Newsletter

Barnet Voice for Mental Health is a weekly newsletter packed full of helpful events, articles and discussions around mental health.

History

Barnet Voice for Mental Health (BVMH) was started by Elsie Lyons in 1994 as the first mental health ‘Service-User Group’ in the borough. Elsie and her fellow inspiring founding members built Barnet Voice upon the belief that people with mental health issues or distress day-to-day can harness their rich experiences to design, deliver and improve mental health services in Barnet. Barnet Voice for Mental Health became an Independent Organisation in 1998, run by and for people with lived experience of mental health difficulties.

Historically, Barnet Voice was closely involved with the design and development of mental health services with Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust and in shaping the way in which ‘service user involvement’ was integrated into services in Barnet; this included helping them to decide which services to start, taking part in consultations about changes to services, delivering training to staff and sitting on panels for the recruitment of mental health staff. Barnet Voice also ran their own innovative peer-run crisis house, Kaya House, and delivered peer support with people who were staying in mental health wards in Barnet.

Merging with Inclusion Barnet

In October 2017, Barnet Voice members voted to join Inclusion Barnet; this decision was made in order to strengthen BVMH’s infrastructure in challenging times and in the belief that joining forces would enhance the power and reach of peer-led activity in the borough.

The end of an era

Sadly Inclusion Barnet is no longer funded to run this service. Until a further funding opportunity arises we continue to run this weekly newsletter.