Resource Hub/Library Leaflets & literature on wellness, recovery, self-help & coping with mental distress. The group office, based above the Library at The Main Place in Coleford, is available for members to use as a safe and confidential space. We keep material that may be of use to members – and we are happy for people to provide us with leaflets that they would like shared. To read the My Networks Scoping Project Report please visit: www.fvaf.org.uk/publications

Zgłaszanie się na ochotnika Jako Centrum Wolontariatu dla Forest of Dean jesteśmy tutaj, aby pomóc Ci w rekrutacji i zarządzaniu wolontariuszami Nasz nowy Wolontariat broszura wypełniona szczegółami lokalnego wolontariatu możliwości są teraz wyczerpane KLIKNIJ, ABY POBRAĆ Jako Centrum Wolontariatu dla Las Deana często jesteśmy pierwszym punktem kontaktu dla wszystkich zainteresowanych wolontariatem. W zeszłym roku z dumą wspieraliśmy ponad 100 000 godzin wolontariatu w okolicy! FVAF promuje i reklamuje szeroką gamę możliwości wolontariatu od organizacji, które podzielają nasz etos wspierania wolontariuszy i rozpoznają szeroki wachlarz powodów, dla których ludzie decydują się na wolontariat. Dlaczego warto być wolontariuszem? Wolontariat niesie ze sobą szereg ogromnych korzyści, nie tylko dla Ciebie indywidualnie, ale także dla Twojej społeczności i świata, w którym żyjemy. Jeśli chcesz ulepszyć swoje CV, poznać nowych ludzi, dobrze wykorzystać swoje umiejętności, nauczyć się czegoś nowego, zainteresować się, zaoferować doświadczenie lub po prostu coś zmienić, mamy gwarancję, że mamy dla Ciebie okazję! Możesz dowiedzieć się o tych możliwościach w następujący sposób: Szukaj możliwości w Do-it.org Zadzwoń do nas pod numer 01594 822073 Skontaktuj się przez e-mail Odwiedź nas w FVAF od poniedziałku do piątku w godzinach 9:00 - 1:00 ( kierunek ) Jeśli szukasz wolontariatu w ramach dużej grupy, na przykład w ramach wolontariatu pracowniczego, mamy również szeroki wachlarz możliwości do wyboru. Get the latest volunteer opportunities - direct to your mailbox! Sign up to receive our regular email Volunteer Newsletter: SIGN UP HELP FOR GROUPS - recruiting & managing volunteers As a one-stop-shop for all things volunteering, we can help you find, and keep, the perfect volunteer: Jako punkt kompleksowej obsługi we wszystkich sprawach związanych z wolontariatem, stosujemy wielopłaszczyznową metodologię, aby dać Ci najlepszą możliwą szansę na rekrutację i zatrzymanie wartościowych wolontariuszy. Obejmuje to: Reklamuj swoje możliwości na Do-it.org Promowanie swoich możliwości wśród osób, które do nas poleciły lub za pośrednictwem naszej funkcji drop-in. Reklamuj swoje możliwości na naszych stronach na Facebooku i Twitterze Promowanie swoich możliwości lokalnym służbom, które wspierają wolontariat, np. Job Centre, LearnDirect i 2GetherTrust Reklamuj swoje możliwości na ponad 30 wydarzeniach rocznie Wysyłanie możliwości do lokalnych firm oferujących wolontariat wspierany przez pracodawcę Promowanie odpowiednich możliwości dla szkół, kolegiów i uniwersytetów Dystrybucja Twoich możliwości do naszej bazy wolontariuszy liczącej ponad 1000 osób Promowanie swoich możliwości w różnych sieciach, w tym Know Your Patch Get in touch - call us on 01594 822073, via email or visit us at FVAF, Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Dockham Road, Cinderford GL14 2AN (Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm)

We Celebrate our Outstanding Volunteers! Winners crowned at annual Forest Volunteer Awards event... The Forest of Dean's most dedicated volunteers took centre stage this week at our annual Forest Volunteer Awards, held on Tuesday 2 September at the AccXel Construction School in Cinderford! People's Champion Takes Top Honours Ian Gower claimed the evening's most coveted award – Volunteer of the Year (People's Champion) – following a public vote that attracted over 3,500 participants. Ian's tireless work spans multiple organisations including CANDI, Mitcheldean Youth Club, and Scarr Bandstand, where he inspires young people through STEM education, drawing on his engineering background with Rolls Royce. Community Groups Recognised for Vital Work Several local organisations received recognition for their outstanding community contributions. The Salvation Army Community Hub in Coleford won Community Organisation of the Year for providing comprehensive support services including food assistance and domestic violence support. The Sharing Kitchen in Newent claimed the Grassroots Voluntary Group award, having transformed from a winter soup kitchen into a thriving community hub since launching in November 2024. Meanwhile, Music for Memories received the FoD Dementia Action Alliance Accessibility & Inclusion Award for positively impacting nearly 200 lives through personalised music therapy. We Rewarded Resilience Brockweir Village