What does the group do?
Designs and plans the annual People’s conference for those with lived experience of a mental health issue in the Lothians. All previous People’s conference reports can be seen on CAPS website. In the past we have looked at topics such as the homelessness and housing crisis and met with the minister Paul McClelland in 2024. The group takes part in consultations e.g. looking at topics like the adult disability benefit. We met with researchers from the Scottish Government regarding benefits and mental health and were integral in getting a lived experience perspective considered. The group also take part in CPGs (cross party groups), in the past the mental health CPG and now the health inequalities CPG, to ensure voices of lived experience are heard at parliamentary level.
We want our voice heard in the Lothians! The group feel collective advocacy is a way to tackle isolation, to learn from each other, to help each other and people out with the group and to pass on what we know and hope it will help people. It gives us a purpose, “it’s a lifeline in many ways” for people to advocate together. This was especially important during lockdown but post lockdown too.
What would be lost both to group members and wider society if the group ended?
“Our faith”
Our experiences will affect other people and decisions made, information we can pass on and lots of things we share in consultations benefits the community. There is a positive ripple effect, without it there is a sense of sinking or drowning.
The group is very good for group members mental health, to gain new knowledge, new strategies and passing on their knowledge. We want to be able to affect the system! Without groups, people end up unwell which the NHS will have to deal with. There is drip reaction: things get worse and worse and deteriorate.
“Where does it end?”
The loss of community collective advocacy and opportunities to express ourselves and to work with other groups. The group gets people out and about and interacting with one another reducing isolation. It helps to restore confidence, self-esteem, to learn skills, to feel like a useful, worthwhile person and that we’re contributing to society and the mental health community. It is personal development like a CPD but “continuous personal development” (as opposed to professional). We don’t judge each other and feel safe in the group, it’s confidential and people are accepted without questions
What would be lost to the wider community is the contributions made and the help for others: we’re all compassionate individuals, we know what it’s like to go through emotional pain.
Our family and friends will be more worried about us because they know what the group means to us and the support it provides.
In the group we’re listened to and because we are listened to, we help each other and can help others. We listen better now and learn to listen better.
“It’s so important to listen to what’s being said, to listen and learn.”
Read more testimonials here.