The Wizard of NCASC

In many ways it was a shock to be asked to be the first person who has experience of accessing services to open the National Children and Adult Services Conference 2015 (NCASC). Who could ever have imagined that that anyone would want to listen to little old me? I have gone from the asylum, to addressing many of our local leaders.

Back when I was accessing mental health services, not through choice but instead under the terms of the Mental Health Act, no one wanted to listen or talk to me and now it feels like everyone wants to listen to me! I think one day we will look back and think why did we work in a way where people who access services were not asked? There is still some way to go though. We still have service providers living in "service land", which bears more than a passing resemblance to the fictional Land of Oz, where the wizard and tin man live.

When looking back over my time accessing services, I feel like I have been the lion that wanted courage and was told that I had to find my inner strength. I started on the yellow brick road to recovery and management that was laid many years before and began my journey. However, my road was not so yellow, more like multi-coloured and somewhat over-grown, not easy to navigate like in the story. It was one that was laden with pitfalls that could make it very difficult to get to the promised land of my well-being and future dreams.

It hasn't all been bad, there have been many good aspects to the journey as well, such as my version of "the good witch Glinda", who was a lady called "Sylvia". Sylvia was the first person who ever offered me the space and time to dream big, she was my support worker and she did something very unremarkable in reality, but remarkable within service land, she listened and took the time to make me feel heard.

The road Sylvia set me on is the one I now believe has huge potential to support people and for them to have the lives they deserve and not just an endless walk on a road to a fictional land.

Too many people have discussed what people like me need to manage our support needs while hiding behind a curtain like the Wizard of, shouting and projecting their views from the safety of service land and without first asking us.

Let's not stop the work or think that my experience is unique or remarkable. There are many people that don't feel listened to and heard, my intention is that the people who deliver services, should come out from behind the curtain and meet people like me and listen to what we need, offer us real choice and control and see that we have the courage within us and that is all we need. Like the story they will see that the lion already had the courage the whole time.

Please think about what you can personally do to change the way you work and embed co-production everyday not just at a conference.

Comments

Add your comment

Leave this field empty