Shop and Café earned our ESV Business in the Community Award, demonstrating remarkable resilience after rebuilding following devastating fire damage in 2023. Volunteers worked tirelessly through an 18-month reconstruction to reopen the vital community facility. We Recognised Environmental Action Our newly introduced Community Climate Action Award went to the Save the Wye Campaign, recognising the group's creative activism in bringing national attention to the environmental crisis facing the River Wye. We Celebrated Future Leaders and Lifetime Achievement Our ceremony highlighted emerging community leaders, with Moss Thornton taking home our Young Volunteer of the Year honours for outstanding work as a Youth Expert and Youth Worker with Gloucestershire Health and Care Trust and Forest Pulse. Albert Weager received our Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 for his decades of community service as a representative and advocate for improved healthcare in the Forest of Dean. Celebrating Community Spirit "So much of what happens within our community is because of people who give their time and energy for free," said Deb Cook, Volunteering Manager at FVAF. "We're so proud to host this event and make a massive fuss about the incredible work that goes on in groups and organisations large and small. The work carried out by these volunteers is absolutely crucial to so many." Hosted by Steve Knibbs (BBC News Presenter) and Les Love (Dean Radio), our award winners were announced by guest presenters; Simon Murray (Vice chair, trustee of FVAF and chair of the Forest of Dean branch of CPRE), Cllr Jackie Dale, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities FoDDC, Piers Cardiff (new Co-ordinator of FoDCAP), Tyler Josh Carpenter (volunteer at SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association) AND winner of last year’s Forest Young Volunteer of the Year), Dame Janet Trotter (DBE CVO), Nick Penny (FVAF Programme Manager). The celebration evening was made possible through generous sponsorship from local organisations, KW Bell Group and AccXel Construction Centre , Cinderhill Farm , Float in the Forest , Forest of Dean Climate Action Partnership (FODCAP) , Forest of Dean District Council , Mid Counties Co-operative and Pedalabikeaway . We received hundreds of nominations following their summer call for submissions, with an expert panel handling the challenging task of shortlisting candidates across all categories. FOREST VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS 2025: Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion WINNER: Ian Gower: CANDI, Mitcheldean Youth Club, Scarr Bandstand Highly Commended: Carol Austin: Sedbury Space Laura Dovey: Taurus Crafts Annie George: Forest Exchange Glynis Halling: The Victoria Centre, Lydney Dial-a-Ride, Dr Charley's Lunch Club Julie Holder: Packed with Love Young Volunteer of the Year 21yrs & under WINNER: Moss Thornton: Youth Expert and Youth Worker with Gloucestershire Health and Care Trust and Forest Pulse Highly Commended: Chloe Watts - Her Game Too and Bristol Rovers Women Ambassador Community Organisation of the Year WINNER: Salvation Army Community Hub Highly Commended: Forest of Dean Writers Collection Project and Dean Green Team Grassroots Group of the Year WINNER: The Sharing Kitchen Highly Commended: Cinderford Town FC (Youth Team)  Forest Wombles Business in the Community Award WINNER: Brockweir Village Shop & Cafe Highly Commended: Dean Forest Food Hub FoD Dementia Action Alliance Accessibility & Inclusion Award WINNER: Music for Memories Highly Commended: Skillzone – Preparation for Adulthood Community Climate Action Award (sponsored by FoDCAP) WINNER: Save the Wye Campaign Highly Commended: Yorkley Village Garden Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Albert Weager - community representative and advocate for better healthcare in the Forest of Dean For media enquires contact communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073. END - Notes to editor: Established in 1994, Forest Voluntary Action Forum (FVAF) is the Voluntary Service Council and Volunteer Centre for the Forest of Dean The charity offers support to local citizens, community groups and activities including support and development advice, training, networking meetings, facilitating representation, volunteer recruitment, volunteer placement and support In addition, FVAF delivers projects with and for the local community, including Forest of Dean Youth Association, Holiday, Activities and Food Programme, The Forest Compass Directory, Walking with Wheels FVAF receives some financial support from the Forest of Dean District Council and funds activities through external funding opportunities Head office - Forest Voluntary Action Forum, Ow Bist – Forest Community Space, Dockham Road, Cinderford , Glos. GL14 2AN.

