with others. If you are involved in an innovative project, network or partnership that might be of interest to others, why not use this space to tell our readers about it? Contact: Adam Pozner at OUTSET. Telephone: 0181‐692 7141.
Snakes and Ladders
Authors: Austin Tracey
Published: August 2011

Snakes and Ladders: Adult education and mental health video‐based action pack. Jeremy Braund, Richard Hooper, Stewart Moore and Robin Hoyle (Eds.). Looseleaf folder with 2 videos. Produced by the Lancashire Stepping Stones Project.
LETS and the Benefit System
Authors: Shephard Liz
Published: August 2011

If the government is looking to reduce social exclusion (rather than exclusion from the tax system) then perhaps the next Green Paper could look at the advantages of local exchange trading systems. The DSS may treat participation in a LETS scheme as remunerated work. This creates the same set of problems and disincentives as work paid for in sterling for people claiming benefits. Last year, however, new guidance to DSS offices gave some local discretion, as Liz Shephard advises.
Networking: A Personal View
Authors: Harding Anne
Published: August 2011

Anne Harding was Deputy Director of Richmond Fellowship Workschemes until 1991 and a founder member of the CEFEC European Network. As such she has seen (and initiated) many of the developments in employment and mental health we now take for granted, especially social firms — having been the prime mover in starting Castle Project Printfinishers and a co‐author of the Social Firm Handbook, published by Pavilion 1997. Here, she gives a personal view on the value of networking and makes some suggestions for future issues of A life in the day which I fully endorse.
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment in Germany: Principles, Practice and Evaluation
Authors: Haerlin Christiane , Meier Alfred
Published: August 2011

This paper was presented to the 6th European Congress on Research in Rehabilitation, 31 May‐4 June 1998 in Berlin. It reflects the fact that, in Germany, there is a more structured and research‐based approach to moving people into employment than we are used to in the UK ‐ one of the many cultural differences which we can learn from in our partnerships with European colleagues. It should also be remembered that the Germans regard Douglas Bennett as the source of many of their ideas and that there are nearly 2000 people with mental health problems working in German social firms as a result of their systematic approach.
Workschemes, Social Enterprises and Co‐operatives in Greece
Authors: Fafalios‐Dragonas Maria
Published: August 2011

A large part of this paper is based on a presentation by Maria Fafalios‐Dragonas at the International Conference on Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities, ‘Bridging the Continents’, held in Cyprus, 27‐29 March 1998. The conference was organised by the North Dakota Centre for Persons with Disabilities, a university‐affiliated programme at Minot, North Dakota, and Cyprus University, Nicosia, Cyprus. The paper looks at vocational rehabilitation projects in Greece and is based on a questionnaire distributed (August 1996 to August 1997) to the directors of various sheltered workschemes throughout the country, for people with mental health problems, learning difficulties and physical disabilities. This survey ‐ unique in Greece, to our knowledge ‐ was carried out by Maria Fafalios‐Dragonas, Eleni Tsigara and Panayota Papamanoli, for Kaleidoscope social enterprise. The statistical analysis is by ORCO, Athens.
Community Pathways: A Joint Black Country Mental Health Trust and Sandwell College Project to Encourage Participation in Education
Authors: Austin Tracey , Dolan Liam
Published: August 2011

We plan to include in each future issue something on opportunities in education. This time, Tracey Austin and Liam Dolan write about an unusual partnership between a college and a psychiatric hospital. Tracey Austin is Education Editor for A life in the day and she would be delighted to discuss articles for inclusion in future issues. She can be contacted at Sandwell College, telephone: 0121‐556 6000.
Helping Users and Survivors to Tell Their Own Stories
Authors: Jeffery Clare
Published: August 2011

How often have you felt angry about media representations of mental health service users? How many letters have you written about the way stories in the media distort and stereotype people? Mental Health Media believes that simply complaining is ineffective. Users and survivors need to give their points of view ‐ to tell their own stories. To help people to do this, Mental Health Media is getting people who are experienced in handling the media to run courses which can help survivors to present themselves effectively.
Three User‐Led Initiatives
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

