You are invited to attend: 

The Future of
Hearing Voices Network Cymru:

2nd Network Development Meeting

Wednesday, 15th January, 2020
11.00 – 15.00 for lunch and discussion

Venue: Global Link, Dunleavy Drive, Grangetown, Cardiff CF11 0SN

The focus of the new organisation will be to provide education and development, putting into practice the hearing voices approach for people and communities in Wales.

Therefore we want to bring together voice hearers, family members and mental health workers to discuss and plan the future of HVN Cymru. We would very much appreciate your involvement. If you, your organisation or individuals you know would like to participate in supporting the formation of our new organisation we would like to invite you to our meeting.

We hope you will be able to attend.

If you would like further information about the meeting you can contact Paul Baker at paulbaker@hearingvoicescymru.org or telephone 07932639757  
 

This will be our second meeting.

In October 2019 we held our first meeting in Llanelli. Attended by eight people from across Wales (and with other people giving their apologies but expressing interest). It was a productive meeting and we agreed the following:

• We will establish a board of directors for Hearing Voices Network Cymru. HVN Cymru is a Company LTD by Guarantee and a not for profit entity. We will discuss this at our next meeting. To achieve this we will establish a working/steering Group and identify people who are prepared to be directors of the newly formed Company limited by Guarantee (not for profit) 
• Focus on support one to one worker training was felt to be an important need. For instance by putting together a proposal for funding to provide training for mental health professionals (nurses and other mental health professionals, service users and peer support workers) especially in running groups and for 1 to 1 work. We can develop a training programme (similar to Voices Vic from Australia).
• Training needs to focus on compassionate approaches, embedding the belief that working with people who hear voices is necessary and beneficial. This need to be done by increasing knowledge and awareness. (How to talk with someone who hear voices re. Beliefs, explanations, voices and other extraordinary experiences) for all workers. This would include psychiatrists.
• The website needs to be  reviewed and updated  to reflect the emphasis on training and support. This would include adding video clips etc.
• We need to further develop and support the potential for voice hearers who are members of groups to run; facilitate their own groups outside of the NHS as this allowed groups to have more freedom from the constraints of NHS systems and protocols.
• Training needs to focus on compassionate approaches, embedding the belief that working with people who hear voices is necessary and beneficial. This need to be done by increasing knowledge and awareness. (How to talk with someone who hear voices re. Beliefs, explanations, voices and other extraordinary experiences) for all workers. This would include psychiatrists.
• We should ensure that the needs of older people who hear voices are fully part of our training and development service.
   

Further Information: Consolidating and Developing the work of Hearing Voices Network Cymru (Wales)
There is a continuing need to embed the hearing voices approach into the mental health services and practices in Wales.

There has been growing interest in the hearing voices approach in Wales as indicated by the recent increase in requests coming from workers and organisations for the Hearing Voices Resource Pack.
Further, we have seen a small increase in the number of Hearing Voices groups across Wales.
We are increasing the awareness and importance of the hearing voices approach through developing a partnership between the Hearing Voices Network Cymru, IMHCN, Public Health Wales, five Health Boards and NGO’s across Wales.

HVN Cymru has worked hard to increase awareness and create media interest in the subject of hearing voices via its website and by sponsoring advertisements in newspapers and on the radio over the last few years. This has played an important role in raising the profile of the hearing voices experience across Wales.

To consolidate the valuable work, influence and legacy of HVN Cymru we now want to focus embedding the hearing voices approach into mental health services and practices in Wales by

• providing training to develop sustainable hearing voices methods and approaches in community mental health teams, in-patient services and voluntary organisations, this will include training the trainer programmes
• creating and supporting equal partnerships between people with lived experience, families and mental health workers through organising workshops
• hold a national Wales HVN congress every two years. The first one to be held in early 2020.
• establishing, supporting and further developing hearing voices support groups throughout Wales
• increasing awareness and sharing information about hearing voices through the HVN Cymru website, social media and media presence
• administering the Hearing Voices Resource Pack Fund and application processes
• providing support to new international initiatives for people who hear voices
• other work in line with our aims as necessary
   

Hearing Voices Network Cymru is a member of INTERVOICE, (more information about INTERVOICE here) the international organisation representing hearing voices networks in 35 countries across the world.
Hearing Voices Network Cymru provides support and information to Hearing Voices Groups and people who hear voices, their family members, friends and workers in Wales. See our aims here. 
You can email us here for more information about our work.