Hear Us have been running the Linkworking Project since October 2007 within local mental health services within the Croydon borough, working as a link between staff and service users to try and shape mental health services to meet the needs of service users.
The Hear Us Linkworkers are a team of current and ex-service users who visit the inpatient wards at Bethlem Royal Hospital and Community Mental Health Services across the London Borough of Croydon. We talk to fellow service users and listen to their worries, problems and needs. The Linkworkers then report these issues back to the Managers of these services (without breaching the confidentiality of the service users). The aim is to improve the quality of mental health services and the lives of all of us who use them. If you have personal experience of using mental health services and the ability to listen nonjudgmentally to fellow service users, then Hear Us needs you.
Linkworkers receive full training and support to carry out this important role. If you have an hour or two to spare and are interested and want to find out more: