Our Advocates
VITAL advocates are highly trained professionals, some with their own personal experience of using services. They understand the frustrations that can come along with trying to find and access the right services at difficult times and the importance of getting a person’s viewpoint taken seriously.
All our advocacy services and advocates work to the nationally recognised Advocacy Charter and Code of Practice which you can read by clicking the button below.
Trustees
VITAL's Trustee Board are an incredible mix of key strengths & personalities. The board work seamlessly with the team, to ensure the smooth running & strategy development of the charity.
Volunteers
Volunteers are an essential part of our team.
Their contribution of time, skills and knowledge allows us to expand and improve our service provision.
The direct experience of mental health difficulties (e.g. as a service-user, carer, worker, etc.) that many of our volunteers possess can enable greater understanding and empathy with clients; and inform planning and strategy.
Benefits of being a user led organisation
VITAL places great importance on the experience an individual has when suffering mental distress. As such, recognises that being user led can greatly enhance understanding between those providing the service as well as those using the service. This makes a terrific difference to the client's we work with, who take comfort in knowing that the person they are working with has been in their shoes.
In an article from the NSUN (National User Survivor Network) & Shaping Our Lives (A National Network of Service Users and Disabled People) the value of user led groups was outlined:
Power
Working to redistribute power within initiatives where the independence, agency and autonomy of service users/survivors is being eroded or ignored.
Knowledge
Challenging the hierarchy of evidence and promoting the validity of experiential knowledge.
Authentic voice
Legitimate and credible because it is based on direct experience and not heard by proxy or influenced by an organisational or provider agenda. Specialist expertise - the knowledge and skills held by user-led groups about the needs of local service users can help make commissioning decisions and existing service provision more effective and efficient.
Inclusion
Identifying and overcoming barriers for marginalised and racialised groups to tackle exclusion by providing opportunities to develop confidence and skills, social networks, a sense of community.
Influence
Improving services and support through involvement and co-production activities and independent, changing perceptions through collective action.
Information
Sharing of personal and professional resources to make lives better as well as a single point of contact for commissioners and service providers about current issues and ideas for improvement. support they need to achieve their potential. We believe that everyone deserves a chance to thrive and we work tirelessly to make this a reality for those in need.
Prevention
Creating resilient communities through leadership and the direct voice of experience promoting good health and wellbeing.