What we do We support many community-led projects shaped with, and for local people: Employment and skills support Holiday Activity and Food Programme Community Builders Forest of Dean Youth Association Walking with Wheels Know Your Patch Forest Compass

The Digital Hubs Project Tackling digital exclusion across Gloucestershire The Digital Hubs Project is a new innovative approach, developed by Forest Voluntary Action Forum and GCC Adult Transformation Team, to tackle digital exclusion across Gloucestershire by offering free, accessible, tailored support to individuals. Starting out in October 2021, we have played the as role as county wide facilitator of the project in partnership with GCC’s Adult Transformation Team. Whilst being facilitator’s, we act as the Forest of Dean lead district provider, offering FREE 1:1 digital support across safe and trusted Community Drop-in Hubs. Coleford – Sixteen Community Cafe Sedbury – Sedbury Space Cinderford - Ow Bist - Forest Community Space Staunton – The Swan Community Hub Newent – The Chill Out Zone What does Digital Hubs aim to address? Motivation Not everyone sees why using the internet could be relevant and helpful A Digital Hub can demonstrate the huge benefits Confidence Some people fear online crime, lack trust or don’t know where to start online A Digital Hub can increase confidence via trusted relationships  Skills Not everyone has the ability to use the internet and online services A digital Hub can provide 1:1 training Access Not everyone has the ability to connect to the internet and go online A Digital Hub can provide access to free equipment and internet Since starting the journey of Gloucestershire Digital Hubs Project, awareness and recognition of the project has grown and is now recognised as essential community-based approach to tackling digital exclusion across Gloucestershire. Notability, the project was highlighted in the Report of the Director of Public health 2022/23 - No Person is an island: Social connections in Gloucestershire, which also included video cased study of the project. You can also  download the PDF version (PDF, 5.2 MB)  of Director of Public health 2022/23 For more information about the project visit the Digital Hub website HERE To find out more, dates, times and locations for upcoming FVAF Community Digital Drop-in Hubs, contact Alex on community@fvaf.org.uk  or 01594 822073.

FVAF Community Celebration & AGM 2023 FRIDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2024 | 11AM - 2PM Ow Bis - Forest Community Space, Dockham Road GL14 2AN We are inviting the whole community to join us in celebrating the work FVAF has done over the last 12 months for, and with communities across the Forest of Dean PLUS it’s our 30th anniversary this year and we’re ready to celebrate! Refreshments and a delicious buffet lunch will be provided. Places are limited - please book your ticket ASAP READ THE AGM NOTICE BELOW: BOOK YOUR TICKET

We crown our community heroes! The community turned out in force on Tuesday 3 October to see local volunteers crowned at our glittering Forest Volunteers Awards 2023 celebration at the AccXel Training Centre in Cinderford. READ THE NOMINEE PROFILES IN THE AWARDS PROGRAMME We created the Forest Volunteer Awards to recognise and celebrate the amazing efforts of local volunteers in the Forest of Dean and earlier this Summer, we asked you to nominate those volunteer heroes who have demonstrated exceptional and outstanding support to the local community over the past 12 months. We had an amazing response and received hundreds of nominations. Our expert community panel had the tough task of shortlisting the nominations and picking the winners. However,one category - Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion – was decided by a public vote withalmost 1,400 votes cast. The winners were crowned at a special evening, held at the stunning conference space at the impressive AccXel Training Centre, which was provided for free to FVAF by local construction company the KW Bell Group, who were the main sponsors of the event. Jando Greco, volunteer at St Stephens Church in Cinderford was crowned Volunteer of the