In this issue, we profile three very different user‐led initiatives: a thriving user forum in Kent (FURST) involved in a wide range of local activities; the European Network of (Ex‐) Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, which promotes the rights of mental health service users on a European level; and a winning New Deal ‘innovative scheme’ designed by Talent to Work, a registered charity founded by an ex‐user of mental health services. Do not forget that the Network Page is your chance to share information or make contact with others. If you are involved in an innovative project or partnership, why not use this space to tell our readers about it? Contact Adam Pozner at OUTSET. Tel. 0181‐692 7141.
The Lancashire Stepping Stones Programme
Authors: Braund Jeremy
Published: August 2011

‘[Learning] helps all of us to improve our chances of getting a job and getting on …encourages independence …has opened up the chance to explore or become creative. It helps make ours a civilised society, develops the spiritual side of our lives and provides active citizenship. Learning enables people to play a full part in their community, it helps us fulfil our potential and opens doors to a love of music, art and literature. That is why we value learning for its own value as well as for the equality of opportunity it brings.‘Learning contributes to social cohesion and fosters a sense of belonging, responsibility and identity.’
Towards a Happier Life — Therapeutic Horticulture as a Means of Mental Health Rehabilitation
Authors: Davies Jessica
Published: August 2011

Cherry Tree Nursery came about because users of mental health services in East Dorset wanted meaningful occupation which would enhance the quality of their lives. Many of us find gardening therapeutic and this project not only gives joy to its volunteers, but also contributes to the gardens (and mental health) of its thousands of gardening, plant‐buying customers in the Bournemouth area.
Creating Learning Opportunities for Adults with Mental Health Problems in Rochdale
Authors: Baker Anne , Burke Hazel , Callaghan Patricia , Saunders Catherine
Published: August 2011

Lack of opportunities in further education for people with mental health problems in the Borough of Rochdale prompted a small group of mental health workers from a range of agencies to develop an innovative partnership with the local further education college to research and create new education opportunities in 1997/1998. To date over 50 users of mental health services who hitherto would not have accessed mainstream further education services have participated in a range of newly established courses.
A Life in the Day of a Conference or Two Lives in Three Days of a Conference: Barriers to Participation
Authors: Carmichael Eden , O'Flynn David
Published: August 2011

Eden Carmichael and David O'Flynn ‐ user of mental health services and psychiatrist ‐ discuss what they learned about the barriers we professionals erect to ‘user participation’ from the experience of attending an international conference together.
Therapeutic Earnings Limit to Increase
Authors: Scott Judy
Published: August 2011

On the last page of the White Paper A New Contract for Welfare ‐ Support for the Disabled, the Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, Secretary of State for Social Security, states: ‘We are increasing the therapeutic earnings limit in Incapacity Benefit to ensure that people with a long‐term illness or disability who undertake therapeutic work can benefit from higher wage rates.’The week before the paper was published, a letter requesting exactly this change was sent to Alistair Darling signed by service user groups and representatives of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Mind, the National Schizophrenia Fellowship, the Manic Depression Fellowship, ITON Ireland, the Richmond Fellowship, Birmingham and City Universities, the Centre for Mental Health Services Development at King's College, London, Professor Geoff Shepherd, Jack Ashley, Elizabeth Bray and me.Who says no‐one ever listens!
A Day in the Life of Joan Remil
Authors: Nettle Mary
Published: August 2011

Joan lives in Denmark and we met at one of the European seminars Bob Grove writes about in the Editorial.
CAPITAL — More Than a Learning Experience
Authors: Ockwell Clare
Published: August 2011

Freelance mental health consultants and trainers, Jim Read and Veronica Dewan, have recently completed a one year contract to develop and co‐ordinate a user‐led mental health training project in West Sussex called CAPITAL. The author of this article, Clare Ockwell, is a founder member of CAPITAL. She graduated from university while still anorexic, served on the Council of the Eating Disorders Association and sits on its research committee. In recent years she has fought an ongoing battle with depression but managed to reach the final of Mastermind in 1997.
‘Right, Said Fred’
Authors: Bates Peter
Published: August 2011

