Croydon User Council During 2012 this meeting will be focusing on the Day Care/Social Inclusion Services provided by Mind in Croydon, Imagine, APCMH, Healing Waters and Status Employment. Meetings will be held within the services. These meeting will be held on days that the services are open. Please contact info@hear-us.org for more info about this meeting. Please see the Meeting dates for details of dates and invited guests Both these meetings are to make positive changes to the service we receive and to give those receiving services a voice in the shaping of those services.  Please come along and join other service users; and together we CAN make a difference to the service we receive in the following ways: Issues that affect you Changes that are happening in your mental health services Choice of future ‘Guest Speakers’ Grievances you have about the Mental Health System Ideas for ‘change’ Meetings and events are published in our newsletter and the website, and posters will be posted at resource centres and drop-ins around the borough about a couple of weeks in advance of each occasion. Please revisit this page to see when and where the Croydon User Council will next meet in 2012

Service User Expert Champions Hear Us are looking for ‘Service User Expert Champions’ to attend a range of mental health service development meetings within Croydon NHS (PCT), Croydon Council, South London & Maudsley NHS, Croydon Police and Local Community Groups. At these meetings Croydon’s mental health services are discussed; with the aim to steer services to provide the best care, treatment and support to people with mental health issues in their recovery. As an Expert Champion you will represent the voice of service users at these meetings. You will need to be able to: Prepare for meetings by being familiar with the items on the agenda and the related issues, getting support where necessary from the Hear Us Coordinator Attend regularly meetings. These usually happen monthly or every six weeks. Sometimes meetings have sub groups that meet between the normal cycle of meetings. You will be work in teams of two Report back to other service users on developments taking place within these services, through the Hear Us forums and newsletter. Although it is important to bring your experience as a service user to these meetings it is vital that you are you are able to represent and be familiar with a range of service user issues. As a representative from the Croydon’s mental health service user community you will act as the voice for local people accessing services If you are interested in acting as an ‘Service User Expert Champion’ please contact Tim Oldham Tel: 020 8681 6888 Email: tim@hear-us.org