Scottish Hearing Voices National Office and Support Service Consultation



Page last updated 4/09/2008





SHVN


Welcome to our consultation

We are planning to set up a national office to support the development of hearing voices groups throughout Scotland and we have written this proposal about what the office would do.

You can read our proposal here.

If you would prefer to see a hard copy of the consultation document you can download it here read it and post your comments to us at SHVN, 216 - 220 Hilltown, Dundee, DD3 7AU.

We would like to hear what voice hearers from Scotland think about our ideas. We know many voice hearers feel isolated and unsupported. We would therefore encourage voice hearers, hearing voices group members, family members, carers and workers to complete the questionnaires, read our proposals and let us know what you think of them. And of course you can also become members of our network. No one needs to feel alone in their experience of voice hearing. It's good to talk!

We would also like to hear from anyone else who is concerned about people who hear voices.

IIf you make a response to our consultation we would be grateful if you would let us know whether you hear voices or if you know or work with someone who hears voices and whereabouts you are from (you don´t need to be specific eg. you can just tell use what what region or district).

Other ways you can help

Complete a questionnaire

People who hear voices: We have put together a questionnaire for people who hear voices asking about your situation and what kinds of support you would like to see us provide. You can complete it here.

Carers and people who work with people who hear voices: There is a second questionnaire for carers and people who work with people who hear voices that you can fill in here and tell us what kinds of support you would like to see us provide. You can complete it here.

Hearing Voices Groups: This questionnaire for self help groups and networks (and members of these networks) asking what kinds of support you would like to see us provide. You can complete it here.

Help spread the word

You can print the "Complete the Questionnaire" poster here and display it for us.

Read our press release and let newspapers know about we are doing here

Read the letter we have written to supporting organisations and pass it onto any services you are in contact with here

You can also let us know your views by going to the "Have your say" section at the bottom of the page or by clicking here

Note: We have provided some information about the consultation process, other planning methods we are using and also information about the Scottish Hearing Voices Network and INTERVOICE here.



Information about the Network

Information about the Scottish Hearing Voices Network here.

Information about local hearing voices groups here.

Find out more about the work of local Hearing Voices Networks in Scotland by visiting their websites here

If you would like to become a member of the Scottish Hearing Voices Network please download the application form here.





Thank you

We would like to give a big thank you to Awards For All in Scotland for their generous support in funding this consultation exercise and development project.


Awards For All






SHVN



Comments

Leave a response

  1. Alisdair Gormly, Edinburgh and Leith Group – May 08, 2008 @ 11:40 AM
    We discussed this in the HVG I help with in Edinburgh. There wasn't a lot of comment I'm afraid. The most vocal reaction from one member was why doesn't the money get spent on a minibus that could transport voice hearers around, eg., to meetings in Dundee, gatherings of voice hearers, days out. I explained that this money was being spent to make the case for a bigger grant. However, I think the essence of the point was that:
    1.) voice hearers struggle to meet other voice hearers,
    2.) often findit difficult or have little opportunity to go to new places &
    3.) Doing fun activities (i.e., not all serious discussion of voices) is good for the sustainablity and cohesion of a group.
  2. Paul Baker – May 08, 2008 @ 11:44 AM
    Dear Alisdair Thank you for the feedback from the members of the Edinburgh Group and for your valuable comments. Some initial thoughts. Given what you said about the sense of isolation felt by voice hearers and the value they place in the opportunity to meet with other voice hearers across the country, I think we need to think about how a future SHVN support service could respond to this.
    At the moment the plan is to have an annual SHVN meeting of some kind and to use the internet as a means of encouraging contact, discussion and activity between individuals and groups. We could definitely build on this part of the proposal, including investigating the practicalities of how people could be assisted in meeting up with other voice hearers on a more regular basis in the ways the member of your group proposed (eg. asking for funding for travel costs as part of any grant bid). Also putting more emphasis on the importance of social gatherings and creative & fun stuff?

    I also want to ask individual voice hearers (via a questionnaire) about their experience of being in a group:
    how they found out about it;
    why they came along;
    what they think of the group;
    has it helped them in anyway
    - as well as issues to do with meeting up with other groups and voice hearers etc.

    Perhaps this will provide another opportunity to find out the sorts of things they want from SHVN
  3. SHVN Committee – July 07, 2008 @ 10:00 AM
    We think we should add the following to the proposal SHVN will work alongside other organisations and agencies such as VOX etc in pusuing our aims and objectives.
  4. mary – July 11, 2008 @ 04:10 AM
    I am just blown away by your website! I live in usa, state of north carolina. We have nothing here like this. My son could benefit so much! I have strived for 12 years now trying to get someone to understand (professionl)but no one does, it's just push medicine and tell them their sick. Please tell me what i can do to expand this wonderful treatment. I have read everything i can find and know a lot of voice hearers , trying to help my son. For 12 years i have self educated myself on the subject. please let me know.
  5. Brenda – July 11, 2008 @ 07:26 AM
    I am so thankful for your site and feel blessed to have found it. I live in the Southeast (US) and have a Son who hears voices. I have mentioned the site to him and asked if he would like to get involved, and at this point he doesn't. Perhaps that will change in time. Thank you for providing a forum for those of us who either hear voices or know someone who does.
  6. mary – July 16, 2008 @ 02:41 AM
    My son hears voices and was diagnosed with schizophrenia 11 years ago, he is now 27. He takes meds but not a lot. Mostly he needs them for sleep. He does not want to manage his voices. He doesn't do nothin else hardly but listen to them and laugh. Sometimes they stress him or tell them their gonna kill him, but mostly it's pleasurable. Is he in so much pain inside he uses them to avoid the real world? He will not carry on a conversation more than 3 min. and the only one that he really looks up to mostly is his younger brother that is working on his bachelors in phychology. His brother don't give him much time, mostly studying. He is close to me and his dad but we don't interest him like his brother. The question I am asking is will he ever want more than the voices or how can I get him to open up his pain inside. He says the bad voice is an asian girl. He did date a girl once that hurt him really bad and he never got over it. His self esteem was very low befor the voices and he avoids people . Not his family but others that try to be his friend. Please someone tell me what to do. I have tried every thing, I think. His dr is our family dr, we don't take him to a psychiatrist anymore because the ones here just give meds and hospitalize them. I know there are good psychiatrists out there but the ones he has saw, like 12 are all med. and say it is a gene that caused it. We cannot get them to listen to his tramatic childhood. His reg md. is very kind to him and gives good advice, maybe thats all he needs right now, but i could sure use some info on getting him to be friendly to ppl and make friends. thanks
  7. Mike – September 03, 2008 @ 03:25 PM
    For the past 6 or so years I have tried to attend the GHVN hearing voices group based at the Alford Centre Aberdeen. To be frank, the group is a disaster, being cancelled week after week for various reasons. Even when the group is running, it very rarely runs at the stated time of 11am til noon, generally starting at 11.20am or thereabouts and often finishing at 10 to 12. The group was cancelled last week. This week, the members stood round like lemons until 11.20 only to be told that yet again the group was being cancelled. The group is not on next week. This has been a pattern for years; on one week, off for two weeks, off for two weeks etc etc often with no notice until after you've been waiting at the group for half an hour. At present, the group has 2 members in attendance which is a disgrace in a city the size of Aberdeen, but is due entirely to the fact that the group is a shambles and is unreliable. Many potential members have come along for a week or two only to become disillusioned by the frequent cancelling and poor timekeeping of the group. I would ask the SHVN do intervene in this matter and try to ensure that Aberdeen voice hearers are provided with a professional, reliable service. After all, the voices group is the only piece of work by the GHVN that actually provides a service to voice hearers and as such surely should be run with dedication and commitment, instead of the half-arsed and frankly disrespectful attitude displayed over the last 6 years. On a personal note; I am in crisis just now for a variety of reasons and needed the support of this group but as usual the group is merely a figment of everyone's imagination, being cancelled for week after week after week and providing no practical support whatsoever. I dare say it looks good on paper though, or in a funding application, but take it from me - it is worse than useless. Mike ps. Please give us what we actually need to live our lives, instead of just playing politics with the lives of voice-hearers.
Comment

...have your say here, if you wish to discuss your experiences with other voice hearers and concerned people why not join our discussion forum by completing the joining form

here