The main aims of the development service are to improve the services and opportunities that are available to people in Powys who have experience of mental distress and to the people that support them.  We want to make sure that Powys is a place that can offer people the opportunity to live healthy and fulfilling lives by striving to ensure that:

• People who experience mental distress and those around them expect recovery.

• We  manage and deliver the services in Powys based on the principles of recovery and person-centred practice.

• There is a raised awareness of recovery across Powys.

• There are new opportunities for professionals and people with lived experience to work together to improve the services and opportunities available to people experiencing mental distress.

• More power and responsibility is in the hands of individuals.

• The values of the lived experience of recovery and thriving are respected, valued and belong to the individual.

• People with experience of mental distress are able to benefit from greater opportunities to do things to help themselves and others locally.

• We all continue to learn together by sharing and debating our ideas, our own experiences, what we believe to be good practice (new and old) and our own journeys.

DIY Futures – Manage Project and Staff

We worked with partners to bring together a successful partnership bid (£750,000 National Lottery) to run a 4-year powys-wide project that offers one-to-one support. In 2010, the development service secured a further £19,000 towards evaluating the project.  The Development Service manages the project on behalf of the partners. 

DIY Futures

Powys Stronger in Partnership Network – Develop, support and chair

Powys Stronger in Partnership Network has developed out of a commitment to delivering the Welsh Assembly Government's requirement that people who have used mental health services and their carers have the opportunity to be genuinely and constructively involved in the design, planning, delivery and evaluation of mental health services.  The network meets every month.

Stronger in Partnership

Provide Powys Information Service

Information service

Local Service Board – Manage Project

The aim of this project is to identify and analyse the support and opportunities provided by third sector organisations (mental health and non mental health) for people in Powys experiencing mental distress that contribute to:

• People staying safely in their own home (preventing avoidable admissions)
• People to return safely to their home when they are ready (reducing delayed discharges)
• People to be connected with and supported by their communities

Emotional Health & Wellbeing Mapping project

Powys Mental Health Alliance – Development and day-to-day support

We work closely with Powys Mental Health Alliance supporting their development.  We support trustee meetings, provide them with a bookkeeping service, produce and edit their bi-annual magazine, provide office space and admin support.

Powys Mental Health Alliance

Powys Advocacy Network – Develop, support and chair

This network has been developed in Powys for organisations whose primary purpose is the delivery of advocacy services or who provide a range of services that includes an advocacy service.  The network members adopt the Advocacy Charter. The network meets three times a year. You can read more about PAN here, and the latest meeting minutes are also available:

PAN July 2011 minutes

We also attend a number of groups …

Gwent and South Powys Mental Health and Learning Disability Partnership Board
Terms of reference

Cross Border Wales/England Health and Social Care Thematic Partnership
Terms of reference
Membership list

Powys Mental Health and Learning Disability Committee
Terms of reference

Mental Health Action Wales