Welcome
Welcome to the CAPS Independent Advocacy newsletter, read on for the latest events, activities, resources and more!
Oor Mad History book launch
The Oor Mad History project aims to reclaim, celebrate, and promote the history of collective advocacy and ‘mad activism’ by people with mental health issues living in Edinburgh and Lothian. In this new book, the group of people who work on the project share the memories and experiences of people who have been involved in the collective advocacy and activism movement in the last ten years. 

The launch will be held in early May at Queen Margaret University and everyone is welcome. Keep your eye on the website for more details coming up soon. We will be handing copies of the book out at the launch!
Mad Studies short course
Mad Peoples History and Identity is a free six-week Mad Studies short course by, about and for people with lived experience of mental health issues. It is a collaboration between Queen Margaret University (QMU), CAPS Independent Advocacy (CAPS) and NHS Lothian’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme. This year the course will run from 27th April to 1st of June on a Wednesday from 10am to 3pm on the QMU campus.

For more information visit the QMU website or contact Elaine Ballantyne eballantyne@qmu.ac.uk
Art As Advocacy - get involved!
Take part in Out of Sight Out of Mind Exhibition’s 10th Year
The 10th Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition will take place in October, at Summerhall in Edinburgh. It is organised for and by people who have personal lived experience of mental health issues and is hosted by CAPS. Find out about submitting your artwork, and about applying for a materials grant via the news section on the website or by getting in touch by email: pam@capsadvocacy.org or phone: 07989402634.

More info: Out of Sight Out of Mind News
An artwork that shows a wooden box with two sculpted figures climbing out of it, one is white, the other purple
OOSOOM Afternoon Tea Is Back! Thursday 12th May 2022, 1pm to 3pm: In person & online
You are cordially invited to afternoon tea with the organisers and previous/future exhibitors of Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition. Catch up with others, share your ideas and ask your questions about taking part or about getting involved in the exhibition’s planning. Everyone is welcome, especially those with an interest in art, tea and/or cake. Booking is essential, by email: pam@capsadvocacy.org or phone: 07989402634

More info: Afternoon Tea is Back
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 4th to 24th May 2022
Edinburgh Thrive Arts programme and CAPS have been working together to support art events and activities in Edinburgh and Lothians as part of this years Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF). 

The full Scotland wide programme will be announced soon here

Sign up to CAPS Arts As Advocacy newsletter to hear about the Edinburgh & Lothians SMHAF programme, it’s launch event on the 4th May and other Arts As Advocacy News (select Arts As Advocacy).
LGBTQI+ Scottish Mental Health Audit Tool
CAPS was involved in the original development of LGBT Health and Wellbeing’s audit tool, a resource that services could use to become more inclusive for the LGBTQI+ community. CAPS worked with those who had lived experience of mental health issues in the community to collect their views.

After discussions that mental health services were still often not inclusive, the newly formed LGBTQI+ Collective Advocacy group at CAPS decided that they wanted to refresh the tool to reflect current changes in terminology and best practice. 

Keep an eye on the CAPS website for more details about the launch and accessing the tool. 

Contact Development Worker Mohasin Ahmed at mohasin@capsadvocacy.org for more information.
Did you know?
CAPS provides independent advocacy to children who are experiencing the Children's Hearings system. Lifechanging decisions affecting a child or young person can be made at a Children’s Hearing. This may involve decisions about where they live or who the child or young person is able to have contact with, so it is important that children and young people get to say how they feel and what they want to happen.

We now have a referral form on our website so it's easy for children to refer themselves or for an adult to do it on their behalf.  

What children and young people think of the service:

“She was always listening to me and she wouldn’t do anything without telling me.”
“[My Advocacy Worker] was very kind and she played games with me.”

Happy Reading from all at CAPS!
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CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Scottish Charity number: SC021772