Co-production at CPSL Mind – Hattie’s story

My name is Hattie, and I am currently in the final year of my undergraduate degree in ‘Psychology with mental health’ at the University of Lincoln. My degree has developed my understanding of common mental health difficulties, how to best respond to them, the knowledge of developmental differences, and lots more. Due to my busy schedule, it is important to support my wellbeing. I enjoy volunteering, spending time with animals, cooking, and attending concerts.

My mental health journey started at 12-years-old when I experienced anxiety and panic attacks, usually related to exams or crowded places. This escalated to OCD – repetitive behaviours, leading to low mood. At 19-years-old I was diagnosed with combined type ADHD by an educational psychologist, then again by a psychiatrist at 21-years-old. I have only recently started treatment after completing school and the majority of my degree – without the proper adjustments. Through a combination of therapies and a great support system, I have been able to use my lived experience to help other people and maintain positive mental health.

Reaching out for help can be scary so I recommend speaking to a trusted person in your life who may be able to help you in finding the right help and keep you motivated. Get involved with like-minded people and keep up with hobbies to help maintain your wellbeing within this process.

My journey with CPSL Mind

I initially reached out to CPSL Mind as a service user, attending the St. Neots good mood cafe at 17-years-old. I then received a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) shortly after. I was introduced to the co-production team as a result of the therapy, and this excited me due to my involvement with mental health provision at school. I settled into the group very quickly as CPSL Mind’s values were clearly integrated within the team, helping me feel like an equal whilst being very young. This atmosphere is created and withheld by the supportive nature of Allan and Laura. This ensured that these values were quickly embedded into my professional approach. I have enjoyed being part of a team which prioritises peer support and connections, as well as using our lived experience to aid mental health provisions.

Opportunities to support people

A key moment was being awarded the ‘Room to Reward’ award last year for my contribution to the team. I am so grateful to have been given so many opportunities over the years which have helped me grow personally and professionally, including STOP Suicide training, CPFT workshops and co-production training. This never-ending support has helped me get to where I am today, currently employed by Fullscope as an associate consultant. I now co-facilitate the youth mental health advisory group ‘Our Voices’ where I was originally a volunteer. The group consists of people aged 13-19 and they use their voice to help change and create services made for them.

Still work to be done

Nowadays young people are mislabelled as sensitive, although many of us are worried about our futures, the job and housing markets, as well as the general high cost of living. A lot of our teenage experiences were put on hold due to covid, putting everything online. This meant we missed out on crucial socialising with peers and this caused a general sense of panic due to the pandemic. It is integral that professionals take into consideration the impact these experiences had, and will continue to have on us and approach young people with sensitivity and empathy. I was able to chair the Taproot (age 16-25) mental health review, which revealed the lack of youth provisions, including youth clubs and specific co-designed services for young people. It is integral that service leads include young people in management and decision-making positions to inform the process. As the co-chair of this project, I was able to steer the conversation to young person specific queries to ensure the correct issues were being tackled. In-turn, it also helped me develop a better understanding of project development. It is very important that the affected groups are involved in the decision-making process to ensure that services understand and support their needs.

Explore volunteering to connect with others

In my experience, school rarely pushed volunteering opportunities on us due to academic focus. I would like to have seen more alternative voluntary opportunities being offered. In my opinion, excessive academic pressure and grade centred thinking is harmful to children and young people. Volunteering experiences offer alternative education through practical experience. We have seen fewer young people directly connect with their community so it would be lovely to see schools, colleges and universities push this as a form of learning. I believe that more young people should consider volunteering to connect with like-minded people and give back to your community. Additionally, it is a great way to make lasting connections and develop your understanding if you are interested in this field of work in the future.

CPSL Mind’s vital local services

I cannot stress the importance of local mental health charities such as CPSL Mind, which deliver direct change to our local community. Whilst mental health referrals and waiting lists are lengthy, drop-in services such as the ‘Good Mood Cafes’ are integral to helping wellbeing by making connections to people in your community. When I accessed this service during the pandemic it helped me get back to normality and opened me up to a community of support.

As an organisation, CPSL Mind has been nothing but welcoming and accepting and I cannot thank them enough for the support and opportunities I have received over the years helping me grow both personally and professionally. I am very pleased to say I have gone from a service user to volunteer and to now an employee!

Allan Hughes, Co-production Lead at CPSL Mind, shares his reflections on working with Hattie.

Image caption from left to right: Allan Hughes, Co-Production Lead at CPSL Mind and Hattie.

“Hattie first attended a Good Mood Cafe in St Neots, while talking to other attendees and volunteers she went on to join our co-production team—dedicating many hours to support us over the years— going onto co-facilitate youth voice work and chaired youth mental health projects with other organisations.

Working with Hattie for number of years has been great, bringing honesty, compassion and a real drive to make a difference for young people’s mental health and support.

She has developed her skills through co-production activities, building confidence and making the most of every opportunity and always showing up with care for others.

Hattie’s blog is a powerful example of how co-production, volunteering and peer support, can create not just better services, but better mental health outcomes and opportunities for everyone involved.

I’m incredibly proud to have been part of her journey, and both CPSL Mind and I are excited to have you start the next chapter with us in the Emotional Difficulties service!

When we co-produce, we don’t just build better services—we build trust, purpose, and belonging, which are all vital for better mental health.”

Are you passionate about positive mental health? Join our progressive and inclusive organisation, supporting others and developing your skills in a variety of voluntary roles supporting mental health within your local area. CPSL Mind has volunteering Cambridgeshire, volunteering Peterborough, and volunteering South Lincolnshire opportunities.

Find out more: https://www.cpslmind.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/