‘As soon as I moved into my new house, I wanted to paint something, to put my signature on the walls, to make it my own.’ Most of us feel a bit like this, and we like to stake our claim on a house, take some ownership, get a sense of power over our space. When we can't do this we are guests in someone else's property, obliged forever to keep our shoes off the furniture. Lots of mental health projects believe in empowering users and they believe that the people who live in the hostel, attend the day centre or work in the employment project have a right to a stake in the place. But who picks up the paintbrush and who drills holes in the walls for new shelving? Finding a path through the rolls of wallpaper, the regulations and responsibilities leads to empowerment ‐ it is one of the keys to power.
Wise up on Welfare on the Web
Authors: Bray Elizabeth
Published: August 2011

Welfare reform and benefits changes are vitally important to people with mental health problems. Yet the details about policy changes are barely reported. The broadsheets ‐ the Guardian, Independent, Financial Times, Telegraph and The Times ‐ have given up serious reporting of parliamentary proceedings, and we have to listen to Breakfast with Frost for the latest government sound bites on policy initiatives.However, lobbyists ‐ user groups, carers, and health care providers ‐ should take heart. We may not have full open government yet, but you can now access both government departments and parliamentary proceedings on the Internet. You can also respond to, and possibly influence, government policy. Elizabeth Bray explains how…
Not on our Patch — Developments of Social Firms in the Highlands: obstacles and opportunities
Authors: MacLeod Donald
Published: August 2011

On 2 June 1998, the lead story in the north of Scotland's morning daily newspaper, the Press and Journal, carried the headline: ‘Impasse on plan for café ‐ Traders object to work creation in social firm for slow learners.’ This is a cautionary tale about he difficulties social enterprises can face when entering the real market place.
Supporting Students at No Extra Cost: The Pathfinder Access To Education Project
Authors: Meddings Sara , Pardi Samantha
Published: August 2011

Building on ideas that have been discussed in recent issues of A life in the day, Sara Meddings and Samantha Pardi describe a small project which has not only enabled people to gain access to education, but achieved this within already existing resources.
The TAP Programme in New York City — One Year On
Authors: Schwarz Gerold
Published: August 2011

Last summer we published an article about the work of INCube Inc. ‐ a consumer‐led consultancy in New York that helps former psychiatric patients create their own jobs in businesses they have founded themselves. Such a lot of interest was created by this article ‐ and by the founder of INCube, Mimi Kravitz, at the Life in the day Annual Conference ‐ that we have decided to follow up on the development of this work. The first article presents the first results of the TAP (Technical Assistance Program for Recipients) programme.The unique features of the programme are described and discussed in detail ‐ the author is the programme director, Gerold Schwarz. The second article by Liz Ruddle of Milton Keynes MIND is an account of a visit to the programme in New York and her thoughts about INCube from a UK standpoint.
Getting a life ‐ Becky's story
Authors: Feculak Rebecca , Bedworth Sharon
Published: August 2011

Becky Feculak has battled through early onset illness to make a life for herself, finding support at vital times from fellow users, professionals and employers. Becky's story has many lessons and she hopes that others, including those responsible for designing and commissioning mental health services, will benefit from her experiences.
Two action research projects
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

The network pages in this issue are devoted to describing work in progress on two multisite action research projects supporting the development of comprehensive, effective vocational services for people with mental health problems in seven localities in England and Wales. The Employment Support Unit at the Institute of Applied Health and Social Policy at King's College London is running Care Programme to Work, which is funded by the Department of Health and works in Sutton, Sheffield, Manchester and Plymouth. Expanding Opportunity Through Partnership is run by the OUTSET Consultancy Service, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and works in Eastbourne, North Staffordshire and Bridgend, South Wales. Part of the value of these projects is the opportunities they afford for sharing experience and ideas across different places engaged in the same task. In 2000 the two projects are planning to join forces to create a Practice Development Network, which will expand the opportunities for joint learning and sharing experience even further.
The Pathfinder Project ‐ From Patient to Employee
Authors: Ferguson Mark , Burke Andrea
Published: August 2011