Year – the People’s Champion following a public vote. A volunteer of over 12 years his nominator said: “We so appreciate him, he is such a thoughtful, caring person and will do anything for anyone – Jando is so worthy of receiving this award.” Young volunteers were celebrated with Ebony Powell, volunteer and fundraiser at Forest of Dean Dog Rescue crowned under 16 years old Young Volunteer of the Year for her caring and dedicated commitment caring for the rescue dogs, whilst in the 17 – 25 years old category, Daisy Hoole rewarded for her tireless hard work volunteering at C.A.N.D.I Youth Space. In the groups section, The George in Newnham was recognised as the New Voluntary Group of the Year for reopening the former café as a vibrant community space. Next up, was Sedbury Space who picked up the Grassroots Voluntary Group award in recognition of the fantastic efforts of the community to create a thriving, inclusive, welcoming hub. Fire safety education organisation SkillZONE was awarded the Community Organisation award for their responsive work with young people in the Forest, and a team of volunteers from EDF Energy picked up the Business in the Community Award for helping out at Camphill Village Trust in Lydney. Forest of Dean Dementia Action Alliance (FDDAA) sponsored the launch of a new Inclusion Award, with Cinderford Bowls Club scooping the top spot for making changes to the game and their grounds to make bowls accessible for everyone to enjoy. Our Volunteering Manager Deb Cook said “So much of what happens within our community is because of people who give their time and energy for free. We think that recognising the amazing efforts of volunteers and organisations is incredibly important which is why we have been so pleased by the reaction of the local people who have supported these awards by nominating and voting.” Deb added, “It has been an incredible evening and we are so lucky and proud of the strength of the amazing voluntary sector we have in the Forest.” Master of Ceremony for the Forest Volunteer Awards was Steve Knibbs, BBC Points West reporter who kept the guests entertained with his expert hosting skills. Award winners were announced by guest presenters; Mark Topping( Leader of Forest of Dean District Council), Emma Snell (Go Volunteer Glos), Penny Hulbert (FVAF Chair of Trustees), Jonathan Lane (Cabinet Member for Economy at FODDC), Kirsty Downie (John Lewis Partnership & Waitrose - Monmouth), and Andrea Harman (Ecophon). The celebration evening was made possible thanks to generous sponsorship for the following local organisations: KW Bell Group and AccXel Training Centre – main sponsors Ecophon Simplicity in Business Steve Gooch Estate Agents Waitrose & Partners (Monmouth Store) FOREST VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS 2023: Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion WINNER: Jando Greco – St Stephens Church, Cinderford Highly Commended: Chris Brain (Broadwell Football Club), Melanie Getgood (Friends of Worcester Walk), Edna Husbands (Lydcare Community Transport), Barbara Jenkins (Over 60’s Group at Berryhill Memorial Hut), Albert Weager (community representative & advocate for better healthcare) and Dave Young (Forest Sensory Services and Samaritans). New Voluntary Group of the Year WINNER: The George, Newnham Highly Commended: Lydney Army Cadets Young Volunteer of the Year 16yrs & under WINNER: Ebony Powell – Forest of Dean Dog Rescue Highly Commended: Evie Harris - community volunteer and Teens in Crisis fundraiser Young Volunteer of the Year 17 – 25yrs WINNER: Daisy Hoole – C.A.N.D.I Youth Space Highly Commended: Leanne Hendrix – Coleford Youth Club Grassroots Voluntary Group of the Year WINNER: Sedbury Space Highly Commended: Forest Community Shed Community Organisation of the Year WINNER: SkillZone Highly Commended: Forest of Dean District Scouts Business in the Community Award WINNER: EDF Energy Highly Commended: The Rising Sun Community Pub FoD Dementia Action Alliance Inclusion Award WINNER: Cinderford Bowls Club Highly Commended: Artspace Cinderford END For media enquires contact communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073.

