Want to know more about People Participation at Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS? Our Participation Leaflet details our work, what you could get out of it and how you can get involved
Click here to check out our People Participation Leaflet.
People Participation - Bedfordshire & Luton CAMHS
Participation at Bedfordshire & Luton CAMHS
There are lots of opportunities to have your say, think about how things could be improved and to make a difference.
This is open to all the young people who currently use our service. Some activities are aimed for young people over 12 years of age, however, we will also make sure younger children are supported to share their views in a number of different ways. You can remain involved up to 1 year after leaving the service.
Please email the team at elft.blcamhsparticipation@nhs.net to get involved or provide feedback.
CAMHSTalk Podcast
Our people participation team works with young people to produce a podcast about mental health, which you can listen to here: CAMHS Talk
Young People's Participation Group
Our participation group is on the last Wednesday of the month. Details for this month can be found in the poster. Young people who access our service across Bedfordshire and Luton site are all welcome to attend either location.
It is a friendly and supportive group which acts as a hub for getting involved with activities such as making videos, improving the waiting room, working with staff to develop new services and sitting on interview panels to recruit new staff members.
If you're interested in attending or have any questions, please email elft.blcamhsparticipation@nhs.net
The Chameleon magazine is written and designed by young people showcasing their participation work, interests, talents and skills. Young people submit articles ranging from sharing Participation work, advice, recipes, book reviews and art to be shared in CAMHS and with partner organisations.
Click here to read our 14th edition
Click here to read our 15th edition
Click here to read our 16th edition
If you are a service user of Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS and would like to submit anything for our next edition, email us at elft.blcamhsparticipation@nhs.net
Hear from our Young People in Participation:
"Participation has greatly impacted my life. It has given me a structure & routine, but most importantly a purpose. It has made me feel as if I can do something with my life, and that I am not defined by my differences. It has saved my life in terms of my mental health recovery, and I couldn't be more grateful"
"I have found participation helpful in terms of boosting my confidence. There are similar people that attend that I can relate to. It has given me a platform to contribute ideas and be a part of a welcoming group. It has helped towards believing in myself. It has given me opportunities to be involved in schemes and the ongoing consistency of participation has allowed me to have a set routine in my daily life that is not overwhelming. This in turn encourages me to keep motivated and I feel that I am part of a group that is friendly and open. You can express your ideas freely without the fear that you will be judged or not taken seriously. Your thoughts are taken on board and there is no pressure to take on anything that you are not comfortable with."
"Participation was recommended to me when I was searching for work experience in year 11. It has been such a formative part of my life since - I have made friends, attended important events and even got a job! The staff are so nice and genuinely feel like they care. As a young person I always felt safe and like a priority. It's amazing :)"
"I have been in CAMHS for a couple years and joined the Participation group a couple of months ago and it has been very beneficial. A lot of young people have gone through CAMHS with a negative idea of what it is. Participation empowers young people and provides the opportunity to give our opinions on how we can improve CAMHS and understand how it works inside. There are different focus groups which provide opportunities for people with different skill sets so there’s something for everyone to get involved with. It’s also very accessible as we do some meetings online where people can have their cameras off if need be and some in person for people who struggle with technology or don’t have the equipment to join. Everyone is so welcoming and supportive from the staff to other participants and I’ve loved being a part of the community."