Connecting Through Co-Production on World Mental Health Day

This year, our World Mental Health Day celebration in October was all about connecting through co-production. Thanks to funding from the Berkshire Healthcare Charity, we were able to hold a memorable and inclusive event that featured a co-produced samba drumming group, an interactive world tour from our Hope College Volunteer Peer Mentors, a celebration of 10 years of EMBRACE, and a play from our wonderful BRAVE and BRAVE Too Ambassadors.

The day featured a number of exciting and unique activities designed to give everyone attending a first-hand experience of co-production in action. This began from the moment attendees walked in, shaking the hand of a person behind a curtain. This novel starter helped everyone connect differently and set the tone for a day of joyful co-production together!

The Hope College experience looked at the turbulence of mental health difficulties, and how co-production can help us connect with others, through the metaphor of a flight around the world! Meanwhile, the BRAVE play examined the circles of emotional regulation to help us all learn about the threat, drive, and soothe states in a very innovative, immersive way.

In addition to the creative performances from Hope College and BRAVE, there was also a wishing tree where attendees could write their hopes for the future on the leaves. Other wishes included good mental health for all, an end to the stigma around mental health, and for everyone to be kind to themselves.

At Enabling Town Slough, we believe that co-production brings us together across whatever divides we face (click here to learn more about our service philosophy). On World Mental Health Day, there was no better proof of that than the co-produced samba drumming circle. The climax of the day saw everyone pick up some drums and make inspiring music together!

We also took the time to celebrate a whole decade of our EMBRACE Therapeutic Community, which is accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Over the years, the EMBRACE community has supported many people in their journeys of recovering from mental health difficulties and discovering who they want to be. Thank you to everyone who has been part of the service across ten empowering and enabling years.

If you were able to come along on the day, we hope you enjoyed the experience! We had some touching feedback from attendees, who said the day was “therapeutic,” “thought-provoking,” and a unique way of experiencing co-production first-hand. If you couldn’t join us but want to know more, please click here to learn more about any of the services featured in this article. We hope you’ll be able to join us next year!