Network for Change: 21st anniversary conference

Join us for a day of lively and thought provoking discussion, debate and celebration
of 21 years of Network for Change at Friends Meeting House, Queens Road, Leicester on October 27th 2009 from 9:30am – 4:30pm.

Network for Change started its journey in the late 1980’s as part of Leicester MIND
Housing Group. Over the last 21 years NFC has evolved into an innovative and
creative service provider with a strong values base rooted in recovery and person
centred practice with a thirst for exploring alternative perspectives and encouraging
critical dialogue in mental health and well-being.

This conference brings together some of the many people we have met along the
way who’s inspiration and/or support has had a marked influence on our
development.

Building on our successful series of discussion evenings at the Network Resource
Centre over the last two years the conference also aims to bring alternative and
critical perspectives in mental health to Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland with
the hope of establishing a broader dialogue around mental health and well-being.
Cost £45 for waged, £25 for unwaged and students and free to Network Members.
There will also be an optional donation towards food and refreshments.

Conference speakers and workshop facilitators

The conference will be opened by Antony Sheehan, Chief Executive of the Leicestershire
Partnership Trust.

Dr Joanna Moncrieff – “The trouble with psychiatric drugs…”
Author of ‘The myth of the Chemical cure’ Dr Moncrieff is a key member of the Critical Psychiatry Network and will explore the history of medical interventions and their limitations.

Sharon Warwick

Sharon will discuss the findings and implications of her research on Spiritual Crisis covering participants who have and have not become involved in Mental Health Services. The results are due to be be published next year in the second edition of Psychosis and Spirituality, Exploring the new frontier (Ed Isabel Clarke).

Karen Taylor
Along with her partner Ron Coleman Karen has been a long term supporter of Network and along with others from the Gloucestershire based Keepwell organisation was amongst the first to introduce the concept of recovery to the UK and indeed to Network.

Karen and Ron continue to have a big influence on services both in Scotland and the rest of the world.

Janice Hartley

Janice is currently studying for an MSc in Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University and secretary of the newly formed UK Spiritual Crisis Network. These interests stem from her own experience of psychosis and psychiatric hospital. She has conducted training sessions for the Hearing Voices Network and for the Clinical psychology training program in Liverpool.

Living with Psychiatric Medication Group

LWPMG are an independent group who meet regularly to discuss and share ideas around medication issues and will be presenting their Drug Company Advertising Amnesty project which collected drug company advertising items which were then transformed into pieces of art designed to stimulate discussion about how this kind of advertising makes us feel and what it might mean.

Guy Holmes – toxic mental environments
Guy is a Clinical Psychologist living and working in Shropshire. He specialises in alternatives to Psychiatry and challenging stigma through group work, and has published in the areas of male victims of childhood sexual abuse, toxic mental environments, the medicalisation of men’s problems and psychiatric drugs. His books are collaborations between people from differing backgrounds, including people who describe themselves as psychiatric service survivors, many of whom are publishing their work for the first time.

They include: Psychology in the Real World: Community-based groupwork
(2009); This is Madness: A Critical Look at Psychiatry and the Future Mental Health Services (1999) and This is Madness Too: Critical Perspectives on Mental Health (2001).

Rachel Waddingham
Rachel is an inspiration to us all at Network. Her strength and support is a clear demonstration of how mutuality and hope in recovery works. Currently managing Mind in Camden’s London Hearing Voices Project Rachel will close the conference with Gabby giving a unique perspective on Networks values, ethos and practice from the view point of someone who’s been there…

Gabby Briner
Gabby has been with Network from the very beginning and continues to lead the organisation through ups and downs alike. Drawing on her passion and commitment to recovery Gabby will summarise the last 21 years and look to the challenges ahead…

www.networkforchange.org.uk
TEL: 0116 2470335
FAX: 0116 2470766
EMAIL – [email protected]