Southampton – April 2018

Part 1 –What does social inclusion mean?

People have different experiences of this

Social Inclusion (SI) is a buzzword people like to use with ?meaning

SI is not a tool in our lives

Should be Accepting people without having to think they have to be included.

It should be a natural thing

Shouldn’t have to stop and think about it

Term is applied in a really broad way

Not normal language, jargon

Where is the line, who are we talking about?

Words mean what we want them to

Looking at human beings – regardless of age, gender abilities it covers everybody

Hate jargon

SI is people in authority use it to maintain barriers, us and them

If we’re really inclusive it would happen naturally

In the city at the moment how is it?

Too many areas which have views on each other

Not given the same amount of time and consideration for area

Posh areas get more

Who’s including who?

People are very culturally different

When people don’t go out much, mot getting involved much

Different levels

Recent wellbeing event, map of where tolerance and warm welcome, good map

Useful to use libraries and art galleries, generally inclusive

How many of certain sections of society still wouldn’t go in there?

Friendly and casual

In education kids are taken to the places so that can help

How are places different that are socially acceptable?

Nice safe place where you don’t feel humiliated if you cry or get emotional

Accepted

In hospital had to have injections, there is an element of control

Is hospital safe and SI?

An element of alienation in hospital is apparent

It forces changes on people

Stickers on shops that say ‘safe space’ could indicate a safe space, should do

Libraries are comfy places, peaceful where no one disturbs you

Sense of alienation – when you go into hospital after years of working and then being unwell

Things are done to you.

You need fixing

The environment is noisy, chaotic and not helpful

Somewhere where people can be how they are at that moment without someone leaping in to fix

Somewhere to be

When unwell, feel powerless

No one explains what drugs you’re being given

Sedative = less chaos

Understaffed so they keep you quiet

If more therapeutic and less drugs it would be safer

Lots of groups doing different things

We create systems – we want to make good use of it, we also have misuse of systems and abuse to take advantage of their power

Is there any place where we can use our power to create better spaces?

Freedom to choose where to be can lead to us finding somewhere

Decision making meaningful

Social control takes away peoples right tob e in certain places

Challenge to create the ideal environment

This can be a challenge but is done at festivals

Nature, art, creativity etc is important

What does the idea place look like?

Café at Woolston for veterans

All there feel safe, they share common experience

In the 1970s day centres were great, you could go and be safe in any state.

This sort of space is needed

Dementia friendly, safer place for those with this issue

Used to be places in Southampton where wellness was the focus rather than illness

Everyone wants to have wellness

Quiet and solitude needed but also social interaction

If excluded from that contact with each other this is opposite to SI

Once barred from a local wine bar as known to mental health services

Maybe society is becoming a bit more tolerant

People with mental health issues – would we feel more comfortable if more of them were trained? – advanced human beings more exclusive services – stepping stone needed to environmental change

How do we move forward to create this?

Funding and legal issues

At festivals – some of it may not be legal eg restraint

How to deal with this

Empty buildings and lots o creative ideas

Re think drop in centre in Eastleigh etc.

Safe haven cafes – no referral or in crisis required

‘normal’ café, centre of town

Local health commission saved loads of money on fewer emergency admissions

Why haven’t we got one of these? They are staffed by peers and two mental health trained staff

Linked to crht

This is part of co vision

Wellbeing hub is needed

How are we there for people?

Things get a reputation and become exclusive

18 months at Antelope house then into the community  – crisis lounge open 4-10 seven days a week, they want to roll it out 24 hour

There is a lot going on – not always aware what’s going on

City of sanctuary project – welcoming for asylum seekers etc but impacts all Torture etc really mucks your mind up so these refugees are hidden as they get nothing.

How do we make each other welcome?

The amount of effort required to get a safe haven sorted out is enormous

CCG have been running a community solutions group – it goes round and round in circles

Is there starting to be a chink because they have no money lieft?

So much whole person stuff needs addressing before people can become netally well

Talking about things like this does help

Even if only to let off steam

Paper called the citizen – would like a feature on what we’re talking about

How do we get news out about what is going on?

Those that exist are out of town

Things are ever changing in the atmosphere of contracts

Sharing information is hard

Constant change is really hard too

Period of stability to go where we need to to get things would help

Information leaflets would help get news out

So many are touched with MH issues

To spread the word

Group and talking therapies really help, support can be found in groups

Journalists can report what happens it is surface though, just sating what happens. Can make short films about organisations that can do with this. You tube channel go to place for information

MH is a great leveller, 1 in 3 have MH issues

Use the bus a lot so lots on the bus may have MH issues

Everyone is vulnerable to MI

We must break down barriers

Part 2 – How do we break down barriers?

When giving information regarding what is needed,  those who have power and authority ignore it, so frustrating.

When in circles with those people need to keep saying it like it is

Lots of us do our best but are frustrated when we ask for help

Those in power don’t really consider us to be part of the solution

Isolation is a big issue

Being really inclusive is not doing to or being done to

Need adult to adult conversations

Information and social evenings are a good move

Also want to offer something for carers and not just for people with MH issues

It is still tough for people to go to new things

Walls that are built around us create barriers

Hospital doesn’t have capacity to discuss peoples different experiences of the world

Philosophical discussions etc are needed

The ability to discuss things like visions so they can understand them rather than suppress them

Stability an within the sane

We need to understand ourselves better

Allow understanding and working with.

When in hospital not there by choice

Have to be so careful what you sayd finding and caring for people who need it

MH carers don’t listen  peoples beliefs

They aren’t seen as worthy

They have a very narrow view

Non ordinary minds – different types of brains – get with the programme!

Cross cultural work also equals other societies approach to MH issues in a very different way

Spiritually sensitive people often are those who suffer mental ill health

This has been jumped on from a great height – need to be much more aware of spiritual needs in healthcare

Growth within ourselves is very important but barriers of ‘professional learning’ dismiss this

Often wilderness tribal people those we would call psychotic are shamen for them

Boxy society = boxy brains

Need more curves in architecture

Psychology and psychiatry are in their infancy

The medical profession needs a good kick up the arse

Some HCPs are really good, they attend to your whole being needs

Question for next time:

How do we pull the healthcare profession into touch to become more holistic?