CAPS Independent Advocacy

Thanks to everyone who made it along to our feedback event in May! Here’s a few pics of the flowers, leaves and birds that you added to the tree. The online feedback survey is still open so if you’ve been involved in Collective Advocacy with CAPS and you’ve got a few moments to fill it in please contact your advocacy worker, they can give you the link!

[Image descriptions: 1 A yellow cut-out flower with the handwritten words ‘Accidental involvement with the ‘Lothian Voices’ group. Through a group member joined Oor Mad History group after doing the course at QMU’

2 A pink cut-out flower with handwritten words ‘we all have the right to be listened to, Empowerment we know what is best for us, we are challenging those who make decisions for us, passing on correct knowledge, rights, Entitlements.

3 A large poster of a tree with many flowers, leaves and birds pinned on.

4 a blue cut-out bird with the handwritten words ‘Fund us, money well spent, more economical in the long term, stronger together, new members welcome, lived experiences, the more the better’]

People who have or have had a mental health issue are invited to submit an artwork to the 12th Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition, held in October at Summerhall in Edinburgh. Submissions close on 8th July.

Full info https://www.outofsightoutofmind.scot/

Out Of Sight Out Of Mind Exhibition

[Image description: Artwork by Jamie O’Donnell. A skull and skeleton painted in yellow, red and blue. A smaller figure sits underneath the skull.]

Are you concerned about a Health and Social Care Review? This is an opportunity to ask questions directly to representatives from Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership . It will take place on Monday 10th June afternoon, Augustine United Church, Edinburgh. Full details and how to register at the link:

https://capsadvocacy.org/events/are-you-concerned-about-a-health-and-social-care-review/

[Image description: are you concerned about a Health and Social Care Review?
You may have had a recent care review or be uncertain about receiving one and not sure what to expect. This meeting is a chance to meet directly with representatives from Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and ask questions. Monday 10th June Afternoon, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge EH1 1EL. Contact Irene or Angharad if you have questions or to book a place: [email protected], 07881377635
[email protected] , 07989402612
If you are unable to attend in person on the day we will have an option to join online. You can also get in touch with us by phone or email to chat individually. Refreshments will be provided. If there is anything we can do to make it easier for you to attend please let us know. CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Scottish Charity number: SC021772]

This is a new group for anyone living in East Lothian with lived experience of mental health issues. We are meeting at Haddington Library (star room) on Tuesday 4th June from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Come and join us – if you’re interested in attending please contact Amy on [email protected] or 07910 983 030 so we can let the venue know numbers. Find out more about Collective Advocacy: https://capsadvocacy.org/collective-advocacy/

[Image description: ‘New mental health Collective Advocacy group in East Lothian
4th June 10.30am to 12.30pm
Haddington Library’ with a graphic of several different people sitting in a circle]

Don’t forget this Thursday 30th May is our Feedback Day. If you’ve taken part in Collective Advocacy at CAPS during the last year we’d love to see you there!

Please come along and give your views, have lunch, take part in creative activities and help improve Collective Advocacy for the future! https://capsadvocacy.org/events/collective-advocacy-feedback-day/

[Image description: ‘Feedback Day, Explore and Reflect, Thursday 30th May 11am to 3pm At Norton Park, 57 Albion Rd, Edinburgh, EH7 5QY
to register get in touch with Azra on [email protected]
07436 102 762’
A graphic of a tree with leaves, each leaf has a word on it: ‘Heard’, ‘Choice’, ‘Rights’, ‘Voice’, ‘Power’, ‘Access’. ‘Future’ ‘past’ ‘present’
The CAPS logo and ‘CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Scottish Charity number: SC021772’]

Are you a peer worker or volunteer in Edinburgh? The next Peer Forum is on Thurs 30th May 5pm to 7pm Norton Park, Edinburgh. This is a chance to meet other peers, share experiences, find common ground and work toward change 🌻
Contact Irene [email protected]
07881 377 635

Find out more about the Peer Forum here: https://capsadvocacy.org/collective-advocacy/peer-forum/

Peer Community iThrive Edinburgh

[Image description: ‘EDINBURGH PEER COLLECTIVE ADVOCACY
PEER FORUM
Norton Park Business Centre
57 Albion Rd, Edinburgh EH7 5QY
Thursday 30th May 5 to 7pm Contact Irene:
[email protected] 07881 377 635
Collective advocacy brings people together who share common issues to raise awareness, campaign and influence service provision. Come to meet other peers and make a change on how peers work and volunteer! CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Scottish Charity Number SC021772’]

Thank you to everyone who came to the Speakerphone Art Relay on Wednesday, a wonderful day of creative activity! Here’s some pics from the day

[Image description: 1 Alan in a yellow Out of Sight Out of Mind t-shirt shouting into a brightly coloured megaphone
2 Alan standing and shouting into a megaphone in Ocean Terminal with café tables and chairs in the background
3 a rainbow coloured megaphone with rainbow strap lying on a table with people doing arts and crafts in the background
4 Lauren writing on a roll of paper]

