To register your interest in this opportunity, please complete this short form.About Open Mental Health: Open Mental Health (OMH) is the partnership between our Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) alliance, the NHS (Somerset Foundation Trust), Somerset Council, and individuals with lived experience of mental illness.
We are working together to improve the way people in Somerset receive support with their mental health by providing access to a number of specialist and holistic services and by changing the way that support is offered and provided.
Coproduction is highly valued within the alliance, and we strive for it to be at the heart of everything we do.We are working to change the culture and language associated with traditional mental health provision and believe that by working collaboratively in new and innovative ways we can support people together to achieve a better quality of life.The OMH Partnership Board brings together representatives of partner organisations with experts by experience, an Independent Chairperson and Lived Experience Co-Chairperson to develop and oversee the strategy and business plan for the VCFSE Alliance, alongside strategic oversight of the range of contracts being delivered by the VCFSE Alliance.
The intention of the Partnership is to coproduce with people using services and other stakeholders, a bold and radical redesign and delivery of community mental health care in Somerset.The OMH VCFSE alliance chair gives strategic leadership to support the alliance to achieve its vision and mission in Somerset, and brings substantial board, leadership and sector experience.
We now wish to complement that role with a co-chair who will bring substantial lived experience of the challenges and issues faced by people severely affected by mental ill health in Somerset.We welcome applications from people with lived experience, or as a carer of an individual with a mental illness.
We are interested in receiving applications from individuals within diverse communities. Services to be provided. As Independent Co-Chair you will: provide a strong link between the Open Mental Health Expert by Experience Leader team and the Partnership Board, ensuring that the work of the Board is informed by, and remains focused on, the voice of lived experience.work with the Independent Chair to provide leadership to the OMH VCFSE Alliance Boardcontribute to the setting of the agenda for Partnership Board meetings.chair meetings where appropriate.keep in regular contact with board membersbe a critical friend to the Independent Chair and to the Partnership Board, at all times championing the voice of lived experience.work together with colleagues to hold each other accountable for the alliance vision, mission and valuesact as an ambassador for the Somerset Open Mental Health VCFSE alliance along with the Independent Chair, the Lead Accountable Body and other board memberstake shared responsibility for addressing equality, diversity and inclusion and amplifying the voices of underrepresented groupsdevelop positive working relationship with VCFSE alliance partners, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, individuals and networksWhat you will bring to the role: Lived experience of mental illnessA passion for enabling change for people severely affected by mental illnessThe resources and ability to access support when you need it.Experience of attending and contributing to meetingsExperience of feeding back to others following attendance at meetingsA clear commitment to your own learning and continuous improvementAn ability to describe the blocks and barriers facing people affected by mental illnessAn ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of peopleA capacity to communicate clearly and effectivelySensitivity to the needs of othersDesirable knowledge or understanding of: Knowledge of Somerset voluntary sectorKnowledge of commissioner's and stakeholder's interestsExperience of chairing meetingsPersonal qualities: CompassionatePassionateCommittedApproachableTactful and diplomaticNon-judgmentalThe successful candidate will be engaged via?an?'honorarium' arrangement?with the Somerset Open Mental Health VCFSE alliance. The Independent Co-Chair will provide their services flexibly (3?days?/ 21?hours per month)?flexibly to be determined by the work. Interviews for this role will be held on 10th and 11th February 2025. Appointment to this role will be coordinated on behalf of the Alliance by the Independent Chair and Rethink Mental Illness (as Lead Accountable Body). The appointed individual will operate independently and will not be an employee of Rethink Mental Illness.
As Lead Accountable Body for the Alliance, Rethink Mental Illness will manage and process the honorarium payment.
HMRC considers an 'honorarium' as taxable income, subject to PAYE/NIC deductions. The 'employment' benefits detailed below do not apply to this appointment. To register your interest in this opportunity, please complete this short form.