Mark Ferguson and Andrea Burke write about a new initiative in Salford based on the ‘Pathfinder’ User Employment Project described by Rachel Perkins in issue 2 (1) of the Journal.
Partners for Progress: employers working with people with disabilities
Authors: Breuer Zoey
Published: August 2011

Over the past five years many mental health organisations have participated in the European Union's HORIZON programme ‐ a sub‐division of the EMPLOYMENT Community Initiative. As a result of this programme many innovative schemes supporting disabled and disadvantaged people in obtaining and keeping jobs have been set up in Britain and across Europe. The idea has been to test out and learn from new ways of working so that future services can be more effective. The EMPLOYMENT Support Unit, as its name implies, has been supporting and co‐ordinating the learning and dissemination from the initiative. In this article Zoey Breuer summarises the work that has been done to inform and persuade employers that it is in their interest to make use of the skills of disabled people.
The Aylesbury Story — Development of New Work and Daytime Opportunities For People with Mental Health Problems in Aylesbury Vale
Authors: Daley Mike , Orange Jeffrey , Pozner Adam , Phillips Helen , Woodhouse Jane
Published: August 2011

This is a story of partnership in action — the successful transformation of an outdated industrial therapy unit into a range of services that meet the diverse needs of individuals in an economically mixed locality in the south of England. The article is also a product of collaboration between people and perspectives.
Facing up to life in Hong Kong
Authors: Barker Lindsay , Cheung Stephen , Ng Petrus
Published: August 2011

The issues discussed in this article will be familiar to everyone struggling to deinstitutionalise sheltered workshops. The solutions being developed — social firms, supported employment — are also well known. But can they flourish in the very special situation of the new Hong Kong? Now part of the People's Republic of China, the former colony is still sitting between East and West, capitalism and communism, and is also in the throes of a very sharp recession. Lindsay Barker, Stephen Cheung and Petrus Ng tell the story so far and then look at what the future might hold for this fledgling revolution. Bob Grove
Service Development Network for mental health employment services
Authors: Pozner Adam , Grove Bob
Published: August 2011

This issue we are pleased to report that the establishment of a Service Development Network for employment and other work options, mentioned in A life in the day, issue 3.4, is much nearer to becoming a reality. The aim of the Network is to support the development of effective vocational services for people with mental health problems. Network membership will include government agencies, NHS Trusts, local authorities, user organisations, local MIND groups and other independent sector providers — anyone who wants to create or commission effective local employment support services.
Is New Deal a good deal for mental health service users?
Authors: Grove Bob
Published: August 2011

In December 1998 we held a conference at King's College called Making New Deal a Good Deal for Mental Health. This was before the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) pilots started. At the time of writing, the first results and interim evaluation of NDDP had just been published.i So ‐ how has it lived up to its billing? Has the cautious optimism at that conference been justified?
Is employment necessarily therapeutic for people who have experienced mental health problems?
Authors: Hill Phillip
Published: August 2011

The assumptions on which many articles in A life in the day are based include the idea that work is good for you. This underplays the real life experiences of many people (and not just mental health service users) who have found that work is sometimes very bad for them indeed. Phillip Hill explores the relationship between work and mental health and the qualities that a job must have to be therapeutic.
The Four Leaf Clover Club — struggles and successes of a user‐led organisation
Authors: Weeks Alex
Published: August 2011

User‐led organisations are increasingly providing services themselves, but it is not always easy to overcome the barriers of bureaucracy and officialdom when you are inexperienced in project development. This is the story of the trials, tribulations and eventual success of a group of users in rural Dorset, who are keen to use their newly acquired experience for the benefit of others who may want to do the same.
Can LETS make it better? A Stirling example
Authors: Manley Catherine , Aldridge Theresa
Published: August 2011

