The Social Power and Mental Health steering group was founded by Ed Kiely and Sam Strong in April 2019. With the support of CRASSH, the group was established to plan and launch a public forum that would examine the relationship between mental health, inequality and participation. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the group has been developing a range of online materials, activities and commentaries as we continue to plan our virtual conference for 19 – 23 April 2021.
Since its conception, the steering group has included representatives who are service users, survivors, researchers, experts by experience, and service providers—as well as those who sit in a range of these different groups. It continues to foster a dialogue where ‘expertise’ and ‘experience’ are placed on an equal footing. Our group includes:
Andrew Deller has worked for 10 years with Lifecraft in Cambridge: strong commitment to ensuring Service Users are heard by those working in the mental health services : has contributed to the development of Co-production models for service development, as a member of national work-groups and many local initiatives in the past decade.
Camice Revier is a PhD student conducting research on the relationship between sleep and social recovery for individuals with early psychosis. Camice’s work has been greatly enriched by the involvement and input from colleagues with lived experience. Camice comes from a perspective of lived experience with ADHD and is keenly aware of how this perspective contributes to how they approach research in mental health.
Elmira Zadissa (she/her) is a community organiser, and co-founder of QTI Coalition of Colour.
Grace Rosemin is an expert by lived experience and work at Change Grow Live, the substance misuse services.
Jo Fox is an expert-by-experience and social work academic based at ARU. Jo is very interested in conducting user-led research and has expertise in developing recovery education programmes for family carers.
Joannah Griffith is an Expert by Experience with CPFT, Clinical Psychology postgraduate, independent researcher, and origami advocate.
Michael Brown is a researcher on the IBER Study focusing on mental imagery, bipolar and anxiety.
Michele Stewart is a Research Assistant at Fulbourn hospital, working on a Physical and Mental Health Project. It involves interviewing in patients across the Trust at Fulbourn and Peterbrough hospitals and Outpatient clinics in Cambridge.
Ramona Zadissa (They/Them) is a curator, creative freelancer, and trustee at Encompass Network.
Wendy Joyce Clarke Self representation. Challenging archaic Government Systems and Policies that continue to fail people with disabilities; especially Mental Health (hidden) disability. Fighting for change to reduce unnecessary sufferance.
The group would like to thank the following organisations for their kind sponsorship:
Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH)
Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Trust Foundation
Cambridge University Department of Geography
Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness
