ABOUT VOX

VOX stands for Voices of eXperience, and VOX was formed to ensure that the voices of people with a lived experience of mental illness can actively:

– shape Scotland’s laws

– influence service design and delivery

– promote a better understanding of mental illness in wider society

– advance the general interests of people with mental health issues.

VOX provides collective advocacy at the Scottish national level – representing groups and communities with a lived experience of mental illness – and we also support individuals to form their own groups to express their experiences in their own words. Building capacity is a key part of the VOX mission and we’ve supported user-led mental health groups in Orkney and Aberdeen to get up and running.

In some ways, VOX acts as an intermediary between the people, Scotland’s Government and health and social care services. We try to promote a good ‘fit’ between mental health services and laws to ensure that everyone benefits and public money is spent wisely.

We don’t provide individual advocacy, counselling, home support or care services – we exist to represent our members’ views at the national level to health professionals and politicians. We don’t have a vested interest in service provision and this enables us to represent our members’ views without referring to financial considerations or a political agenda.

VOX represents at the national level across all mental health issues and works in partnership with local/regional groups and thematic mental health organisations (e.g. Bipolar Scotland). We don’t compete with local groups and encourage all our members to think about joining local groups and organisations. Learn more about VOX group members  and associate members .

VOX is a member-led organisation and any individual with a lived experience of mental illness (past or present) can join – a ‘formal’ medical diagnosis is not required. The VOX Board considers membership applications at its regular monthly meetings and is very welcoming and inclusive – individuals living with mental health issues are often ‘locked out’ of mainstream society and VOX challenges this exclusion. Apply for individual membership if you think VOX might be good for you.

Mental health groups led by service users or individuals with a lived experience of mental illness can apply to become VOX group members. Learn more about VOX group membership.

Mental health groups led by health professionals, volunteers or carers can apply to become VOX associate members. Learn more about VOX associate membership.

VOX members decide VOX priorities at our two national members’ meetings per year and VOX staff implement these priorities on a day to day basis. Our Board consists of twelve VOX members with a lived experience of mental illness plus three nominated members with special expertise in mental health issues. Learn more about VOX governance, the Board of Directors and VOX staff.

VOX doesn’t offer individual advocacy and we don’t provide specialist mental health services. We represent VOX members’ views to Government, Parliament, the NHS and wider society and we support and enable VOX members to express their views in their own words. We implement VOX policies decided at our national members’ meetings and undertake research on mental health issues.

Learn more about our national members meetings, our AGM, our regional meetings, our capacity building and the VOX BOX newsletter by opening up any of the boxes below.

VOX holds two national members’ meetings per year – our September AGM and a Jan/Feb winter event. These meetings establish VOX priorities and we capture our members’ views through inclusive methods. We hold our national meetings in a range of locations (Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, Edinburgh etc) to fulfil VOX’s remit as Scotland’s national voice and all VOX members are warmly invited to attend these meetings.

Each national meeting is themed around a major mental health issue, with guest speakers invited to discuss these issues and answer questions. This enables VOX members to learn more about key issues and express their views directly to the individuals who shape mental health policy. Our February 2014 event was attended by the Head of the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Law Unit (Kirsty McGrath) who gave a presentation on human rights and the Mental Health Bill being drafted at that time. After listening to Kirsty, VOX members broke into small groups to discuss her comments before questioning her on the Bill’s human rights implications. Kirsty and her colleague took lots of notes, and we hope that these notes influenced the Bill’s development at Holyrood.

VOX members’ meetings address major mental health issues but they’re also friendly and informal.  We hope these meetings give VOX members an opportunity to meet and make new friends – it’s good to know you’re not alone in the world!

VOX is Scotland’s national voice on mental health and while our office is based in Glasgow, we work hard to represent Scotland as a whole – not just the central belt. To achieve this, we organise one major regional meeting per year to maximise opportunities for VOX members around Scotland to attend VOX events and promote equality of involvement. The 2013 regional meeting was held in Aberdeen and our 2014 regional meeting was held in Moray.

