This pages gives further details of Rethink (formerly the National Schizophrenia Fellowship), an organisation awarded £269,344 over three years in 2006/07 through the Partnership Grants Programme.
Rethink is the leading national mental health membership charity, working to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life. Founded over 30 years ago to give a voice to people affected by severe mental illness. Rethink currently has over 8,300 members. They help over 48,000 people every year through services, support groups and by providing information on mental health problems, as well as campaigning for fairer treatment.
- visit the Rethink website at www.rethink.org.uk
Rethink Politics project
This project worked throughout England and Northern Ireland centres around a peer led registration campaign. Following a three day training course on the systems of local, national and European democracy and confidence building and presentation skills, beneficiaries, carers and volunteers undertook voter registration drives. These were delivered through Rethink’s own services, and to other mental health service users in their areas.
The project also included research exploring the low levels of registration and voting associated with people who have mental ilnesses. Our grant funded salaries, participant travel and subsistence, website development, training, research and evaluation.
Project outcomes
- improved confidence of people with mental health issues so they will take part in all aspects of political decision making
- increased awareness of 30 staff, volunteers and people with mental health problems and their carers of how local, national and European democracy is organised and how decisions are made
- increased the number of people with mental health problems who register to vote as a result of a Rethink Politics peer education drive
- increased the number of people with mental health problems who register to vote as a result of additional marketing material and campaigns
- increased opportunities for people with mental health problems to work with people who make decisions
- increased awareness and participation levels of people with mental health problems and increasec understanding of their barriers to participation
Outcomes achieved
The Rethink Politics project successfully delivered its programme through a wide range of awareness raising events and training courses. The project increased the confidence of more than 240 beneficiaries and carers to engage in democracy and decision making. This was achieved by organising democracy workshops and conventions and also encouraging more direct forms of engagement, such as introducing participants to politicians. A further 2,080 people gained increased awareness and understanding of democracy by attending local events, requesting project resources and participating in tours of the Houses of Parliament.
Case study
As a Rethink carer, Angela was interested in mental health and general politics, but had not been politically active apart from voting, which she felt was a good way to engage in democracy. Angela was introduced to the Rethink Politics project and attended events where she was able to speak to local MPs. Angela explained that she found these discussions helpful and she realized that some MPs were much more approachable than she thought they would be and that the contact made them more aware that many people with mental health issues want to get involved in politics.