This article explores the potential of Local Exchange Trading Schemes (LETS) to overcome some of the barriers to participating in meaningful activity for people with severe and enduring mental illness. The example of Stirling LETS Make it Better project illustrates this potential, and interviews with the members and project workers provide indicators of the reasons for the success of the project. Replication of the success of this project, outside of Stirling, is argued to be achievable if based on these indicators. The struggle for funding is considered to be the key barrier, preventing and discouraging similar projects; indeed, at the time of writing, continuing funding for Stirling LETS is in doubt. The abandonment of successful, innovative projects, once the pilot stage is over, is a besetting fault of many funding streams and an incredible waste of resources. A life in the day would welcome more examples of funding agencies who have tried to tackle this issue.
Physical activity and mental health
Authors: Crone‐Grant Diane , Grant Trudi
Published: August 2011

Diane Crone‐Grant and Trudi Grant describe an evidence‐based programme designed to promote mental health through developing physical wellbeing.
Negotiating the funding maze
Authors: Ng Mee
Published: August 2011

Mee Ling Ng of Outset Consultancy Service (OCS) offers some thoughts and tips on where to find funding. A life in the day will have a regular section on funding issues and would like to hear from readers who would like to share their funding and fundraising experiences.Since the publication of Working it Out (Pozner et al, 1996) which addressed the resource needs of project development, the funding landscape has changed. New funding opportunities are available, in addition to those mentioned in the funding chapter. This article sets out the resource issues which practitioners need to be aware of and address. It also summarises the key sources of funding for project development and delivery of educational, training and employment opportunities for people with mental health problems.
Specialist Networks
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

While there have been many innovations in the field of work rehabilitation in recent years, there is still a paucity of research in this area. Nevertheless, interest in this area is steadily growing, and in this issue we include short profiles of two research networks that have emerged in the last couple of years‐the Mental Health Employment Research Network and the Inclusion Research Network. Interest in the newer service models has also gathered pace, and we profile Social Firms UK and its regional networks. These networks are playing a key role in encouraging the development of better quality options for work and meaningful daytime occupation.
Editorial
Authors: Nettle Mary
Published: August 2011

In this issue the editorial is by A life in the day Board member Mary Nettle. It was written originally in response to the World Health Authority 1996 ‘consensus’ statement on ‘psychosocial rehabilitation’. Five years on has consensus been achieved…?
Challenging fundamental assumptions about mental health service users and work
Authors: Rinaldi Miles , Hill Robert
Published: August 2011

New research by the authors in the London Borough of Merton challenges three commonly held assumptions ‐ that mental health service users do not want to work, that work will make their condition worse, and that what they are really best suited to is sheltered work.
Working the market
Authors: Austin Tracey
Published: August 2011

A life in the day Board member Tracey Austin came across a unique craft business while browsing in Spitalfields market. She was inspired to pay a visit and here is what she found…
Welfare to work ‐‐ benefit barriers
Authors: Betteridge Jean
Published: August 2011

This issue has an extended Benefits section. Manchester Advice provide a service to 48,000 people a year and for the last three years have been building a dossier of the rules, procedures and practices within the main benefit system which act as barriers to paid work and to activities, such as volunary work, study and training. Jean Betteridge (Welfare Rights Officer for Take Up, Training & Publicity, Manchester Advice) has produced a comprehensive analysis of benefit barriers to work. This article summarises the main points. A full version can be obtained from the author. Judy Scott
Developing services for people with mental health problems in the New Deal for Disabled People personal adviser pilots
Authors: Gordon Janet , Mills Barbara
Published: August 2011

Janet Gordon and Barbara Mills of the Employment Service describe and reflect on some of the lessons from innovative ways of partnership working in the New Deal for Disabled People pilots.
Keeping in touch… a new network and the continuation of an old one
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

In this issue we include a short profile on the Able Volunteers Project and an update on WorkNet. The Able Volunteers Project focuses on how individuals with learning disabilities or mental health problems can be enabled to participate in volunteering and provides an email forum to support networking amongst those interested in this area. WorkNet provides information and support for those interested or involved in developing better education, work and employment options for mental health service users.
Deciding about disclosure
Authors: Hutchison Mo , Nettle Mary
Published: August 2011