Volunteer Heroes Crowned! The community turned out in force on Wednesday 7 September to see local volunteers crowned at a glittering awards celebration evening we held at the AccXel Training Centre in Cinderford. We created the Forest Volunteer Awards to recognise and celebrate the amazing efforts of local volunteers in the Forest of Dean. Earlier this Summer, we asked local people to nominate those volunteer heroes who have demonstrated exceptional and outstanding support to the local community over the past 12 months. The response was amazing and we received hundreds of nominations. An expert panel had the tough task of shortlisting the nominations and picking the winners. However, one category - Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion – was decided by a public vote with almost 900 votes cast. The winners were crowned at a special evening, held at the stunning conference space at the impressive AccXel Training Centre, which was provided for free to FVAF by local construction company the KW Bell Group, who were the main sponsors of the event. Volunteer of the Year went to Les Cockle, volunteer fundraiser at Great Oaks Hospice whilst Forest of Dean Host Ukrainians and Ukraine Community Hub jointly picked up the Community Voluntary Group of the Year. Young volunteers were celebrated with Keira Stone, volunteer at disability group, Together We Can crowed under 16 years old Young Volunteer of the Year, whilst in the 17 – 25 years old category, Chloe Whatley and Jordan Terrel were rewarded for their tireless hard work volunteering at the Sea Cadets in Lydney. Lisa Tootell was crowned Outstanding New Volunteer of the Year for her amazing impact for the Girl Guides in the Forest of Dean and Hips Social were recognised for supporting the local community and investing in improving the local area. The winners were presented with an award, a framed certificate and £100 Amazon voucher, kindly provided by sponsors the KW Bell Group. Deb Cook, Volunteering Manager at FVAF said “So much of what happens within our community is because of people who give their time and energy for free. We think that recognising the amazing efforts of volunteers and organisations is incredibly important which is why we have been so pleased by the reaction of the local people who have supported these awards by nominating and voting.” Deb added, “It has been an incredible evening and we are so lucky and proud of the strength of the amazing voluntary sector we have in the Forest.” Master of Ceremony for the Forest Volunteer Awards was Kate Clark, BBC Radio Gloucestershire presenter who kept the guests entertained with her expert hosting skills. Award winners were announced by guest presenter; Roger Deeks (FVAF Trustee), Nicola Bird and Yvonne Bell (KW Bell and main sponsor), Sue Middleton (Verderer of the Forest of Dean), Andy Lewis MBE (PT2 Para triathlete), Neill Ricketts (Founder of Versarien and chair the Forest of Dean Economic Partnership). The celebration evening was made possible thanks to generous sponsorship for the following local organisations: KW Bell Group and AccXel Training Centre – main sponsors Hot Tubs Rock Versarien The Midcounties Co- Operative FOREST VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS: Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion WINNER: Les Cockle – Great Oaks Hospice Highly Commended: Hannah McGowan (FOD Hosts of Ukrainians Support Group), Martin Elsmore (The Golden Triangle Club), Steve Gregory (FVAF / Walking with Wheels) and Mark Jones (Community First Responder SWASFT) Community Voluntary Group of the Year WINNER: FOD Hosts of Ukrainians Support Group and Ukraine Community Hub Highly Commended: Together We Can, Newnham Archery Club, Dean Radio, The Friends of Longhope Church and The Rewild Project Outstanding New Volunteer WINNER: Lisa Tootell – Girlguiding FOD South Division Highly Commended: Sarah Maxfield – Berry Hill Memorial Institute Young Volunteer of the Year 16yrs & under WINNER: Keira Stone – Together We Can Highly Commended: Toby Niblett – Lydney Youth Hub Young Volunteer of the Year 17 – 25yrs JOINT WINNERS: Jordan Terrell and Chloe Whatley – FOD Sea Cadets Community Impact Award WINNER: HIPs Social Highly Commended: Recycle Shop CIC Newent and Wilde Earth Journeys

Mycelium My Networks Mental Health Project Mycelium - Forest Mental Health Project Structure The Forest Community of Practice Forest of Dean Mental Health Locality Partnership Recovery and Wellbeing Café The Resources Hub & Library The Forest Community of Practice Monthly face-to-face learning collaborative, reflective practice & peer supervision. 2nd Tuesday each month. The Forest Community of Practice is for individuals working and volunteering with members of our community where support for mental health is a significant part of their role. This has been set up in response to the My Networks Scoping Project. Many local social care practitioners stated that they wished to receive ongoing support to develop reflective practice, link with others and build skills that would help them to become more confident responding to mental distress, particularly with the increasing complexities that they were coming across in their roles. The C of P will be supported by clinicians, professionals and lived experience practitioners from the VCS & NHS who have been involved in the Community Mental Health Transformation programme. It will provide an opportunity for collaborative learning, peer supervision and professional development. We hope a community of Forest mental health practitioners will emerge from these sessions. If you, or a mental health champion from your team, are interested and able to join us, please get in touch. Please get in touch if you have any questions or want the most current information about scheduling details - simon@fvaf.org.uk or text 07394 945046 Forest of Dean Mental Health Locality Partnership The Locality Partnership offers VCS and faith-based organisations the opportunity to meet with other professionals and voluntary groups who are