vox scotland
Our Story
Voices of Experience was established as an organisation in December 2006
Voices of Experience (VOX) Scotland is a national member-led mental health charity. We are a membership organisation for people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, representing members’ views to politicians and health professionals to ensure Scotland’s laws and mental health services reflect their needs and interests.
The charity traces its origins back to a conference in Dundee in 2004, when 102 people with lived experience of mental ill health came together from across Scotland. There was a strong sense that whilst there were some opportunities to influence at a local level, there was nothing to bring this together nationally. With funding secured, Voices of Experience was established as an organisation in December 2006, and became a charity and company limited by guarantee in June 2009.
Today, Voices of Experience works to improve mental health policy and practice in Scotland by engaging with Scottish Government consultations, producing research, and organising participatory events for members to connect, learn, and have their voices heard. We provide collective advocacy and, as we are not a service provider can represent our members’ views without referring to financial considerations or a political agenda.
Our aims are to ensure that people with lived experience of mental health difficulties can:
- 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
Voices of Experience is a member-led organisation and any individual with a lived experience of mental illness (past or present) can join for free. A ‘formal’ medical diagnosis is not required. The Board considers membership applications at its regular monthly meetings and is very welcoming and inclusive. Individuals with mental health issues are often ‘locked out’ of mainstream society and we actively challenge this exclusion.
Read VOX Scotland’s Memorandum & Articles of Association
Read VOX Scotland’s Development Plan 2020-2027
VOX Scotland is a national membership organisation, open to all people in Scotland with lived experience of mental health difficulties. We represent the views of our 500+ individual, group, and associate members to politicians and health professionals – making sure that Scotland’s laws and mental health services reflect their needs and interests.
Company Info
Company Limited by Guarantee
No 361753
Registered Charity in Scotland
No SC040646
Terms & Conditions
Contact Us
VOX Scotland
Floor 2,
Moncreiff House,
69 West Nile Street,
Glasgow
G1 2QB
0141 226 9856
Social Media
Join Vox
We focus on the issues that matter to our members and undertake research and provide training to make sure our members views are heard. We are open and transparent and share our work with a national audience.
Memberships