ALLAN
PINCHES
writes on community affairs,
with special reference to mental health issues. A
former journalist, Allan is now developing a variety of community
development-based
education materials and articles highlighting mental health consumer
perspectives,
to appear on this Website.
Issues
covered
here will include: consumer
participation, rights and advocacy; effective methods and strategies
for
psychiatric disability support and clincical services; consumer
consultancy;
spirituality, personal growth and journeys toward recovery; and
commentaries
on sociological issues impinging on people's mental health. Allan
believes
the mental health field offers a unique window on where problems are
occurring
in our society -- what's broken
--and
potentially enriching and informing processes of seeking solutions --
how
to fix it. Could the experiences, hard-won learnings and
insights
of mental health consumers/ survivors/ ex-patients help point the way
to
a better, fairer, and more caring society and a more sustainable
social order?
Allan
currently works as a Consumer Consultant with a variety of Mental
Health Services, in facilitating communication between service
providers and consumers. He is a
regular
public speaker, contributor to mental health journals and an advisor to
a number of organisations. A selection of his articles
appear below...
In
search of true 
PLANETARY SANITY
In these times of global
challenges -- environmentally, economically
and politically --
the strong,
almost prophetic wisdom emerging
from some key thinkers in
our
community should be embraced.
__
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New Synthesis
PARTNERSHIPS:
What are they and how can we build them?
Click here
for PDF flyer to find out
how this book by Allan Pinches highlights many ways that positive
changes in the mental health field can be facilitated through New
Synthesis partnerships -- a skilful blending the best consusmer
and service provider knowledge.
In times of
challenge in the mental health field there is much to be gained
by exploring new ways of communicating, sharing visions, developing
strategies, building quality services and keeping processes
under ongoing review. Consumer participation and New Synthesis
partnerships could make a big difference to doing these things well.
Click for PDF flyer and order form.
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Still an essential report on readings from a consumer compass...
PATHFINDERS:
Consumer Participation in Mental
Health and other services: evidence
based strategies for the ways ahead.
Click here for a preview summary from
a leading journal.
PATHFINDERS:
Consumer Participation in
mental health and other services
An
essential research
report from Allan Pinches, a Consumer Consultant for Mental
Health, for
anyone
with a vital interest in the progress and further challenges of
consumer participation
in mental health and other services.:
- Achievements of mental
health consumer participation: including 18 key result areas. A huge
range of achievements, despite many challenges.
- Factors which have
promoted the success of the many local Victorian projects.
- Barriers and constraints
-- identifying key problems such as: resourcing issues, systemic
barriers, impacts of service cultures and environments, personal
strains on Consumer Consultants in often difficult and demanding roles,
and expressed needs for better resourcing and enhanced support systems.
- Practical problem solving
examples.
- More than 55 suggested
action strategies for a major strengthening of consumer participation
projects.
- Case studies on several
outstanding and innovative consumer participation projects.
- Rich contextual quotes
highlighting major themes from Consumer Consultants in interviews and
workshops, including hoped for future developments in consumer
participation and supportive observations from service
providers.
Click here for a flyer and order
form for PATHFINDERS.........or contact
alpin@alphalink.com.au.....or postal mail PO Box 85
Kingsbury Vic 3083.
TheMHS
Conference workshop
September 2007:
"Primary
Consumer Participation: Putting the consumer in control"
"Consumer:"
What's in a Name?
(click
here for a little rave...)
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Allan
Pinches
Consumer
Consultant for Mental Health
Bachelor of Arts in Community Development (Victoria
University)
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Email:
alpin@alphalink.com.au
Snail
mail: P.O. Box 85, Kingsbury, Vic, 3083.
(c) Copyright Allan Pinches 2006