One of the biggest problems facing a person with a diagnosis who wants to get a job is how much to tell about those tricky gaps in the CV. Of course it doesn't end with getting a job. If you decide to disclose your mental health problems to your employers at interview and still get the job, you then have to decide whether it is safe to confide in colleagues. What are the answers? How do you advise someone on what to do? User consultants Mo Hutchison and Mary Nettle have run workshops on these questions at ‘Wicked Issues’ conferences on mental health and employment. The approach they have taken is to think through the issues involved with the participants and to devise a list of questions that people need to ask themselves before making the decision for themselves. This short article does not therefore provide answers, but it does provide a starting point for thinking things through — and hopefully for more discussion within the columns of A life in the day.
Umbrella Works
Authors: Pountain Gareth
Published: August 2011

From time to time A life in the day provides advance information about new ventures that may be of interest to readers. Umbrella is a housing association and we know that several other housing organisations are looking to establish employment schemes for their tenants. Meeting the employment needs of people who live in supported housing is an important challenge for the coming decade and we need to know more about what housing providers are doing to meet it.
Using your skills and experience: Designing a course in health and social care for people with mental health problems
Authors: Martyn David
Published: August 2011

This article describes the research and development that went into a course for people who use mental health services who might want to offer their skills and experience to help others. David Martin, who conducted the research and devised the course, is currently working for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship researching user approaches to self‐management and developing a self‐management project. He will be reporting on the outcome of this initiative in a future edition, and meanwhile would like to hear from others who have similar ideas or experiences.
The Able Volunteers programme
Authors: Bates Peter
Published: August 2011

During 2001 the National Development Team has been running the ‘Able Volunteers’ programme. This is a year‐long research programme that has been investigating inclusive volunteering opportunities for people with mental health problems or learning difficulties. Peter Bates, who has been leading the programme, gives a summary of the project's findings and also explores the meaning of another word that is currently fashionable but rarely explained with any precision ‐ the word ‘inclusive’.
Working Like Crazy to promote social enterprises and user/survivor‐run businesses
Authors: Parkes Tessa , Meddings Sara , Tilley Steve
Published: August 2011

This inspiring article describes a series of activities that have taken place in the UK over the past year (2001) aiming to generate interest in user/survivor/consumer‐run social enterprises. The writers want to let others know about these activities, about the survivor‐run businesses in Ontario, and hopefully to create more interest in this type of work/community initiative. As editor of this journal I hope that the article will provoke those of you already running user/survivor‐led businesses in the UK to rise to the challenge and write about your work for future issues. Can't let the Canadians have things all their own way… Bob Grove.
New publications
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

In this issue, we profile two new and very different publications. The first is a compilation of poetry and prose written by users and ex‐users of mental health services across Wales. The second is a booklet published by Social Firms UK, which provides a clear and very useful explanation of what a social firm is. We also provide updated contact details for regional social networks across the UK.
Care Programme to Work: The end of the beginning
Authors: Grove Bob , Seebohm Patience
Published: August 2011

This article summarises the findings of the Care Programme to Work Project and describes some of the publications that it has produced. Care Programme to Work was a three‐year action research project, funded by the Department of Health and based at the Institute for Applied Health and Social Policy, King's College London (1998‐2001). The basis of the project was a partnership between the Institute, the London Borough of Sutton, Sheffield Community Health, and Manchester Health Authority.
Editorial
Authors: Beresford Peter
Published: August 2011

In these extracts from the inaugural Henry Hawkins Annual Lecture, Professor Peter Beresford, Professor of Social Policy at Brunel University, challenges the unthinking use of cliché and empty concepts by professionals and suggests that more effort is needed if we are going to get mental health services on track. The Henry Hawkins Lecture was organised by national mental health charity MACA (the Mental After Care Association) on Wednesday 24 October 2001, at the Gibson Hall in the City of London.
New Publications
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

In this issue, we look at how a multi‐agency partnership project in the north west has developed culturally‐sensitive employment services for black and minority ethnic clients ‐ a group frequently under‐represented in mental health work rehabilitation programmes.The National Service Framework for Mental Health lays explicit duties on mental health services to support their clients' vocational goals, yet it is not always clear to statutory agencies how to go about this. We also profile a new publication from Kings College, London, which suggests a range of strategies for health and social services to address this issue. Finally, we draw your attention to an online ‘mapping’ of social firms and a new email based user‐led research forum.
Hard work to understand
Authors: Scott Judy
Published: August 2011