supporting people with their mental health in the Forest of Dean. The Partnership is a collective of social care practitioners who are working towards a community response to the My Networks scoping project findings. By coming together, we hope to keep abreast of developments, begin partnership projects or create collaborative opportunities that can address what is needed for better mental health in the Forest of Dean. We are now an integral part of the wider Forest Know Your Patch network. Regular online meetings as well as live, in-person events are held where topics and projects are discussed and highlighted. As well as this, the FKYP works closely with other statutory organisations offering a platform to disseminate up-to-date information about services available in the community. Recovery & Wellbeing Café “A Community Created Curriculum of Curious Conversations” Weekly Face-to-Face Discussions & Recovery Educational Sessions Each Wednesday (Term Time) at Café 16 in Coleford from 6-8pm. “A safe space to create who you are, not be told what to think.” Join conversations with a diverse range of people with professional & lived experience of different subjects, local people who have gained understandings about the impact current concerns have upon mental health, recovery and wellbeing. We are building a supportive space where, as critical friends, we can learn together and support each other with our individual understandings. All curious & compassionate folk welcome. Recovery & Wellbeing Café - Current Programme The Resource Hub, Research Room & Lived Experience Library Leaflets & literature on wellness, recovery, self-help & coping with mental distress. The group office, based above the Library at The Main Place in Coleford, is available for members to use as a safe and confidential space. We keep material that may be of use to members – and we are happy for people to provide us with leaflets that they would like shared. To read the My Networks Scoping Project Report please visit: www.fvaf.org.uk/publications

Our publications Forest Compass Edition 3 Volunteering in the Forest of Dean FVAF Annual Report 2022/23 FVAF Annual Report 2021/22 Insights into the Experience of commissioning for small VCSE organisations in the Forest of Dean By Chris Brown My Networks publications My Networks Scoping Project Report, Oct 2022 by Simon Price Supporting documents: Mental Health Scoping Project – Survey Results Co-production – How we facilitated My Networks Scoping Report The Forest of Dean Mycelium Mental Health Project A report from the Undergrowth by Simon Price, Anwen Jenkins, Pete Harper, Miranda Thomason and Teresa Rose Useful community publications The Digital Divides Report and Recommendations By Digital Divides Steering Group Learnings from the Forest By Forest of Dean Climate Action Partnership (FODCAP), Holding The Space, Thirty Percy, and CCRI.

COMING SOON! Universal Youth Services We’re thrilled to announce our new partnership to bring Open Access Universal Youth Services to Gloucester and the Forest of Dean! Together with Gloucestershire Gateway Trust and The Venture Community Hub (TVCH), we’ve joined forces to make a real difference in the lives of young people. Guided by GGT, in the Forest of Dean FVAF will be leading on supporting a wide range of services for young people aged 11 to 19 (or up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities). Our youth services will be available to everyone, focusing on the needs of the local community to create a more connected, supported, and engaging youth sector. Stay tuned for more updates and get ready to be part of something amazing! FIND OUT MORE ABOUT... Gloucestershire Gateway Trust The Venture Community Hub

Peer Development Developing the space between us to enable better Community Health and Wellbeing. Mycelium seeks to promote connectedness between people and encourage collaboration in service development in the Forest of Dean. Mycelium seeks to promote connectedness between people and encourage collaboration in service development in the Forest of Dean. We wish to do so to develop a counternarrative to ‘siloed working’ and the overbearing competitiveness between people, organisations and within emerging systems. We value both lived and professional experience equally and work from a horizontal, narrative informed, peer advocacy model with co-production and action research principles at its core. What do we do? We offer Peer Advocacy, Peer Mentoring & Peer Development for individuals, groups and organisations living or working in the Forest of Dean. For People from our Communities We work with individuals providing 1 to 1 support. Using peer advocacy and peer mentoring principles we can help you to develop a ‘recovery practice’ that enables you to get back up after a crisis, or travel safely through a difficult period in your life. We can help you: to understand and respond to social care needs or a health condition and can help you to cope with a situation that is causing you emotional distress. to find information, to build confidence as you begin to identify, navigate and try out the wellbeing and self-help resources that are available to you in your local community. if issues arise when trying to build yourself up again - we can be there and help you to learn about yourself, your world and your rights. to travel through the complexities of recovery from a health condition, from mental illness, trauma or addiction - to raise your voice about what is important to you as you do so. to access advice from the best expertise available and can then support you to understand, choose between and explore the options opened up for you by that advice. to access community groups and projects and help them in turn to become more confident, compassionate and efficient when supporting individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. Peer advocacy will work on up to three specific community advocacy issues at a time, but the Peer mentoring will be open access, an ‘in the background’ wrap around support that