The Future of Hearing Voices Network Cymru: Development Meeting
Wednesday, 23rd October 2019 
11.00 – 15.00 for lunch and discussion
Venue: The Board Room, Prince Phillip Hospital, Llanelli

We are writing to you from HVN Cymru. As a supporter of the Hearing Voices Approach we hope you will be able to support our new initiative to further the work of the Hearing voices movement in Wales and to meet with other interested people. 
You are very welcome to attend.
Let us know you if you will be coming to the meeting by completing our EventBrite RSVP Registration form here

Purpose of the Meeting
Recently we established Hearing Voices Network Cymru as a not for profit company. The focus of the new organisation will be to provide education and development, putting into practice the hearing voices approach for people in 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.

This will take place on Wednesday 23rd October, 11.00 – 15.00 for lunch and discussion.

The full address for the venue is The Board Room, Prince Phillip Hospital, Bryngwyn Mawr Dafen, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA14 8QF

Below you will find a short draft agenda and an outline of the kinds of needs we have identified and activities we could develop. If you would like to propose any additions to the agenda please let us know.

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

Draft Agenda
11.00 Getting to know each other
11.30 Introductions and purpose of HVN Cymru
12.00 News and information from national, local groups and individuals
12.45 Lunch
13.30 Developing the organisation:

• Membership of the organisation
• Ensuring the Governing Board has diverse representation
• Further developing our training programme and identifying trainers
• Building partnerships
• Funding
• Promotion e.g website, social media etc

15.00 Tea and closing meeting
 

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