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 an exclusive awards ceremony, where the winners will be announced.
The following projects are finalists:
Cygnet celebrating Diversity and Culture, East Hampton Ward, Cygnet Hospital Bury – Finalist in the Celebrating Diversity Award category
Cygnet employs staff from various countries from around the world and a service user on East Hampton Ward thought it would be a good idea if all of these staff were recognized, for the goodness they bring with them to service users within Cygnet. During one of the service user’s IT sessions they decided to look at the many flags of the world to see whether they could paint these up within the boundaries of the ward garden and make it visible.
Autism Training, Cygnet Elms – Finalist in the Lived Experience Leader Award category
An autism awareness training package has been co-produced for all Cygnet staff and service users. The training covers how people with autism are affected and how staff can best support them. The training is currently being delivered to Cygnet staff, facilitated by the service user and assistant psychologist.
Lee Millington-Millar, Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke – Finalist in the Lived Experience Leader Award category
Lee has commenced as an Expert by Experience and within a year has grown his reach to four hospitals spanning across the South West. Lee is working collaboratively alongside clinical teams at sites enhancing service user voice. He has helped elevate People’s Council and bridge the gap between service user feedback and our actions to respond.
Man Chat, Phoenix Ward, Cygnet Hospital Wyke – Finalist in the Community and Collaboration Award category
Service users at Cygnet Hospital Wyke have formed a support group called “Man chat,” which has been entirely led by service users, from the idea, name of the group, rules, posters, independently coming up with group questions/topics, and nominating different service users to lead the group each week.
Makaton Teaching, Cygnet Elms – Finalist in the Hope and Positivity Award category
Vicki, a service user at Cygnet Elms, has been working hard since being at Cygnet Elms to teach other service users and staff the sign language Makaton. Vicki set up weekly sessions with both service users and staff in group settings and 1:1 tutorials. Vicki is very patient and is a great teacher and leader.
Charity Car Wash, Cygnet Elms – Finalist in the Hope and Positivity Award category
A fund raising event for Guide Dogs for the Blind raised £150 for the charity. Hard work through valeting cars generated the donations. The fund raiser was the service user’s own initiative and was ran independently, seeking her own participants.
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 20th September at the Treetops Pavilion, West Midlands Safari Park.