Calling everyone who has been involved in Collective Advocacy at CAPS in the last year! Register now for our Feedback Day on 30th May. Please join us for lunch and activities. More and how to register here: https://capsadvocacy.org/events/collective-advocacy-feedback-day/

[Image description: ‘Feedback Day, Explore and Reflect, Thursday 30th May 11am to 3pm At Norton Park, 57 Albion Rd, Edinburgh, EH7 5QY
to register get in touch with Azra on [email protected]
07436 102 762’
A graphic of a tree with leaves and flowers, each leaf has a word on it: ‘Heard’, ‘Choice’, ‘Rights’, ‘Voice’, ‘Power’, ‘Access’. ‘Future’ ‘past’ ‘present’
The CAPS logo and ‘CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Scottish Charity number: SC021772’]

🎨Don’t forget tomorrow is the day for our art relay at Ocean Terminal 1pm to 3.30pm, it’s a drop in so no need to register. Come on bring the art! We’re not acting out, we are arting out!

Full details at the link.
https://capsadvocacy.org/events/speakerphone-please-leave-your-message-here/

Out Of Sight Out Of Mind Exhibition

[Image description: 'Speakerphone: please leave your message here…
Organised by the art relay team at CAPS Independent Advocacy
Do you have experience of mental health issues? We are making an artwork that will amplify your voice
What would you like to say
Come on bring the art! We’re not acting out, we are arting out.

When: Tuesday 21st May 1:00pm-3.30pm (Drop-in) Where: At the Wee Hub 1st Floor Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh How: Join us or contribute by email or phone

The end is the beginning

Say it on the speakerphone!
Come along or get in touch to find out more: Pam, Art as Advocacy Manager E-mail: [email protected], mobile: 07989402634

CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Scottish Charity number: SC021772' with a graphic of a person holding a big roll of paper.]

Join us on Wednesday 26 June, 9am - 12:30pm, for Gathering Peer Voices: Employability.

The Peer Community in Edinburgh provides a platform for peer workers, volunteers, and those interested in mental health recovery to connect, share experiences, and contribute to strengthening peer practice. This event will be focused on the theme of employability. We will gather and find out more about current mental health support available in workplaces and share ideas about how organisational cultures can create supportive environments so peers can share their experiences in a safe and supportive manner.

The event is open to Edinburgh’s peer workers and peer volunteers. We plan to host another event later in the year for team leaders, supervisors and managers of peer services where we will feed back our ideas about the ideal organisational culture for peer workers to thrive. If you're not sure if this is right for you, please feel free to get in touch by email at [email protected] and we'd be happy to discuss.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/healthinmind/1253776

CAPS Independent Advocacy Health in Mind iThrive Edinburgh

This we celebrate the voices of people with experience of mental health issues.

Mental Health Foundation

[Image descriptions: 1. we're not the monsters that the media and medical profession portray us as. Mental Health Awareness Week logo 13th-19th May 2024
(Collective Advocacy participant)
2. ‘People are less likely to listen if it's just one person saying something. If a group of people
with similar issues come together saying the same thing, it's harder for them to ignore. (Collective Advocacy participant)’, Mental Health Awareness Week logo 13th-19th May 2024
3. ‘There's strength in numbers. And just knowing you're not alone in experiencing or saying these things makes a huge difference.’ Mental Health Awareness Week logo 13th-19th May 2024

Meet previous and new exhibitors, and exhibition organisers. Find out about taking part, how it all works or chat about your ideas for this years Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition. Afternoon tea!

[Image description: Tuesday 14 May 2024, 2-4pm (Drop-in)
St Martins Community Centre, 232 Dalry Road in Edinburgh, EH11 2JG

https://www.outofsightoutofmind.scot/news/may-2024-afternoon-tea

Afternoon Tea

Tuesday 14 May 2024, 2-4pm

Learn more about the exhibition, meet organisers and artists, everyone welcome

Reserve a place [email protected] or (mobile) 07989402634 http://outofsightoutofmind.scot with mug, cup and saucer]

🤝Do you work or volunteer in a peer support role in Edinburgh? The Peer Forum is a way to connect with other peers, share your experiences, work toward change. Tuesday 30th April 5 to 7pm Norton Park Business and Conference Centre

[Image description: ‘Edinburgh Peer Collective Advocacy Peer Forum Norton Park Business Centre 57 Albion Rd, Edinburgh EH7 5QY
Tuesday 30th April 5pm to 7pm
Collective advocacy brings people together who share
common issues to raise awareness, campaign and
influence service provision. Come to meet other peers
and make a change on how peers work and volunteer!
Contact Irene
[email protected]
07881 377 635
CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Scottish Charity Number SC021772']

👏Thank you and well done to the members of Oor Mad History who shared their personal stories last week. Look out for public workshops on experiences of the biomedical model of mental health coming soon!

[Image description: People sitting around a table whilst one person stands and speaks. In the background is a presentation on a screen.]

On we want to let you know about an arty Afternoon Tea coming up on 14th May!

Come celebrate the Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition – you will get to meet previous and new exhibitors, exhibition organisers, find out about taking part or chat about your ideas for this year’s exhibition. The biggest mental health art exhibition in Scotland!

