Suffolk User Forum Information

Suffolk User Forum (SUF) is an independent mental health user led involvement, peer support and advocacy organisation. Listening and giving people a voice is central to our work. Our support is designed around people’s individual needs, choices, and what matters to them. We promote the mentoring value of lived experience through meaningful coproduction and intervention-based support. We provide Advocacy Together – helping people at a time of mental health crisis to have their voice heard through inpatient mental health, non-statutory, peer-led advocacy, and support for self-advocacy. Healthy Together peer support – helping people living with severe mental illness (SMI) through peer support to achieve personal identified healthcare goals following annual SMI health checks. Peer telephone support – providing support to increase people’s mental health and wellbeing, building self-confidence and resilience, promoting connection, communities and reducing isolation. Making our Voice Count – gathering people’s feedback and enabling an active user voice in the commissioning and delivery of mental health services, facilitating coproduction, and influencing decision making, valuing lived experience as an essential resource for service improvement. Coproduction for suicide prevention – enabling the lived experience of suicidal feelings and bereavement by suicide to influence strategic plans and practice for suicide prevention and support. By promoting the coproduced crisis care model LISTEN and #kindesscounts promotional campaign, we are changing the language for suicide prevention, building partnerships and support networks. Signposting for support – providing information to navigate and access mental health and community support networks, helping people get the support they need, when they need it. Five Ways to Wellbeing – building emotional resilience and wellbeing for improved connection with self, others, and people’s communities, reducing social isolation