Welcome
March 2023
Welcome to the CAPS Independent Advocacy newsletter! 

A window into psychosis

Everyone's experience of psychosis is different. CAPS Experiences of Psychosis collective advocacy group have expressed their own experiences in a new artwork 'window into psychosis' (shown below). Each member of the group made a pane of the window. Find out more about the Experiences of Psychosis group.
An artwork made by the experiences of psychosis group in the shape of a window with lots of images and words taken from newspapers and magazines
Independent Advocacy protecting human rights
Independent Advocacy helps to uphold the human rights of people who have less power. In this article we tell the real life stories of people who have faced power imbalances and how Independent Advocacy has helped them.

One woman avoided an arranged marriage that she didn’t want. A man was able to move in with his relatives which was his own choice. Meanwhile a group of people found their voice in protecting and promoting human rights in the mental health system through collective advocacy. The stories come from a recent webinar run by the SIAA, The Alliance, Partners in Advocacy, Human Rights Consortium Scotland, Who Cares? Scotland and CAPS. Read the article.
Scottish Human Rights Bill
When people are experiencing a power imbalance they may be vulnerable to not having their human rights upheld.

Independent Advocacy helps to redress power imbalances by making sure that people are listened to. That’s why it’s essential that Scotland’s new legislation on human rights includes Independent Advocacy. Find out more.
People's Conference recommendations

The People’s Conference, organised by people with mental health issues, recently came up with some key recommendations for services. People said that having to travel far to access services depleted their energy, (or ‘spoons’), the most, locally based services were better.

Another key theme was having choice and options in services. People highlighted the importance of: longer opening hours; removing limits on the number of sessions you have access to; having options of how to contact a service; allowing people to miss appointments without this affecting their future care; more offers of prescriptions for things such as art, music or exercise; and having the option of online or in-person appointments. Read the report.
A graphic of a battery with spoons along the side
Today I didn't feel alone

“I feel validated……..Today I didn’t feel alone. Diagnostic overshadowing has followed me throughout my life. I’ve had to fight to be heard at every point. Today… I didn’t feel alone. Thank you x”

Students of Art, Music and Drama Therapy at Queen Margaret University have shared with us their responses to workshops run by our collective advocacy groups, Experiences of Psychosis and Much More Than a Label. Their comments show the power of sharing lived experience. Collective advocacy groups regularly run workshops for a variety of people in order to help them understand what it’s like to experience mental health issues. Read more.
What I've learnt about eating disorders
“Eating disorders tend to be associated with affluent, heterosexual, young, white females, but in reality, they affect many people with different characteristics”.

In this blog, Collective Advocacy worker, Ellis, reflects on what they have learnt over their first five months in the job. Ellis facilitates CAPS’ eating disorders project Seen But Not Heard. In the blog Ellis explores some of the common myths about eating disorders. Read more.
Eating disorders research
Could you help improve services for men with eating disorders?

The Seen But Not Heard Collective Advocacy Project are conducting interviews as part of a research project about men and eating disorders.

If you live in the UK and identify or align with the experience of being a man with an eating disorder, we would like to invite you to take part in an interview. Participants will get a £15 Amazon voucher.

To take part, or for any questions, please contact: research@capsadvocacy.org
Shaking the archive
This June, the Oor Mad History Collective Advocacy group will be speaking at Shaking the Archive – Reconsidering the Role of Archives in Contemporary Society. The conference will be focusing on the power of and in archives.

We are really pleased to have this opportunity to present our community archive, as we know that the Oor Mad History group is uniquely positioned to speak on this topic. 

Collective advocacy works to bring people together with similar issues to raise awareness and campaign for change. In building an archive of how Mental Health services and attitudes in Lothian have developed and changed, and linking this with the voices of the people who have their own lived experience, the group have created a unique way to understand our history and share that understanding. We believe this is essential for creating structural change and changing power structures in society.

As the conference’s focus is on the power of and in archives, we are excited to be able to share our work and give the attendees an introduction to using archiving as advocacy! Look out for more info ahead of the event.
Who's who
Want to get a handle on who’s doing what in CAPS? As our team continues to grow you can find profiles of all the staff on our website here.
Very best wishes from all at CAPS!
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CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Scottish Charity number: SC021772