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The Basics
- 19 April 2012: Reaching Out
- 23 Feb 2012: It's Good To Talk, So Why Don't We Listen
- 1 Feb 2012: Good Times
19 April 2012: Reaching Out
We were lucky enough to meet a fantastic group of young people in Greenwich a few weeks ago, as part of our preparation for the new 'Interesting Minds' group we're launching in partnership with Greenwich CAMHS. 'Interesting Minds' will be the first Voice Collective group in South London - something we're especially excited about as many of the young people we have met have struggled to get to the North London group and have, unfortunately, missed out. It feels good to finally be reaching out to a new area so more young people can benefit from meeting others who understand.
Before launching the group, one of our awesome young volunteers (Eoin) led a focus group with potential members. This was a great event for me to be part of - it was exactly what our project is about. Young people meeting up, listening to one another and really shaping the future of the group. So, it wasn't just fun to be a part of - it also helped us see what young people in Greenwich might want from the group so we start it off on the right footing.
More than that, having some design savvy young people in the room with us was particularly helpful in designing our publicity. We've been wanting to design a range of anti-stigma cards for young people (to both challenge misconceptions about hearing voices and promote the project, reaching out to people who are not linked in with CAMHS). Their input about what they would, and most importantly wouldn't, pick up in a school was invaluable.
If you want to check out our new range of cards, click here. Let us know what you think - and feel free to download and share.
Warm thoughts
Rai (VC Project Manager)
23 Feb 2012: It's Good To Talk, So Why Don't We Listen?
If hearing voices is so common, why is it so hard to talk about with the people we love and care about?
Lots of the young people we meet at Voice Collective have really struggled to talk with people in their life about voices and visions. Some have kept it quiet, joining our online forum or getting support via email rather than tell anyone they know. Others tell us about how they tried to tell their parents or teachers, but felt that everyone around them thought that they were joking or trying to get attention. There are a few, though, that tell us about how understanding and supportive people were when they found the courage to open up.
I'm always really impressed by the honesty of the young people we meet. As a child, I kept my experiences a secret. I only told people about them many years later when I'd gotten so stressed out that I could no longer cope. By encouraging young people to talk about their experiences sooner, I really hope that we are helping them set a different path for themselves. If the voices are causing a problem (or are linked to stress or trauma) getting support early could really prevent later problems.
So, if you're reading this and you know a young person who is going through a hard time - please remember that you have a massively important part to play in supporting them. Whether you're a friend, parent, teacher, sibling or supportive other - if you can listen and respect a young person's experience you're doing alot of good.
If you want more guidance, here are a couple of tips:
Don't Panic
Hearing voices in childhood/adolescence is quite common (1 in 12 children have experience of this, according to the research). For many, the voices/visions dont' cause a problem. Read as much positive an reassuring information as you can (on this website and www.intervoiceonline.org)
Download: 'Don't panic if your child is hearing voices' by Dr Sandra Escher
Listen
Even if you feel uncomfortable or worried, try and take the take to listen to the young person speak about their experiences. If you try and change the subject they may get the impression that you don't believe them or don't care. If they're stressed out, confused or afraid - let them know that you can see how difficult it is for them.
Ask Questions
If the young person you're supporting feels ok to talk about it, don't be afraid of asking questions. Hearing voices or seeing visions is an experience that's unique to the individual, so the only way of finding out what the person you care for is going through is to ask them.
Make A Plan
If the person you're supporting is struggling to cope with the voices, work together to decide what to do next. This might include learning some coping strategies, dealing with underlying problems that are triggering the voices (e.g. bullying at school), accessing counselling, going to their GP or contacting Voice Collective.
Talking about voices and visions will be easier once we have beat the stigma surrounding the experience. Until then, the best we can do is be open to what young people are trying to tell us - and let them know that we're here to listen if they want to share.
Talking gets easier, I think, the more people you find who are willing to hear you.
Rai (VC Project Manager)
1 Feb 2012: Good Times
Here at Voice Collective, life is never dull. This week, we've been busy planning our next Creative Workshop with the wonderful Jared Louche, booking our next one day workshops for youth workers and - ofcourse - supporting the young people and families we work with.
On Tuesday, though, we tried something new - our Voice Collective Group Facilitators Network Meeting. This was our chance to catch up with some of our previous trainees, find out what they're up to and give them some extra training and support.
The focus for the meeting was supporting young people who struggle with paranoia and/or overwhelming beliefs. So, we were lucky to be joined by our colleagues from the London Paranoia Groups Project to contribute to the afternoon. The meeting combined personal experiences with different ways of understanding, and working with, unusual beliefs. I, for one, found it a really great chance to think creatively and share ideas.
Best of all, the team at Greenwich CAMHS have linked up with one the young people we've trained in our VC Group Facilitation course. We're about to start planning a new group with these guys, so getting a young person involved from the start is a major bonus. Watch this space for news on how we're progressing.
Warm thoughts
Rai (VC Project Manager)
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