Judy Scott warns that the new rules on Permitted Work may not be as helpful as we have been hoping — and that the literature being issued by the Department for Work and Pensions may mislead the unwary.
Grasping the nettle with employers: defining the problem, identifying solutions
Authors: Webster Andrew
Published: August 2011

Andrew Webster needs no introduction to readers of A Life in the Day. In this article he draws on years of experience as a manager, employer and user of mental health services to propose a radically different way of engaging with empyloers' poor management of psychiatric disability. In essence he suggests that much of our work on vocational rehabilitation and employment support is wasted because we have failed to engage with employers on their own ground. His solution — a new kind of service for employers. Read on.
The journey into healership: Chiron the Wounded Healer and Recovery in Mental Health
Authors: Loganathan Linda
Published: August 2011

This article explores recovery within mental health as a journey of healership, one in which we are all engaged in healing our own wounds. It recounts the author's personal journey with the question ‘What is the journey into healership?’ and her research with four co‐researchers who work as recovery guides in a crisis house in North Birmingham. It explores the wider implications for service development and the training of mental health professionals.
Enriching lives through horticulture
Authors: Twigg Sue
Published: August 2011

Thrive has achieved recognition in the UK, and beyond, as the authoritative organisation in all areas of social and therapeutic horticulture. The charity was formed in 1978 to promote and support the use of social and therapeutic horticulture. Its mission is to enrich people's lives by enabling disadvantaged, disabled and older people through gardening to participate fully in the social and economic life of the community. This descriptive article looks at the work of the organisation and provides information about the training it has to offer. In short, Thrive uses gardening and horticulture to enrich people's lives.
Working it out: the mental health employment network
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

In this issue we profile the Mental Health Employment Network, which has been offering information and mutual support to its members for a number of years now. We also draw your attention to some recent publications that explore social inclusion issues and strategies, provide guidance on how to set up supported volunteering schemes and identify potential sources of non‐trade income for social firms.
Opening doors: widening participation in higher education for students who experience mental health issues
Authors: Kemp Ali
Published: August 2011

This innovative programme at Birkbeck College, London, is designed to enable people with mental health problems to enter higher education and ‐ more importantly ‐ to succeed in their studies.
Editorial
Authors: Grove Bob
Published: August 2011

As this is my final edition as editor of A Life in the Day, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on what has happened in the mental health field since we started the journal back in June 1997. In my first editorial I wrote of the colleagues who formed the first editorial board:‘The most fundamental thing we have in common is a belief in the vital importance of enabling people who have used mental health services to find a role and a voice beyond that of patient, beyond also that of user representative … well, how about friend, colleague, manager, employee, therapist, partner, coworker in the struggle that is life in the day.’
Putting first things first
Authors: Haerlin Christiane
Published: August 2011

A German perspective on A Life in the Day, which suggests that the journal's influence spreads far and wide.
Changing societal ambivalence towards an ‘invisible’ disability
Authors: Nettle Mary
Published: August 2011

A member of the journal's editorial board reflects on the continuing contribution A Life in the Day makes towards national debates around mental health.
Out of the day centre, into the classroom
Authors: Austin Tracey
Published: August 2011

Reflections on A Life in the Day.
Editorial
Authors: Bates Peter
Published: August 2011

Over the past six years, Bob Grove has provided clear leadership for the editorial group of A life in the day and established the journal as a valuable resource for mental health services. As he passes the editor's red pen to me, I want to begin by recording my thanks to Bob for his consistent encouragement and expertise.
Sheltered workshops and the minimum wage
Authors: Seebohm Patience
Published: August 2011

Following the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, the Low Pay Commission was established to advise the Government about the National Minimum Wage. A consultation period ended in October 2002 and the Commission must now report to Government by the end of February 2003. Patience Seebohm examines common themes in some of the responses from mental health organisations.
Going places
Authors: Rowland Steven
Published: August 2011

