The attendees were keen to share their ideas with the 'see me' staff team. Nationally, they thought the campaign should:
- do more to promote local work to national and international audiences?
- encourage mental health professionals to take a more positive view
- reach audiences in new places (such as supermarkets!)
- make better use of the internet
- raise awareness in the workplace
- tackle discrimination by insurance companies
- keep on tackling the media
- work with young people
- make sure that local groups have ideas for action
- challenge the perception in society that mental illness indicates personal weakness
Attendees also had great ideas for local action:
Tackling stigma and discrimination in the workplace by:
- Raise more awareness through local businesses - make sure that they display 'see me' materials!
- Build on education and training links in training of future professionals (e.g. Third Wing at Abertay)
Reaching the general public at a local level by:
- holding an event at Bonar Hall, Dundee on 10th October 2009
- targeting local shops/shopping centres
- using some of the national campaign ideas locally!
- running a local speakers bureau and giving talks at local groups e.g. drama groups, churches, musical societies, golf clubs etc
- staying involved in the mental health Arts and Film Festival
- Approaching Dundee United to sign the 'see me' Pledge
Reaching Children and Young People by:
- Involving young people to abolish stigma before it becomes the 'norm'
- Improving public understanding by putting anti-stigma message into schools and workplaces
- Specifically targeting The Corner young people’s health and advice centre
Promoting equality by:
- Raising public awareness of diagnostic manuals so public are aware of incompetent diagnoses with regard to mental illness
- Teaching mental health professionals to relate to their clients as equals and as people with feelings and a life to live
- Monitor all 1st level complaints which may relate to mental health service, diagnoses etc to ensure they are processed in a non-discriminatory manner
- Teaching health professionals that they are not any better than anyone else in this life. They are human too.
- Giving us all more choices about how their recovery is supported
Networking by:
- Arranging to talk to each other and share?
- Mount a local anti-stigma campaign together?
- Having a well supported “service user” forum