2 to 4pm St Martins Community Centre, 232 Dalry Road in Edinburgh, EH11 2JG

Book your spot now: https://www.outofsightoutofmind.scot/news/may-2024-afternoon-tea
# WorldArtDay
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival Summerhall Out Of Sight Out Of Mind Exhibition



Image description: 'Afternoon Tea

Tuesday 14 May 2024, 2-4pm

Learn more about the exhibition, meet organisers and artists, everyone welcome

Reserve a place [email protected] or (mobile) 07989402634 http://outofsightoutofmind.scot' with mug, cup and saucer and Out of Sight Out of Mind logo

Catch up with our Edinburgh Collective Advocacy workers at the Thrive Drop-In on Tuesday 16th April! It’s at Craigmillar Medical Centre 10am-3.30pm. Pop in to say hello and find out about Collective Advocacy and how it can help. iThrive Edinburgh

🏠The number one issue our mental health Individual Advocacy workers helped people with last year was housing. Followed by the Mental Health Act, health, benefits and children & families.

If you are experiencing a mental health issue, or need help to have your voice heard due to drug or alcohol use, you can get Individual Advocacy support in these or many other situations.

See our website https://capsadvocacy.org/ for more about Individual Advocacy and how it can help.

AdvoCard Partners in Advocacy

Delighted to say that all twenty of our services are now on ALISS, a Local Information System for Scotland, thanks to Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland. It’s easy to search to find help with many different issues and for many different groups of people. Give it a try! www.aliss.org

Anyone for tea? Cake? OOSOOM exhibition chat?

Meet previous and new exhibitors, exhibition organisers, find out about taking part or chat about your ideas for this year’s exhibition.

Tuesday 14 May 2024, 2-4pm
St Martins Community Centre, 232 Dalry Road in Edinburgh, EH11 2JG

Free. Book your place by email: [email protected]
https://www.outofsightoutofmind.scot/news/may-2024-afternoon-tea

CAPS Independent Advocacy Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival

Our colleague Azra had a great day in the Policy Influencing Workshop from Voices Of eXperience (VOX) at the John Smith Centre last week. Lots of new skills to help amplify the voices of people with lived experience of mental health issues!

🎨People who have or have had mental health issues are invited to submit an artwork to the 12th Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition which will be in October 2024 at Summerhall in Edinburgh!
Find all the info here: https://www.outofsightoutofmind.scot
(painting by Gillian Lambie)

Out of Sight Out of Mind     Out of Sight Out of MindOut of Sight Out of Mind exhibition shows artworks made by people who have experience of mental health issues. It is also planned by people who have experience of mental health issues. The next exhibition will take place in October 2024.Apply for a Materials Grant from ...

Thank you everyone who attended Q***ry last month and made it a great day of mental health q***r activism!

Here’s a few pics from the day. Keep a look out for more news from the LGBTQIA+ Collective Advocacy group at CAPS.

***rActivism

Do you need someone by your side? Our children and young people’s team is now on Instagram, follow for updates on how they can help you if you’re a child or young person experiencing an eating disorder.

https://www.instagram.com/yp_capsadvocacy/

Samaritans and Edinburgh Nightline are running a University Mental Health Day in Edinburgh on Mon 11th March where you can access support and enjoy yoga, songwriting, ceilidh and more! Book tickets here: https://bit.ly/3STF26x

For , join us for an interactive workshop for a different take on eating disorders and what it means to live with them. Friday 1st March 4 to 6pm. Norton Park Business and Conference Centre, Edinburgh.

More info and to book: https://bit.ly/48sl1tk

Do you use your own experience of mental health issues to support others in similar situations?

You’re invited to Edinburgh’s Peer Forum on 29th February.

A space to share experiences with other peer workers and volunteers and campaign for change.

https://bit.ly/42JA7cC

Norton Park Centre, Edinburgh, on 29th February, 5 to 7pm

Scottish Recovery Network Peer Community

Do you need someone by your side?

Your individual advocacy worker can help you get your voice heard in all sorts of situations. Meetings about housing, visiting your GP, wherever you need to get your point across.

You can refer yourself or someone can refer on your behalf. It’s totally free and confidential.

Check if you can access Individual Independent Advocacy and find a referral form on our website: https://capsadvocacy.org/individual-advocacy/ or call 0131 273 5118.

‘Although it’s easy to feel helpless when you’re navigating the healthcare system it’s important to know that you are not alone’.

A reminder of the book written by the Much More Than a Label collective advocacy group, all people who share experiences of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This booklet is for everyone - including those who may attract a diagnosis of BPD, those who care about them and health professionals.

Read it here: https://bit.ly/3VfMxUB

SPDN

“the UK has continued to plummet in the annual ranking of LGBT rights across Europe.”

This blog from Collective Advocacy Worker Ellis gives the background to forthcoming Q***r Activism and Mental Health event QUEERY on 17th Feb.

Read Ellis' blog here: https://bit.ly/3UowEOC

Sign up to attend the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/806564103947?aff=oddtdtcreator