HUG Communications Project - 'Free Your Mind' (Youth Education)

Country

Scotland

Project Description

HUG, the Highland Users Group, is a collective advocacy group, which represents the interests of users of mental health services across the Highlands. Our main aims are to improve the way in which we, as users of mental health services, are treated by campaigning to improve the rights, services and treatment of people with mental health problems and challenging stigma and discrimination through the work of the Communications Project.

The HUG Communications Project was established in 1999 and aims to challenge the stigma of mental illness and to campaign for greater awareness and understanding of mental health issues. Over the past 5 years a key target group for this work has been young people (14-18 years old).

Project Aims

"The work you all do at schools is brilliant as it challenges the stigma that is still around with children. I was involved with the school work a few years ago at Wick High and will never forget the experience." HUG Member

"...your direct work with young people has borne much fruit. Education, Social Work and Health staff have all become not only better informed, but report being more confident and competent when they address mental ill-health as an issue as a consequence of your input. The testimony of young people themselves illustrates the positive impact made on them and their future lives." Integration Manager, Inverness

Aims of the young people's work are to:

By:

Through this work young people:

Young people experiencing difficulties are able to ask for information, advice and support at an early stage.

Areas

Education, Health, Leisure, Social services

Effectiveness

1) Users of services - The impact of involvement for HUG members currently taking part in work with young people report an overwhelmingly positive reaction due to the active role they play in challenging stigma/stereotypes. People have highlighted a wide range of effects e.g. developing confidence in communicating with young people; enhanced self-esteem and skills; being able to raise awareness about subjects that were previously taboo; increased self-worth and a sense of achievement that they are making a difference to people's lives, as these comments from two HUG members demonstrate:

"... it has increased my confidence since and given me a greater sense of purpose to my life. My personal life experience has been validated."

2) Young people - The language that young people use to talk about mental health issues is at best confused and unclear, and at worst disturbing and extremely inaccurate:

"Psychopaths, serial killers, paedophiles, schizophrenic."

"Crazed people capable of inhuman things."

Yet, these same pupils, following a session with HUG, said that their attitudes had changed and that now:

"I understand more about the illnesses."

"I understand mentally ill people much more ... they just seem normal."

Our experience over the last few years has shown that young people are very receptive to learning about mental health issues and are often less set in their attitudes than adults:

Through this work young people gain a greater understanding of mental health problems and issues. Improved awareness of mental health issues and an open, tolerant society will help young people in their relationships, their ability to make decisions and how they make sense of life experiences. Young people experiencing mental health problems will feel more confident in receiving support and understanding from their peers and encouraged to access professional services if required.

3) School staff benefit from this project by having a greater knowledge of mental health issues, feeling more able to support young people experiencing mental health difficulties, and will have an enhance their ability to respond appropriately and will know where to access help and support.

HUG reaches out to people with mental health problems across the Highlands of Scotland and finds solutions to combating their exclusion by overcoming psychological and geographic barriers to participation, and promoting inclusiveness and equal opportunities by:

Other ways in which HUG ensure accessibility and equality of opportunity:

In terms of value for money and outcomes/impact this work is extremely effective and efficient. The young people's work is carried out by one part-time workers (= to 26 hours per week), a core group of 8-10 HUG members and the vital and strong partnership links we have with other agencies (particularly statutory agencies) which enables us to undertake a substantial volume of work.

It is also important to view this work in the context of the geography and culture of the Highlands

Sustainability

On-going consultation and feedback from our members (collated via HUG reports, branches meetings, independent focus groups, self-reflection forms and informal feedback to staff), practioners and decision makers/statutory service managers strongly illustrate that the impact of the work with young people is significant in meeting the needs of service users.

The necessary requirements for implementing the practice include:

The economic impact of mental illness and stigma is huge:

Only 21% of people with long-term mental illness were employed - the lowest of any disabled group. The cost to the economy of missed employment opportunities is £23bn a year.

Less than four in 10 employers said they would recruit someone with mental health problems. (Mental Health and Social Exclusion)

By reducing stigma and giving users the skills and confidence to access employment the negative economic impact can be reduced.

Innovation

As users of mental health services we can play a crucial role - we are the ones who experience mental illness and can give a unique and realistic perspective that will not be found elsewhere.

HUG members are directly involved in all aspects of the work with young people.

In this work HUG members and young people work together to reduce the stigma of mental illness and raise awareness of mental health issues. The direct involvement of HUG members in communicating/interacting with young people is crucial, as people experiencing mental health problems often face social exclusion and lack skills and confidence; this project helps to break down these barriers and provides opportunities for adults and young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to come together and learn from each other.

By encouraging open discussions about mental illness and an opportunity to hear directly from users of mental health services, HUG believes young people will feel more able to discuss their emotional and mental health needs and be less discriminatory towards those who experience mental illness.

Working in mental health can be emotionally rewarding, and also potentially emotionally draining both for pupils and workers. When discussing mental ill health with young people, we aim to balance the reality of the unpleasantness of people's experience with a positive, more hopeful message that something can be done.

The effect of changing attitudes and reducing stigma across the Highlands:

Quantitative results:

Qualitative results:

HUG members report an overwhelmingly positive effect of the HUG's anti-stigma work, with people reporting: increased self-confidence; enhanced self-esteem; feeling more valued; being more proud of who they are; experiencing improved social networks; sense of empowerment; reduction in stigmatising actions and attitudes, and recovery from illness.

Young people credit people with mental health problems as more ‘credible' in the messages they convey and professionals consistently state that the direct personal testimonies of HUG members is unique within their training experiences and can (and does) improve professional practices.

Young people experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties are able to access help and support earlier and have more supportive peer relationships.

Added Value

The young people's work contributes to, and adds value to, the following Highland, national and European practices and policies:

Transferability

This work could be transferable providing it is lead by an independent user organisation with skilled and a committed worker (who, ideally, have direct experience of mental illness themselves as this builds up strong trust and a unique relationship with staff and users)

Financially there is an on-going issue with gaining sustainable and longer term funding as none of this work is funded by government/statutory agencies and is dependent on annual fundraising.

The work also requires strong project management skills and an ability to work under pressure, and most importantly to support and enable the involvement of people in the midst of mental illness.

HUG has produced a number of reports detailing the young people's work, which is part of our commitment to sharing good practice and helping others learn from our experiences and the key lessons we have learnt over the last 7 years.

Mainstreaming Potential

There is a strong regional, national and international policy commitment to eradicating stigma and promoting the social inclusion of people with mental health problems. National and European directives advocate the importance of sustainable and proactive preventative and educational work within this field.

Yes, the work of the Communications Project is incorporated into Highland and Scottish policy documents.

Costs of the Project

£40-55,000 per year

People involved in the Project

One part-time HUG project development worker (= 26 hours per week) and core group of 8-10 HUG members.

Partnership working essential to this project e.g. with staff from voluntary and statutory services, including child and adolescent services, education services, schools and community group.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Project

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Contact Person for the Project

Emma Thomas, Project Development Worker
http://www.hccf.org.uk/projects/HUG/HUGcom.html