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Peer Forum
Our first Peer Forum is taking place on Thursday 4 March from 2-3.30 over Zoom. If you are a Peer Practitioner based in Edinburgh (paid or voluntary) and would like a space to discuss ideas and challenges that you are experiencing with your fellow peers, please get in touch - victoria@capsadvocacy.org. We will also use the points raised to direct the work of the Peer Community.
If you can not make the first meeting but would like to be kept informed about future meetings please still get in touch and let us know.
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Gathering Peer Voices - 28 January 2021
A large number of us gathered last month to learn about and share ideas on peer practice in Edinburgh and the future of The Peer Community. The morning was made up of a presentation on The Peer Community (which you can watch if you click the video at the top of this segment), workshops on peer related topics and conversations to help us find out what people think is needed in order to strengthen peer practice in Edinburgh. Themes that came out of the conversations were –
- Building Awareness and Understanding of Peer Practice – people wanted to promote our approach with other mental health professionals; with people who might want to access a peer space or service; and with organisations who currently or potentially have peer based spaces and employees/volunteers, in order to ensure peers have the appropriate support as well as learning and development opportunities.
- Stigma – again, this related to building better understanding of lived experience and peer practice (see above) but people also spoke about internalised stigma, lacking confidence and having spaces to explore whether they might like to step into a more supportive role.
- Accessibility – people discussed the digital divide; the language we use within peer work and making sure it is understandable to a wide range of people; ensuring that minority groups are aware of and able to access peer spaces and support.
- Sharing and Exploring Ideas – opportunities for peers to share knowledge, ideas and skills; building a Knowledge Hub; sharing the Peer Collaborative film, Side by Side; linking with other peer networks outside of Edinburgh; exploring specific issues and questions that relate to peer practice.
What does strong peer practice in Edinburgh look like?
People wanted peer spaces and services with shared values; an empowered collective voice; welcoming, safe and well facilitated groups and spaces; appreciation and understanding of peer practice amongst organisations and other professionals; well supported Peer Workers who are encouraged to practice self care; accessible services; properly funded services.
Thank you to everyone who attended for being so generous with your time and ideas. We hope to see you all at another gathering very soon.
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New Peer Spaces for Carers - Drop in and Courses
Listening Space for Carers
A drop in space for your mental health and wellbeing.
Online every Tuesday from 1pm to 3pm.
Do you care for a family member, friend or neighbour and live in Edinburgh? Join us!
Join us to:
- Talk about how you are feeling
- Meet other carers
- Share, listen and receive support as a part of a group
Caring during Covid-19: Toolkit
This 6-week online course will explore different tools and strategies that we can use to manage anxiety and stress.
The course is open to all carers who care for a family member, friend or neighbour and are keen to learn and connect with wider community of carers.
2.00pm-4.00pm starting on Wednesday 3 March 2021
Coping with the new normal for carers
Join us to learn tools that can help you feel more relaxed and resilient
Session 1 - Breathing (4 March)
Session 2 - Mindfulness and self-care (11 March)
Session 3 - Contact and boundaries (18 March)
Session 4 - Thinking styles (25 March)
Session 5 - Resilience (1 April)
Time: 3.00pm -5.00pm
The drop in and courses above are currently all over Zoom.
For more information and to register please email or phone Paulina Szach - paulina.szach@health-in-mind.org.uk / 07435274586
This project is a partner in the Carewell Health and Wellbeing Partnership
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New Peer Support Group for Carers
This group is for family members, friends and relatives of people with mental health difficulties. It's a safe place to share your experiences, listen to others and support one another. (If you prefer to just sit and listen, that's ok too!).
Meetings are online through Zoom and facilitated by Edinburgh Carers Council.
Our first meeting will be Friday, 26 February 2:30-3:30pm
To join the online session or if you have any questions, please email rachael@edinburghcarerscouncil.co.uk
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Lothian Bipolar Group Carers Information Event
The Lothian Group are hosting an information event specifically for carers, partners, family members or friends of people living with bipolar.
The meeting will be held on zoom and we will be joined by Shirley Morris, Welfare Advisor with VOCAL (Voices of Carers Across Lothian). Shirley will be talking about her role within VOCAL and the services available.
When: Wednesday 24th February at 7pm
Meeting ID: 815 0587 1389
Please email info@lothianbipolargroup.org.uk for the password.
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New Collective Advocacy Group for People from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds.
A new Collective Advocacy group for people with lived experience of mental health issues from ethnic minority backgrounds is being introduced by CAPS Independent Advocacy.
Ethnic minority groups have their own unique needs and barriers within mental health service access, and our experiences represent a group which is often overlooked and misunderstood. This can stop people from getting the help that they need and deserve.
If you would like to help to change this, then this group is an opportunity for you to learn your rights and to have your say on matters involving mental health services in Edinburgh.
I’m Mohasin, the worker who will be supporting this group. If you are interested and would like to know more, I would love to hear from you at mohasin@capsadvocacy.org.
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New LGBTQI+ Collective Advocacy Group for Edinburgh
CAPS Independent Advocacy is setting up a mental health collective advocacy group for people in Edinburgh who are LGBTQI+.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people (and those with similar identities) are more likely to face mental health struggles. In the past we’ve been less visibly represented in decision-making about mental health services. Since we know that being LGBTQI+ can affect the experiences we have accessing services, it’s important that our voices are heard. Coming together to do this in collective advocacy can influence services to better provide for LGBTQI+ people. So please get involved!
I’m Jacob, the worker who’ll support this group. I’m LGBTQI+ and a mental health peer. If you’d like to be part of this new group, or just find out more about it, I’d love to hear from you at jacob@capsadvocacy.org.
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Peer Community Steering Group - Monday 1 March
The Peer Community Steering Group is an open meeting held each month to share and discuss updates on peer practice in Edinburgh and to steer the direction of the activities of the Peer Community.
The meetings are open to all with an involvement in peer practice in Edinburgh. If you would like to attend please contact peer@health-in-mind.org.uk.
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Peer Community Book Club
20 April
Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig
Our first book club book is Matt Haig's Reasons to Stay Alive. Join us having read or listened to the book, ready to share your thoughts and opinions. We're meeting at lunch time so feel free to also bring a sandwich.
If you are listening to it, an abridged version is available on the BBC website - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p08jkjbl
This book contains the theme of suicide.
Click here to register.
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International Peer Leadership Network
The next International Peer Leadership Network meet up is 24 February 5-6.30pm on Zoom.
You'll have the opportunity to meet with other peer practitioners from across the globe in order to discuss peer support, leadership and strategies to move this work forward both locally and globally.
Click here to register.
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Side by Side: The Power of Peer Support
If you haven't already seen our film that we are incredibly proud of please make sure you do! This film may be a useful aid for people who are maybe being referred to a peer work service, for other mental health professionals who perhaps have not worked with peers workers in their team or organization before or for GPs and other workers who link people into sources of help and support.
You can watch the full film, the shorter version or the individual stories of Vivek, Maggi, Laura, Paul, Alexis and Sineaid. We hope you both enjoy and use them!
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