Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations is currently funded by Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council to provide:
- Better information for everyone about mental health services in Powys.
- Support for citizen representatives as they join in with strategic board decisions.
- Networking and sharing of best practice amongst mental health and wellbeing organisations.
These three areas of work are called Information, Participation and Engagement
We work closely with the PAVO Health & Wellbeing team and focus on:
- Running the Mental Health Information Service.
- Developing participation standards and opportunities working with Individual Representatives who sit on regional and national partnership boards, alongside professionals who are involved in the delivery of mental health services.
- Facilitating networks of 3rd Sector organisations to share best practice and information about mental health and wellbeing.
You can contact the Powys Mental Health Information Service on 01597 822191 option 4 and email us at mentalhealth@pavo.org.uk
Our core principles
- Promoting a whole-person approach to mental health and wellbeing.
- Making the experiences of service users a key part of all discussions about future plans.
- Strengthening partnership between voluntary sector and statutory organisations.
- Making mental health information accessible to everyone, so that people can make informed choices.
Our origins
The All Wales Mental Illness Strategy (1989) facilitated the employment of 10 Mental Health Development Officer posts across the country. Over the years this function has developed in Powys into the PAVO Mental Health Team that forms part of Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations and is currently funded by Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council.
What are our aims?
Our main aim is to improve and promote the services and opportunities that are available to people in Powys who have experience of mental distress and to those close to them. We want to make sure that Powys is a place that can offer people the opportunity to live healthy and fulfilling lives by striving to ensure that:
- We manage and deliver the services in Powys based on the principles of recovery and person-centred practice.
- There are new opportunities for professionals, and people with lived experience, to work together to improve the services and opportunities available to people experiencing mental distress.
- More power and responsibility is in the hands of individuals.
- The values of the lived experience of recovery and thriving are respected, valued and belong to the individual.
- People with experience of mental distress are able to benefit from greater opportunities to do things to help themselves and others locally.
- We all continue to learn together by sharing and debating our ideas, our own experiences, what we believe to be good practice (new and old) and our own journeys.
- People living and working in Powys know where to find the information they need.
What we do
We are Powys Association of Voluntary Organisation’s (PAVO) Mental Health Information Service.
- Just ask! Powys Mental Health Enquiry Line. We are here to try and answer your questions about mental health and wellbeing. Just some of the types of information we can provide are:
- mental health services in your area;
- events, training and courses;
- voluntary sector opportunities and support; and
- local and national mental health news.These are just examples, we will try to get you the information you need and if we don’t know then we will do our best to find out.
- Tell us your news! Got something that you want to tell others about? Then get in touch. Here are some of the ways that we can help you promote services, support and opportunities:
- Our events calendar and news pages are updated regularly. Got something you wish us to add? Let us know.
- Bi-monthly e-bulletin the latest mental health news and events by email. It goes to over 500 people across Powys and beyond. So if you have something you think we should promote or you would like to be on the distribution list, let us know.
- Take a browse! You can access information on our website any time at powysmentalhealth.org.uk, so take a look. If you can’t find what you are looking for or if you have any suggestions, let us know.
- Join the debate! Please visit our blog.
- Get Involved! Want to find out more about you can help shape services across Powys and Wales? Talk to Owen or find out more here.
- Not sure what you are looking for? Or what services and opportunities are available? Please do get in touch with us and we will try and help.
- Getting in touch! Call us on 01597 822191 or email us at mentalhealth@pavo.org.uk. We are available Monday to Friday 9 am – 5 pm.
Read about some of the questions we are regularly asked at the Information Service here.
Provide feedback
Provide feedback about this website, our work & activities – here
Or you can contact us directly with your feedback, suggestions and ideas on 01597 822191 or email mentalhealth@pavo.org.uk.
Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council fund the work of PAVO’s Mental Health Team (part of Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations). Our funders do not necessarily endorse the content of this website or the Powys Mental Health blog.
