Mind is the nation’s leading mental health charity. Their helplines, online information and peer support services offer crucial advice for anybody experiencing a mental health problem.
Working harder with and for people living in poverty is one of Mind’s current priorities. It is their goal to ensure that people with mental health problems do not get trapped in poverty. They are looking for people who have experience of facing poverty and mental health problems to help them progress this work.
Right now, people with mental health problems are more likely to end up in poverty. And people who live in poverty are more likely to have mental health problems. It is a 2-way link that needs to be broken.
To help break that link, they need to make some changes as an organisation, and build on their strong history of policy and campaigning and local Mind work in this area. These changes are summarised around 5 poverty goals:
- Poverty is a priority embedded throughout all of Mind’s charitable work.
- Mind has enhanced capacity and capability to deliver our poverty goals.
- Mind’s monitoring and evaluation is robust enough to drive work and capture insights.
- Shared priorities and provision exist between Mind and specialist poverty organisations.
- People experiencing poverty receive appropriate mental health support.
Together with people with lived experience of facing poverty and mental health problems, they have created plans for achieving these goals. These plans are around things like:
- their policy & campaigning work
- Making their support more accessible
- Developing new targeted support
- Giving platforms to people with lived experience
- Partnerships with poverty focussed organisations.
- Making Mind more class diverse
- Increasing Mind staff knowledge of the link between mental health and poverty
They are now in the process of creating a steering group, which will consist of people with lived experience of facing poverty & mental health problems to provide advice and guidance on how to deliver these plans.
They are looking for up to 10 people from England and Wales across a diverse range of backgrounds to form the steering group. These will be people willing to share their views, thoughts, comments and, where appropriate, their own experiences of facing poverty and mental health problems. Members will choose the name for the group. In partnership with Mind staff, they will help shape the development and implementation of projects under Mind’s poverty initiatives, and to make informed decisions.
Members of the steering group will:
- Ensure that Mind’s work continues to be guided and informed by people with lived experience.
- Provide strategic advice, guidance, and oversight to the development and implementation of projects related to Mind’s Poverty initiatives, to ensure their successful delivery.
- Commit collectively to providing challenge and to holding Mind and the Poverty team accountable.
In practice, this would involve:
- Attending a 1-2 hour meeting/workshop per month in person or online
- To input into the planning, development, and implementation of projects, and to define achievement outcomes. For example, you may be asked to provide feedback on existing project plans.
- Identifying projects that need to be prioritised by deciding where the most energy should be directed. For example, deciding between campaign ideas.
- To identify changes required as projects develop and respond to these accordingly (where appropriate) – For example, looking at how a project may need to change because of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
- To review materials, provide feedback, or make recommendations as required. For example, to read documents and tell us if they reflect the reality of people experiencing poverty and mental health problems.
- To work collaboratively with other members of the steering group and to uphold a positive dynamic. For example, helping to create and sustain a positive environment where everyone feels listened to, respected, supported, and comfortable to contribute.
- Please note that participation can be done in various formats, e.g., individual or group consultation, focus group, workshop, etc.
What you are looking for:
Mind are looking for people who:
- Are 25 or over.
- Live in England or Wales
- Can draw on your own lived experience of mental health problems.
- Have current experience of facing poverty. By this we mean, that you are ‘falling short of a decent standard of living’ or ‘cannot afford to eat, to keep clean and/or to stay warm and dry, or “you are struggling to make ends meet”. This may be caused or exacerbated by the current increase cost of living.
- Able to attend 1–2-hour monthly meeting/workshop in person or online. Group members will agree the time and format of meetings. There will be opportunities to engage in additional activities related to Mind’s poverty plans. These will be optional. Members will be given the necessary information before they agree to participate.
- Feel confident sharing and talking about issues relating to mental health problems and financial situations in a group setting, including drawing from their own experience.
- Able to question and to challenge Mind staff, to give constructive feedback and to make recommendations where required.
- Have the experience or be willing to take part in co-creation of plans and ideas.
- Have the experience of sharing opinions and experiences in a group, including in a formal role, as a hobby, or anything else.
- We would like to ensure that we have representation of people from minority backgrounds and across protected characteristics, such as age, race, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, disability status, etc. as they fall within our strategic priorities.
Expected commitment from participants:
Members will be expected to attend 1–2-hour monthly meeting/workshop in person or online. Group members will agree the time and format of meetings. There will be opportunities to engage in additional activities related to Mind’s poverty plans. These will be optional. Members will be given the necessary information before they agree to participate.
Members will decide the format of the monthly meeting, e.g., online, in person or hybrid, as well as the day and time of these meetings.
This engagement opportunity is likely to run until March 2024. There may be a possibility to extend it depending on budget and the review of the group.
Commitment to inclusion:
- Mind will facilitate a group commitment to the values of equality, diversity, inclusion, and co-production.
- Provide a safe and supportive environment for group members to discuss topics with respect and understanding.
- One on one phone call before the meeting to identify the support you may need to attend. For example, to check that you are OK to attend the meeting, to arrange a taxi for someone with limited mobility if the meeting is in person, to discuss the need to take regular breaks during meetings etc.
- We can assist with access requirements, e.g., digital access, costs of care etc.
- Introductory meetings designed to create a safe space to develop group cohesion.
Closing date to apply: 21st July 2023
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