HISTORY OF
THE GROUP
Following the South East Development
Centre (SEDC) Capacity Building Initiative, people were invited to
attend a Leadership course funded by SEDC from across the South East. To
date, there have been two Leadership programmes and the third Leadership
programme is currently running.
Some participants decided to continue to meet
together and formed a South East service users’ group called the Dream Team.
Members of the group who come from Kent wanted to have a Kent specific
meeting to look at local issues in more detail. It was decided that another
meeting open to other people using mental health services in Kent should be
arranged so ideas, experiences and good practice could be shared.
AIMS OF THE
GROUP:
WHAT DO WE
WANT TO SEE IN KENT?
Some of the issues raised and
discussed:
· Having an independent
service user voice
· Having funding for
service-user-led activity
· Taking our own agenda
forward, not just fitting into or following the Trust or PCT agenda
· Having a pan Kent group
· Being able to do audits and
reviews of services
· Finding other people who are
interested in getting involved
· Good to come together and
devise what we want
· Create better links with
rural meetings
· Have a working group but
allocate time for support
· Be inclusive, don’t exclude
for personal or political reasons
· Have support within a
structure that we have created
· Should have forums in each
area
· Build on & strengthen
existing forums
· Be able to influence the
Service Advisory Team
· Collectively set the agenda
and condense salient points to feedback to the Trust
· Strength in numbers but need
focus