Steven Rowland describes his journey from redundancy and psychosis towards a new career. On the way he has engaged with housing, voluntary work, education, art and vocational agencies. Steven's account provides a vivid example of the way the strands of life can be woven together in order to create a new future.
Learning and the link to positive mental health
Authors: James Kathryn
Published: August 2011

Nine out of ten people who return to learning say that it has a positive impact on their mental health including better confidence, improved mood, distraction from problems and new social contacts. Kathryn James brings together population‐based data, the results of a survey and evidence from pilot projects to give a compelling picture of the link between learning and mental health.
Enjoying fitness
Authors: Pozner Adam
Published: August 2011

In this issue we profile three physical activity projects, all of which aim to help individuals with mental health problems improve their physical well‐being, rebuild their confidence and start to use ordinary community leisure amenities again. Each project operates in a quite different way but a common ingredient is partnership working with other local agencies across traditional sectoral boundaries. The Barrow Community Gym is an award winning gym offering individually tailored and supported exercise programmes. Portsmouth Interaction offers a range of sports and recreation activities providing stepping stones toward mainstream community provision. Green gyms combine physical exercise with conservation work to improve the local environment, an approach that may appeal to those of us who cannot face the ordinary gym!
The beat goes on…
Authors: Brewer Paul
Published: August 2011

Paul Brewer, one of the founder members of Sound Minds, describes a week in the run‐up to Christmans.
Growing up the hard way
Authors: Acton Robin
Published: August 2011

There is no substitute for listening carefully to the story of a person who has experienced mental distress. Here is how Robin Acton tells it.
Volunteering in Kensington and Chelsea
Authors: Schofield Hazel
Published: August 2011

Hazel Schofield explains how the Supported Needs Project at Kensington & Chelsea Volunteer Bureau is challenging traditional perceptions of voluntary work.
Students leading the way in partnerships with education and health
Authors: Mumford Jill
Published: August 2011

Wigan and Leigh College and the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust have had an effective working partnership for more than seven years. This partnership has enabled Wigan's mental health service to offer inclusive and holistic care packages for service users.The college has just been awarded the prestigious Beacon Award in recognition of the work it has done for student support. For some years, the college has had a strong and college‐wide commitment to inclusive learning that has been developed and promoted by the college's inclusive learning team. The team ensures that the college provides ‐ and students receive ‐ an individual service based on a good match between their requirements and the college provision.
Those move easiest who have learn'd to dance
Authors: Wright Sarah , Ledger Karen
Published: August 2011

In this article, Sarah Wright introduces the Strategies for Living project; Karen Ledger then describes her experiences of working as a researcher within the programme.Strategies for Living was established as a project within the Mental Health Foundation in 1997, after the publication of a survey, Knowing our Own Minds (Faulkner, 1997). This survey was groundbreaking as, at the time, no other piece of research had directly asked people who used mental health services what they found useful as support for living and coping with mental distress.The report from the survey stated ‘we are all the primary experts on our own mental health, and about what works for us’. This belief underpins the work of Strategies for Living.
Faith communities and promoting mental health in Lambeth
Authors: Morris Caroline
Published: August 2011

Robert Putnam, in his best seller, Bowling Alone, has highlighted a trend in western society over the past 40 years ‐ people are less likely to join things. Yet it is this membership of face‐to‐face groups that provides part of the social capital of friendship, trust and belonging that binds communities together. Against this backcloth, Putnam shows how churches and other faith groups are holding up well, losing fewer members than other organisations and maintaining an active community life. Caroline Morris shows how the mental health service in Lambeth has actively sought out links with faith‐based groups.
Gaining insight from experience: what are service users saying about employment?
Authors: Bertram Mark , Linnett Peter
Published: August 2011

Developing employment services can feel like trying to push water uphill. Staff must often battle against local mental health services that have only a short history of interest in this issue, a welfare benefit system that speaks of promoting opportunity but seems to block every step forward, and discriminatory employment practices that appear to be rife despite the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This means that anyone with the vision and determination to create an employment project deserves high praise.It takes unusual courage to listen to blunt and direct feedback about one's local employment service. This article describes the findings of a consultation conference, many of which will be of interest to anyone working in the field.