will attempt to respond to your unique circumstances and complex needs whilst still trying to link you in with the best expertise available to you. For Volunteers and Professionals “Project Support” - We work with individuals developing groups and organisations With consultancy, reflective practice and ongoing support we can help lived experience practitioners, peer support workers and staff with lived experience who are working in the VCS and local health and social care settings, to use their experiences of illness or mental distress in a way that is safe, effective and compassionate for both them and the people they are supporting. We can help: you to develop an idea, a workshop, a group or a project that has arisen from your own unique situation, lived experience or from the skills and awareness gained on your recovery journey. provide or link you in with training, information, supervision and a support structure around you to enable you to turn this awareness into a skill that can benefit others in your local community. projects, groups and organisations develop their co-production strategies and be a point of contact with transformed mental health services and the wider supports available. We can enable you to implement these strategies in a non ’tokenistic’ & authentic way. you to stay well and practice self-care whilst working and using your lived experience to help others who are going through health conditions or mental distres s. What does ‘Peer’ mean? “PEER … One that is of equal standing with another” The ‘Peer’ in Peer Advocacy, Peer Mentoring and Peer Development points to shared concerns and experiences. Peer support is when we come together with others who have been through or are recovering from something similar. It is about ‘mutuality’ - helping each other through conversations, activities and spending time together. It can help us not to feel so alone or unusual, to realise that there is a possibility of life beyond and outside of the condition, distress or situation encountered. Peer services connect people and create opportunities for ‘giving back’; they can help us to take notice of the skills and knowledge we have gained on our journeys while also creating opportunities to use these skills to build better services and communities for the future. Who are we? We are all local people with both professional and personal experience of disability, illness, mental distress and/or have been carers for people navigating social and health care systems. We are all individuals who have had extensive experience of managing our own recoveries from illness and mental distress and have learnt much from doing so. We all feel that talking to someone who has ‘been through’ and managed to successfully survive and navigate something similar in the past can be incredibly helpful to those who are feeling isolated with that condition, situation or circumstance in the present. Though we understand the importance of being supported by someone who understands from ‘lived experience’, we also recognise the importance of skill and learning. We know how important ongoing development is to help convert that learning into a constructive, safe and effective practice that enables others. We have all received extensive previous training and are committed to continued professional development alongside the “lived experience” knowledge that we draw upon. We have all benefitted from Peer Advocacy, Peer Support or Peer Mentoring ourselves and are passionate about its enormous benefits for good community mental health and wellbeing. We have all had extensive previous experience of co-production work, collaborative working, community development and promoting diverse voices. What have we done so far? Developing Action Research & our Narrative Model for locality-based peer development Over the past two years Mycelium has been drawing together people with experience, professionals and those passionate about community development, to overcome barriers to discussion and rally around shared concerns or stories. The aim of this has been to increase understanding about mental health illness and, most importantly, move towards improvement of the current situation for individuals, families and the Forest communities. We have developed a Resource Hub, Community-based Recovery Education Sessions and a Community of Practice group for those working with individuals with mental health challenges. We have facilitated extensive community-based action research to ascertain need and identify a network of allies. This has been published alongside papers on co-production and has all been fed into the Community Mental Health Transformation undertaken in Gloucestershire. Who are we for? We have supported the growth of community initiatives that allow everybody’s voices to be heard and we want change to continue to be driven by well-being and mutual aid. We are listening, learning and offering opportunities for all community members within the Forest and invite you to join us on this exciting journey. Anyone 16 + who is living or working in the Forest of Dean. Anyone who feels that they could benefit from support from individuals with experience of managing their own recovery from mental health difficulties, addiction, mental distress or a health condition. Anyone facing challenges in accessing the support that they want and need help to find information, understand their rights, build a support network or develop an advocacy plan of action to raise their voice or complain about the care they have received. Anyone with either diagnosed or undiagnosed conditions and people waiting on waiting lists for assessment. Our aim is to respect all perspectives and encourage action and improvement in the lives of all across our Forest communities. How do I find out more, get involved or access Mycelium support? For more information drop Simon Price (Project Manager and Mental Health Researcher) a message at Simon@fvaf.org.uk or call 07394 945046 to arrange a meet up and find out more about Mycelium Peer Development.