Standing tall for World Mental Health Day

Saturday 10 October is World Mental Health Day.  This year's theme is dignity.  Jason from the Golden Key’s advisory group, IF, reflects on how having their voices heard has helped IF group members regain their dignity.

I and my fellow IF group members have all been homeless ourselves, or had serious addiction problems or issues with our mental health. The point is we've all known what it is like to have no dignity – to be ignored or treated as if we don't exist.

So to join a group and be valued BECAUSE of the very things that we are so used to being seen as hopeless or useless or worthless – is simply mind-blowing.

Not only do we feel proud but we can actually see things changing in front of our eyes – and we can point to times when our voices started making others see the error of their ways. Because real change can only come about when all of us – those running services and those who use them – start really listening and hearing what life is like out there.

So on World Mental Health Day I will be standing tall – alongside my fellow IF Group friends – proud that we our voice has been and continues to be heard.