VOX capacity-building takes two forms and we do everything we can to support VOX members to express their own views in their own words. Firstly, we support VOX members to attend training events to acquire skills that will assist them to express their views in public. In the past, we’ve supported VOX members to attend training events on public speaking, conducting research, developing organisations, co-production and working in partnership. Active citizens contribute to a healthy society and we do everything we can to promote this. If you’d like to access training opportunities, please contact the VOX office on 0141 572 1663 or info@voxscotland.org.uk

VOX produces a regular members’ newsletter (VOXBOX) to foster a sense of community among VOX members, share views on mental health and support the development of an informal network among Scottish mental health organisations. VOX members decide the editorial focus for each edition so if you’d like to suggest a theme for a future newsletter or submit a poem/article/artwork, please email Wendy McAuslan or call her on 0141 226 9856. You can also write to Wendy at:

VOX

c/o Mental Health Foundation
Floor 5, Merchants House
30 George Square
Glasgow G2 1EG

The more input we have from VOX members, the better our newsletter will be!
Browse through back copies of the VOX newsletter

VOX Newsletter14 Summer 2015 VOX Newsletter13 Spring 2015 VOX Newsletter12 Summer 2013 VOX Newsletter11 Spring 2012 VOX Newsletter10 Winter 2011docx VOX Newsletter9 June 2011 VOX Newsletter8 January 2011 VOX Newsletter7 Winter 2010 VOX Newsletter6 Spring 2010 VOX Newsletter5 Winter 2009 VOX Newsletter4 Summer 2009 VOX Newsletter3 Spring 2009 VOX Newsletter2 Winter 2008 VOX Newsletter1 March 2008

VOX Board of Directors meeting

VOX is governed by a fifteen-person Board of Directors – 12 elected directors (VOX members with a lived experience of mental illness) and 3 non-elected directors (specialists in mental health issues). The 12 elected directors actively govern VOX while the three non-elected directors provide advice and information when requested.

VOX Directors are elected for six years at a time and – following that – they must step down for at least one year before they can stand for election to the Board again. This means that we’re regularly looking for members to step forward and think about joining the Board.

Any VOX member can stand for Board membership by nominating themselves as a candidate at the Annual General Meeting, and the candidates receiving the most votes are elected onto the Board. Once a new board is in place, they select four office holders from among themselves (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary) with one person serving as Chair. The Chair liaises with staff and the other office holders and ensures that everyone gets a fair chance to speak at Board meetings. If there are ever any tied votes at VOX Board meetings, the Chair can cast a deciding vote.

VOX Board of Directors meeting

The VOX Board meets ten times per year (plus the two national members’ meetings) to discuss VOX business and ensure that VOX staff implement VOX priorities. The Board also considers membership applications, monitors the budget and responds to changes in mental health legislation and policy.

In addition to the 12 member directors and 3 non-member directors, four specialist advisors assist the work of the VOX Board.

Learn more about our Member Directors, Advisors, Board Meetings, AGM, Memo & Articles of Association, Business Plan and Staff by viewing any of the content below.

VOX is transparent and open and visitors are welcome to read VOX Board meeting minutes to learn more about our work.

VOX Board Minuthttps://voxscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/VOX-62nd-Board-Minutes-January-2017.doces Jan-April 2015
VOX Board Minutes 2014
VOX Board Minutes 2013
VOX Board Minutes 2012
VOX Board Minutes 2011
VOX Board Minutes 2010 EGM
VOX Board Minutes 2010
VOX Board Minutes 2009

VOX is transparent and open and visitors are welcome to read VOX Board meeting minutes to learn more about our work.

VOX Board Minutes Jan-April 2015
VOX Board Minutes 2014
VOX Board Minutes 2013
VOX Board Minutes 2012
VOX Board Minutes 2011
VOX Board Minutes 2010 EGM
VOX Board Minutes 2010
VOX Board Minutes 2009

VOX is transparent and open and visitors are welcome to read our AGM minutes to learn more about our work.

VOX AGM Minutes 2015
VOX AGM Minutes 2014
VOX AGM Minutes 2011-2013
VOX AGM Minutes 2008-2010

Read the VOX Memorandum and Articles of Association to learn more about VOX governance, objectives and membership rules.

VOX Memorandum & Articles of Association

Read the VOX Business Plan for 2014-17 to learn more about VOX organisational objectives and policies.

VOX Business plan 2014-2017
VOX Business plan 2011-2012

John has experience as a mental health service user since 1991 and has been a supporter of the Clubhouse movement since joining Scotia Clubhouse in Glasgow in 2001. John has attended many Clubhouse conferences in Europe and the United States and spoke at a fundraising event at the UN in New York. He was also a Faculty Member of the International Centre for Clubhouse Development and, by being involved in the Clubhouse movement, has acquired many additional skills which he uses in his work with VOX.  As VOX’s Administration Officer, John looks after the VOX website and issues a weekly update for individual, group and associate members. John also looks after the day to day running of the VOX office and organises major VOX events such as the Annual Conference and Annual Members’ Meeting.

Email John      Call John on 0141 226 9854