The National Service User Awards are designed to celebrate service user led initiatives in mental health, learning disability and autism services across the country and service users involved in the shortlisted projects are invited to a black tie gala awards ceremony, where the winners will be announced.
The following projects are finalists:
Bierley Bulletin, Cygnet Hospital Bierley – Finalist in the ‘Excellence in Co-Production’ category
The Bierley Bulletin is a co-produced quarterly hospital. The magazine is professionally printed and includes articles, interviews, advice sections, recurring segments and more. A digital version is also created and shared.
Mural for Hope, Cygnet Churchill – Finalist in the ‘Recovery and the Arts’ category
Cygnet Churchill’s Mural Group aimed to empower individuals through creating a collaborative mural and give them a sense of ‘ownership’ of the hospital in which they are currently living. The theme was ‘hope’ and aimed to create a space to discuss the process of recovery. The lasting effect of this is that every time a service users passes the Mural wall or reads the poem, they have a sense of having an impact upon their environment and may get a little lift of hope.
Music 2 Empower – ‘Dreaming’, Cygnet Hospital Woking – Finalist in the ‘Recovery and the Arts’ category
David and Levi, two service users from Cygnet Hospital Woking worked together to write their own song and record a fantastic music video. The two service users independently worked together to create a piece of music, using both of their talents as singers, rapping and mixing the the track together to create the final product. They worked on this project without assistance of staff, only receiving assistance to film the video. This project was instigated by the two service users wishing to produce something they can call their own.
Autism Awareness Day, Cygnet Elms – Finalist in the ‘Outstanding Service User Leadership’ category
Flo, a service user at Cygnet Elms, organised and ran an autism informed event for both staff and service users with the aim of expanding their knowledge and therefore their understanding and acceptance of working with individuals with autism and how changes can be made to meet their needs effectively. Flo has had nominations for this work previously such as ‘Mental Health star of the year’ which she has been successful in, and this boosts her belief that continuously delivering work like this will help others in her position to feel accepted and understood.
Overall the day raised a total of £2,614.84, and because of this Flo got a letter of recognition from the Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society.
Music Session – Service User Led Performance, Cygnet Hospital Taunton – Finalist in the ‘Breaking Down Barriers’ category
A service user who sings and plays guitar has been holding sessions for service users at the hospital’s older adults acute service, Swift Ward, leading to increased engagement, activity and some great feedback.
The service user performed various songs and was asked to return for regular sessions whilst he remains an inpatient at Cygnet Hospital Taunton, at the request from the Swift Ward service users. Attendance and engagement grew as the sessions went on with service users dance along with the music played.
We would like to congratulate all the service users nominated for the above projects, they should be extremely proud. We wish them every success for the final on Wednesday 14th September at Colwick Hall Hotel in Nottingham.