Sefyll – adult mental health

Who is it for?

Sefyll is a project that has been set up to provide support and resources in Cardiff Vale to:

• mental health service users
• people with lived mental health experience
• anyone with an interest in mental health

About Sefyll

Sefyll focuses on:

• Involving people in the running, planning and development of the mental health services they use.
• Working with organisations to develop involvement within their services.
• Supporting the development of service user initiatives.
• Training/retraining and skills building.

Many people see Sefyll as an opportunity to influence policy and practice at a senior level. It’s given them the chance to identify and influence decision makers. Others see it as a way to gain an understanding of services beyond those with which they are normally in direct contact.

Meeting other service users with a common understanding has provided some people with a sense of ‘camaraderie’. While others felt that being involved has given them a building (or re-building) of confidence and even ‘a purpose in life’.

Get involved

•  Help choose NHS staff working in mental health. Attend training to enable you to sit on interview panels alongside mental health professionals and choose who should be working for you.
• Represent the views of other service users at meetings. Influence the way that services are developed by collecting the views of other people who use mental health services and sharing them at planning meetings with the Health Board, Social Services and the Voluntary Sector.
• Learn new skills or refresh old ones through training. Our sessions aim to give you the tools, techniques and confidence to influence the development and delivery of services, whether you’re interested in attending a meeting for the first time or you’re already a seasoned service user representative.
• Join our community share news, resources and info with others on our online social community The Exchange (comming soon) 

Attend groups

• Participate in events, conferences and workshops. Meet with other people who use mental health services and share your views and experiences in a friendly and relaxed environment. Events provide opportunities to offer your opinions on topics such as: your Community Mental Health Team, Talking Therapies and Complementary Therapies among others. Email us at [email protected] to find out which groups are meeting when and where.

Access resources

• Receive our mental health newsletter pop your name on our mailing list and receive monthly mail outs about events, news and opportunities. We’re also always looking for budding journalists to help write, edit and design our newsletter.
• Check out our directories and handbooks you’ll find a wealth of mental health related information and organisations in our directory.
• Browse our booklist look through reviews of mental health books that other local people have found helpful or, if you’ve found a useful mental health book, email us with your review of the book and we’ll add it to our virtual book shelf.
• Watch videos and listen to podcasts you’ll find a range of topics covered in our videos and podcasts or if you have a burning issue or topic, perhaps have a go at making one yourself and sending it in.
• Follow us on social media find the latest up to date information on groups, meets and other useful info on our Facebook @Sefyllcardiffandvale and Twitter @cavamh feeds.
• Keep up to date with related news by reading current or past issues of Sefyll News.

Links

Further information can be found on the following links:

www.counselling-directory.org.uk U.K. Directory of counsellors
www.scottishrecovery.net/ The Scottish Recovery Network (SRN) is an initiative designed to raise awareness of recovery from mental health problems in Scotland.
www.timetochangewales.org.uk/en/ Time to Change Wales is the first national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems. 
www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/ Centre for Mental Health aims to help to create a society in which people with mental health problems enjoy equal chances in life to those without.

Testimonials

What past and current participants have said/say about Sefyll:
“The project is the only avenue to make a difference and be involved.”
“I cannot overestimate the value of the service.”
“Overall, the project has given me loads – confidence, skills, focus and purpose.”