Getting involved means playing an active role in the work we do. AWP values diversity and welcomes people who identify with different protected groups getting involved. Your experiences help us to ensure that our services are fair, inclusive and meet your needs.
We need to listen to people who have used our services or who have cared for people using our services, so that we can listen to feedback, understand what works well and make plans for improvements.
If you would like to be involved, your valued help can make a big difference to our understanding of different groups’ needs, which means we can improve our services more effectively.
Involvement means:
- making a difference by being actively involved.
- having your views listened to and acted upon in service planning, delivery and evaluation.
- working together with different members of staff.
- using your experience as a service user, carer, friend of relative to improve mental health services.
- having an opportunity to use your personal skills and experience.
We welcome involvement from service users and carers, and anyone who has previously used our services.
We value everyone’s experience and will treat you as an individual whatever your background, abilities or needs.
Some roles, such as peer mentoring, may need DBS checks.
There are many ways you can become involved in the activities of AWP. Involvement can include:
- reviewing services and providing feedback.
- recruiting new staff, staff training and inductions.
- chairing and taking part in groups or meetings.
- coming to AWP conferences, events or supporting fundraising activities.
- projects and tasks, such as reviewing literature and helping organise events.
- helping to plan, develop and design better policies and services for the future.
- mental health awareness talks.
- mentoring and supporting other service users (peer mentoring).
Getting involved in the work we do will give you the chance to make a real difference. Your involvement will also help you:
- meet new people.
- connect with your local communities.
- develop new skills.
- raise your self-esteem and confidence.
- enhance your CV.
As we value your time and commitment, we will always pay you back for any out-of-pocket expenses you have had to make in your involvement with AWP. For some types of involvement, we can also pay for your time and will let you know about this before you get involved.
In 2023, we published a new three-year strategy called Working Together, in Co-Production and Involvement, committing to transforming our services through co-production.
Working Together, in Co-Production and Involvement is our lived experience, involvement and co-production strategy developed with patients, service users, their friends, family, people’s support systems (who we refer to as carers) and staff from across the trust.
The strategy aims to improve the use of involvement, co-production and the experience of involvees. An involvee describes someone who contributes to the Trust based on their lived experience.
Our vision is that we are working together to ensure that people feel valued, supported and heard. They will participate meaningfully in equal partnership to design, develop and deliver services, build and strengthen communities, in order to bring about positive change.
Following the launch of the strategy, one of the agreed outputs was the development of a newsletter co-produced by and for patients, service users and carers.
The newsletter aims to highlight some of the fantastic work that those involved in co-production have been doing – as well as providing an interesting read for all.
Launched Autumn 2024, you can find the latest copy of the newsletter here.
If you would like to get involved in the work we do at AWP, please contact your local Involvement Coordinator below to discuss ways in which you can become involved.
Bath and North-East Somerset (BaNES)
Jo Woodsford
Email: j.woodsford@nhs.net
Email: awp.involvementadmin@nhs.net
Swindon
Ivor Bermingham
Phone: 07887 756110
Email: i
Wiltshire
Laura Shapcott
Email: l.shapcott1@nhs.net
Teresa Bridges
Phone: 07827 825950
Email: teresa
Bristol
Hannah Gilbert
Phone: 07780 608986
Email: awp.bristolsuinvolvement@nhs.net
Marcella Maloney
Phone: 07719 4410362
Email: marcella.maloney@nhs.net
Nikki Petch
Phone: 07825450608
Email: nicola.petch@nhs.net
North Somerset
Steve Budd
Phone: 07788 415435
Email: stephenbudd
South Gloucestershire
Nicola Burchill
Phone: 07703 382159
Email: nicola
Secure Services
Email: awp
Kelly Daly
Phone: 07738 299077
Email: kelly.daly@nhs.net
Specialised
Penny Stanbury
Phone: 07833 046963
Email: p
Research and Development
David Woodley
Phone: 0117 378 4266 (Research & Development office hours 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday)
The co-production newsletter
Following the launch of the Working Together, in Co-Production and Involvement strategy, one of the agreed outputs was the development of a newsletter co-produced by and for patients, service users and carers.
The newsletter aims to highlight some of the fantastic work that those involved in co-production have been doing – as well as providing an interesting read for all.
Launched at the end of the summer 2024, you can download each quarterly edition of the newsletter below.
We would love to hear your thoughts on the newsletter. If there’s something else you would like us to include, or you have an idea about ways we could improve it, please add it below.
The Working Together Newsletter
