Stephen Billing’s Blog

My latest white paper Bringing About Change in Mental Health NGOs outlines seven special alert factors that are unique to mental health NGOs.

I have been lucky enough over the last two years to get involved in the mental health sector through my work on change in mental health non-government organisations (NGOs).

I have been very invigorated by this work, which I feel helps people who have been affected by conditions that are not only frightening in themselves for individuals, but are also frequently misunderstood and stigmatised in wider society. As has been pointed out to me, people diagnosed with mental illness are unique in that they can be locked up against their will for indefinite periods without having committed a crime.

This is partly about our discomfort with dealing with behaviour that is out of the ordinary. I know that at times I have felt uncomfortable relating to people who are either experiencing the effects of a mental health condition or its treatment. The treatment can sometimes be as bad as the condition itself.

I have been particularly excited about my work with NGOs who offer what is known as peer support services. This means that people who have experienced mental illness and are in recovery assist others in their own recovery process.

I think that mental health NGOs have a particular set of challenges to deal with, and seven special alert factors are outlined in my latest white paper "Bringing About Change in Mental Health NGOs."

By the way, the picture shows the view from a side window in our master bedroom of a flowering hedge – a good tonic for any upset, don’t you think?