I'm looking forward to meeting the new Health and Social Services Minister Lesley Griffiths AM next Friday when she will launch "Safeguarding for the protection of vulnerable adults", an educational DVD made by Hafal mental health service users and carers in conjunction with Wrexham Council and the Social Services Improvement Agency (SSIA). See more on this here.
The aim of the DVD is to provide information on safeguarding and to examine what the barriers to reporting abuse are. The film's message is: "Talk to somebody. Don't put up with it. Don't keep it to yourself. It's not OK."
I've had a sneak preview and it really works well, demonstrating that the best people to convey otherwise dusty and technical-sounding messages about protecting vulnerable adults are the people who are directly affected. Keep an eye on this brilliant group of service users who are making a reputation as excellent communicators as well as working really effectively with our colleagues in Wrexham to improve local mental health services.
Hafal's Wrexham Community Link Worker, Denise Charles, who was involved with the production of the DVD, tells me that the Minister is a good friend to Hafal in her constituency: "I'm delighted that Lesley is launching the DVD because she has been very supportive of Hafal in Wrexham. For example, last year she was interviewed by service users from our project for our newsletter, ‘Voice'. She later invited them to the Senedd on St David's Day this year where she treated them to a tour of the building and gave them VIP treatment."
Meanwhile our Royal Welsh stand has been a runaway success, even attracting its own choir (follow this link).
