CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
The Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN) seeks to appoint additional members to its Executive Committees. The GMHPN appoints up to 3 representatives per country.
DEADLINE: OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Applicant criteria:
How to apply – submit the following to globalmentalhealthpeernetwork@gmail.com:
*Executive Committee Members serve in a voluntary capacity.
Countries currently represented include: South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, India, China, United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark, Australia, United States of America, Brazil, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Executive Committees will function in accordance to the GMHPN Executive Committees "Terms of Reference".
The Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN) seeks to appoint additional members to its Executive Committees. The GMHPN appoints up to 3 representatives per country.
DEADLINE: OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Applicant criteria:
- Are mental health care users/ persons with lived experience
- Are fluent in the English language
- Have a valid passport (Executive Committee Members may be required to travel)
- Are involved in mental health advocacy work in their country
- Have a fair to extensive knowledge of mental health structures at country level
- Are passionate and dedicated to the cause of mental health and improving the quality of life of all mental health care users
How to apply – submit the following to globalmentalhealthpeernetwork@gmail.com:
- Curriculum Vitae/ Resume
- Biography of 350 words and photograph
- Motivation letter
- Reference letter/ recommendation letter
- Supporting documents on involvement in mental health and relevant fields
*Executive Committee Members serve in a voluntary capacity.
Countries currently represented include: South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, India, China, United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark, Australia, United States of America, Brazil, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Executive Committees will function in accordance to the GMHPN Executive Committees "Terms of Reference".
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Ideally, the Global Mental Health Peer Network would consist of representation from all 195 countries of the world, but realistically, there are too many variables that at this point in time that may hinder the achievement of this in the short-term and even long-term. These variables may range from high levels of stigma and discrimination, disempowerment of persons with lived experience, low mental health and human rights literacy, a lack of acknowledgement that persons with lived experience are able to be active participants in their own lives and in their own communities, poverty taking precedence, and conflict situations. Stigma and discrimination may create an unsafe space for persons with lived experience to get involved in advocacy and awareness initiatives in communities or at a broader scale, as they may fear the consequences of stigma. Stigma can often lead to abuse and human rights violations and it is understandable that persons with lived experience rather refrain from announcing their diagnosis and own experiences with a mental health condition or mental disorder publicly. Another concern is the lack of mental health and human rights literacy among some communities that may impact on meaningful participation at a level where advocacy and awareness take place. In consideration of the above, the Global Mental Health Peer Network acknowledges its role to reach out to these countries and see how persons with lived experience, within their specific country context, can be empowered to achieve a level where they are able to self-advocate and advocate at a broader and global scale.
REGIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Country Executive Committee
Key Role of Executive Committees Members
Community intelligence is one of the most important aspects of the Global Mental Health Peer Network as an organisation that represents persons with lived experience and its members to ensure the needs, challenges, views, opinions and perspectives are reflected accurately in the advocacy and awareness initiatives undertaken by the Global Mental Health Peer Network. Lived experience needs, challenges, views, opinions and perspectives at both country and community levels form the basis of the development of short, medium and long-term recommendations and implementation plans that are responsive to specific country contexts. Therefore, the Executive Committee members can be viewed as the eyes and ears on the ground, the foot soldiers of their country – gathering information from persons with lived experience in regards to the personal experiences of those living with mental health conditions and mental disorders, not only focussing on access to mental health care and services, but also on access to overall health, education, employment and other life opportunities.
To enhance the gathering of community intelligence, sub-structures are being created, where in addition to the country sub-committees, the development of population specific group forums focus on target groups within society, and include: the LGBTQ community, youth, women, men, older persons, rural and refugee communities. These target groups bring their own unique perspectives – and as per the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals, the creation of the population specific group forums, the Global Mental Health Peer Network aims to “leave no one behind” when it comes to mental health and persons with lived experience. These forums are coordinated by the Global Office with the assistance of members of the Executive Committee leading discussions.
- Promote the Global Mental Health Peer Network and its activities
- Identify local mental health care user groups and movements, and facilitate communication between the groups and movements and the Global Office
- Recruit individual (lived experience) members and organisational members
- Assist in establishment of Country Sub-Committees
- Assist in leading population specific group forums such as for the LGBTQ community, youth, women, men, older persons
- Sourcing of content for the Global Mental Health Peer Network website, newsletter, social media and online platforms
- Gathering community intelligence on lived experience with their regional or country contexts
- Develop short, medium and long-term recommendations in addressing challenges and needs at regional and country level
- Build good standing relationships with stakeholders in their respective countries and regions
- Collaborate with stakeholders and partners in implementation of initiatives and advocacy activities
- Representing Global Mental Health Peer Network at country and international-level engagement platforms
- Review and provide inputs into mental health related policies, plans and documents from lived experience perspectives
- Participate in quarterly online meetings with the Global Office
- Attend annual face-to-face meeting of the Executive Committees (should funding be secured to cover travel and accommodation of delegates)
Community intelligence is one of the most important aspects of the Global Mental Health Peer Network as an organisation that represents persons with lived experience and its members to ensure the needs, challenges, views, opinions and perspectives are reflected accurately in the advocacy and awareness initiatives undertaken by the Global Mental Health Peer Network. Lived experience needs, challenges, views, opinions and perspectives at both country and community levels form the basis of the development of short, medium and long-term recommendations and implementation plans that are responsive to specific country contexts. Therefore, the Executive Committee members can be viewed as the eyes and ears on the ground, the foot soldiers of their country – gathering information from persons with lived experience in regards to the personal experiences of those living with mental health conditions and mental disorders, not only focussing on access to mental health care and services, but also on access to overall health, education, employment and other life opportunities.
To enhance the gathering of community intelligence, sub-structures are being created, where in addition to the country sub-committees, the development of population specific group forums focus on target groups within society, and include: the LGBTQ community, youth, women, men, older persons, rural and refugee communities. These target groups bring their own unique perspectives – and as per the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals, the creation of the population specific group forums, the Global Mental Health Peer Network aims to “leave no one behind” when it comes to mental health and persons with lived experience. These forums are coordinated by the Global Office with the assistance of members of the Executive Committee leading discussions.
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