THE thinkingAHEAD COMMITTEE
Duncan Marshall
Personal experience of mental distress led me to work in the field a few years ago.
Since I started a career in this area I have worked in different roles in the south of England - as a Support Worker, Resettlement Officer and as a Manager in Social Services.
My current post as Service User Involvement Worker in Portsmouth City means that one of my responsibilities is to support and nurture Thinking Ahead and its aims.
My involvement with the site stretches back about 3 years when things were not working that well. It was around that time when the site set about becoming independently managed. I was part of these developments including the original constitution coming about and the setting up of a new management committee.
Fully committed to the website and its aims, I am really pleased with our achievements, ever determined to strengthen the site's position as a mental health resource and information provider for local people.
I am keen to see the site develop in lots of ways, not least, increasing local contributions and articles, thus improving involvement from those with an interest in Portsmouth's mental health issues.
Please get in touch if you think you can help us in any way!
Mobile: 07834 750981 or duncan.marshall@thinkingahead.org.uk
Stephen Corrigan
I have been involved in adult mental health services in Portsmouth for just over eight years. My interest in mental health stems from a period of about a year when I supported a close friend through a psychotic episode.
I worked as a support worker on the acute and intensive care units at St James (King Villa), in registered care in the community and spent almost four years as General Manager of Portsmouth Mind.
I am currently employed by Portsmouth City Council (Health, Housing and Social Care). I have spent 3 years as Joint Contracts & Projects Manager for the integrated Adult Mental Health Service. My job involved monitoring community contracts i.e. contracts awarded to organisations to provide community services such as Advocacy, Drop Ins, Befriending etc., and managing projects such as reviews, performance systems, consultations, National Service Framework assessments etc.
I am now Service Development Manager for adult social care and work across all of the care groups. My work focuses on service review, development and commissioning.
I have been involved with the website, in one way or another, from its conception and have fond memories of the day we named it. I can remember the discussion around how we wanted it to be based around recovery and hope for the future - hence the name thinkingahead.
I hope that the site will help to give people with mental health issues information, and through the forum, support and an opportunity to share experiences and have their say.
Jane Brickwood
Mental health has interested me for many years and many reasons. I suppose a good enough reason is that depression has bugged me and members of my family at various times. My working life has swung from legal secretary to nursing and then into mental health where I have worked for the last 8 years. I now work part-time with the Richmond Fellowship in North End which supports people with mental illnesses in various types of accommodation in Portsmouth.
I`ve always seen the Internet as a great provider of contact with the outside world without one having to face people (and I`m sure we all get those days!), so I was really pleased to watch the development of the Thinking Ahead website and wanted to become involved in some way. I hope that, as more and more people have access to computers, this website will become a place for people to find company and expression.
Mandie Wingfield
" Why I volunteer for thinkingAHEAD "
In 2002 in very sad circumstances I was suddenly and unexpectedly plunged in to the role of carer for someone suffering a serious mental health illness. This was a subject that I knew very little about so I began on possibly the steepest learning curve of my life ( I didn't even know what I didn't know and needed to ! ).
The feelings I experienced were overwhelming ……..ignorance, guilt, frustration, loss and worry. It felt like I was trying to complete a thousand piece jigsaw with only half the pieces, an uneven surface and no picture on the box !!!!!
Over the next couple of years, and often by chance conversations, I found out about many of the things I needed to know about mental health issues and my situation. Much of this was as a result of me having a carers assessment, linking in with several of the local carers organisations, becoming involved with thinkingAHEAD in 2004 and meeting some truly wonderful people who offered desperately needed support and advice ( They know who they are )
Since then I have been involved with several mental health organisations and carers groups, both availing myself of their continuing support and working for them on a voluntary basis.
My work has included sitting on interview panels and steering groups, various forums and workshops, as a committee member for PO4 Carers Group and thinkingAHEAD and I am currently Vice Chair of Portsmouth Carers Council.
I hope that the information provided on this site and the opportunity to use the forum may help others, and particularly new carers, find more support, advice, information and a listening ear.
Lee Stevens
I got involved with Thinking Ahead through Service User Involvement. I think the idea of a mental health website with lots of info is great and I enjoy being able to contribute to it. It has helped me to feel valued.