Plus Perth & Kinross

PLUS is a mental health service user led project funded by NHS Scotland to:-

• Empower service users toward active involvement in their individual care and recovery
• Provide the service user view for the development and improvement of mental health services
• Raise awareness of mental health issues in the community and challenge stigma
• Ensure that accurate and clear information is made widely available
• Provide and access training to support individuals in becoming actively involved

Most importantly protecting the civil rights of service users through ensuring that their voices are heard - collective advocacy.

Mental Health Week, 7th-14th October 2007

Click here for updates on Mental Health Week

‘One Leaf –One link’, an innovative tree sculpture exhibition, promotes friendship and well-being. It is particularly aimed at those who find themselves marginalised, symbolising our failing and isolating communities: the tree in Fall becomes bare, single leaves left on single branches, birdsong vanished, dormant.

‘One Leaf’ aims to bring life back to the tree by reaching out to those who often feel left out. It offers the opportunity to be part of something meaningful, encouraging connections between people and providing hope that our communities can become thriving places where everyone feels included, accepted and has a role to play.

BE PART OF AN EXCITING TREE  SCULPTURE EXHIBITION TAKING PLACE IN PERTH CONCERT HALL DURING MENTAL HEALTH WEEK 8TH-13TH OCTOBER. WE WILL BE PLACING 3 TREES IN THE FOYER  WITH YOUR POEMS HANGING FROM THE BRANCHES. AT THE BASE OF THE TREES WILL BE HANDMADE OR PAINTED LEAVES REPRESENTING OUR LINKS TO ONE ANOTHER. INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS OF ALL AGES ARE INVITED TO TAKE PART. MAKE YOUR OWN LEAVES AND POEMS AND SEND THEM TO US OR COME ALONG TO ONE OF OUR FREE WORKSHOPS. CONTACT SUSAN AT PLUS ON 01738 626242

PLUS Independence

PLUS Volunteers and staff have formed a working group to move towards independence. This has always been a long-term aim of the organisation. A substantial amount of hard work, and fact finding will be involved in moving the process along. During the first stages members of the group will visit and benchmark other initiatives; a trip to the Highland User Group, Inverness, is planned for June.

Replacing the PLUS steering group, a Perth and Kinross wide service user forum will feed into the process and take on the role of informing future PLUS work and developments. If you are interested in contributing to a service user group which meets on a regular basis, or receiving news on our move towards independence, please contact us.

The latest issue of the PLUS newsletter is now out, please click here to read it.

PLUS Volunteer Lorraine has just returned from India where she was teaching English to orphaned children. Whilst there she took the opportunity to meet with psychiatrist Dr Bannerjee who heads the National Institute of Behavioural Sciences. Click here to read Lorraine's impressions of Dr Bannerjees's organisation.

Launch of PLUS recovery DVD

Around 80 people attended the launch of the PLUS DVD, Recovery, a journey of hope on 26 th April.

Pictured are: Simon Bradstreet director of SRN, Lorraine Nicholson who appeared on the DVD and Susan Scott involvement worker at PLUS.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness of recovery within the Local community and to encourage the public/private sector to utilise the DVD resource within training programmes.

In the coming weeks PLUS intends working with interested parties such as the police and local business in moving recovery forward as an issue for everyone.

Photo of PLUS volunteers who assisted at the launch.