Global Networks

A key component of the global lived experience movement will be the creation and maintenance of Global Networks. Each network will focus on a specific aspect of the movement, ensuring a comprehensive and coordinated approach to supporting and advocating for the rights, needs, and opportunities of people with lived experience.

These networks will be responsible for building and maintaining connections among consumers, carers, and organisations within their jurisdiction. They will coordinate activities on a global scale, fostering collaboration and consistency across regions. Additionally, each network will collect, analyse, and display relevant data on their respective websites, ensuring transparency and accessibility of information to support evidence-based decision-making and advocacy efforts.

Consumer Advocacy Groups

The role of a global network for consumer advocacy groups involves creating a coordinated framework to map, connect, and promote collaboration among consumer advocacy groups worldwide. By mapping these groups, the network can facilitate the exchange of best practices, resources, and knowledge, enabling more impactful advocacy for consumers on a global scale. This network could function effectively through the following:

Mapping and Connecting Advocacy Groups: The network could act as a central hub that maps consumer advocacy groups worldwide, detailing their areas of focus, challenges, and successes. This would help identify synergies between organisations and areas where collaboration can amplify impact.
Promoting Leadership Opportunities: A core role of the network would be to promote leadership development within consumer advocacy groups. By identifying leaders, empowering them with the necessary tools, and fostering cross-border collaboration, the network can support a new generation of advocates prepared to address global consumer issues, including digital privacy, sustainability, and equity.
Resource Sharing: By creating a system that allows resources (such as research, policy papers, funding opportunities, and educational materials) to be shared, the network can enhance the effectiveness of smaller, less-resourced groups by providing access to knowledge and tools that might otherwise be inaccessible.
Establishing Standards and Guidelines: The network develops best practices and ethical guidelines for advocacy, creating a more unified and consistent global approach to consumer advocacy. This could also involve developing standards for leadership roles and certifications, ensuring that leaders within these organisations are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to represent consumers effectively.

By establishing such a framework, the global network would not only provide consumer advocacy groups with the tools they need to grow and thrive but also strengthen the global voice of consumers, ensuring that their interests are well-represented in key policy discussions and international economic trends.

Mental Health Commissions and Councils

A global network of mental health commissions and councils could play a pivotal role in amplifying the voices of individuals with lived experience, ensuring that mental health policies, services, and advocacy efforts are grounded in the real experiences of those with mental health challenges. The network could serve as a platform for connecting representatives from mental health commissions and councils worldwide who have lived experience. This would enable the sharing of perspectives, insights, and personal stories that can inform and drive changes in mental health policy.

By unifying these voices, the network can ensure that the policies developed by mental health commissions and councils are reflective of the actual needs and experiences of those affected by mental health issues. This can lead to the sharing of best practices, innovative approaches to mental health care, and effective advocacy strategies. By learning from each other’s successes and challenges, the global network can help create more effective and inclusive mental health systems worldwide.

By providing a platform for regular communication and collaboration, the network could unite mental health commissions and councils worldwide in a collective voice. This unified approach would strengthen their advocacy efforts when engaging with governments, international bodies, and organisations, helping to push for systemic change in global mental health services, resources, and policies.

Lived Experience Advisory Groups

A global network of lived experience advisory groups could create a coordinated, worldwide framework that strengthens the voices of those with lived experience, ensuring their influence in shaping policies, practices, and services globally. The Role of a Global Network of Lived Experience Advisory Groups:

Mapping and Connecting Lived Experience Advisory Groups to help establish connections
Facilitating Global Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing The network would be a space for lived experience advisory groups to collaborate and share knowledge, best practices, and resources. By learning from each other’s successes, failures, and insights, these groups could enhance their advocacy efforts and improve their impact.
Building Capacity and Leadership Development The network could invest in leadership training and capacity-building for members of lived experience advisory groups. These programs could focus on developing skills such as public speaking, policy advocacy, and leadership in the context of lived experience, equipping individuals to be more effective in their roles as advisors and advocates. This could ensure that lived experience representatives are not only part of the conversation but are equipped to lead it.
Resource Sharing and Access to Information The network could serve as a platform to share resources, research, and evidence-based tools to support the work of lived experience advisory groups. This could include everything from policy briefs and reports to tools for engaging with policymakers and businesses. By providing a repository of knowledge and resources, the network could help ensure that all advisory groups, regardless of their size or resources, are equipped with the information they need to succeed.

A global network of lived experience advisory groups would play a transformative role in ensuring that the voices of those who have lived experience are heard and actively shape the systems, policies, and services that impact them. By providing a platform for connection, collaboration, capacity building, and advocacy, the network can ensure that lived experiences are meaningfully integrated into the global conversation on critical issues. This network would provide the structure and support necessary for lived experience representatives to work together effectively, fostering a more inclusive, empathetic, and responsive global approach to addressing the needs and rights of those with lived experience.

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Consumer and Family Advisory Groups

The Consumer and Family Advisory Group Global Network could function as a coordinating framework to map, connect, and promote collaboration among consumer and family advisory groups worldwide. Its role would be to ensure these groups are operating within a unified framework and working towards common global goals, facilitating stronger, coordinated advocacy and shared best practices for better outcomes across different regions.

Peak Bodies

The Peak Bodies Global Network would unite peak bodies from around the world to ensure they operate within a unified framework, focusing on strategic leadership and coordination of national campaigns. This network would advocate for consumer rights, strengthen collaboration across regions, and act as a key liaison between governments and consumer organisations, ensuring a collective voice on global issues affecting consumers.

Lived Experience Leadership

The Lived Experience Leadership Global Network would serve as a platform for connecting lived experience leaders from various sectors, creating opportunities for collaboration and professional development. This network would focus on empowering individuals with lived experience to take on leadership roles within their communities, organisations, and broader societal movements. The network would facilitate peer-to-peer support and create a sense of community among lived experience leaders, acting as a unified body to advocate for the rights and leadership of individuals with lived experience and help shape global policies, frameworks, and initiatives that centre on their needs and contributions.

Consumer-Run Organisations

The Consumer-Run Organization Global Network would aim to map, connect, and develop consumer-run organisations worldwide within the mental health sector. Its primary goal would be to strengthen and expand the influence of organisations that are led by individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges, ensuring their voices are central to shaping mental health systems and policies globally. Key functions of the network would include:

Mapping Consumer-Run Mental Health Organizations Globally: The network would create a comprehensive map of consumer-run organisations focused on mental health, identifying existing groups and highlighting emerging ones. This would provide a clearer understanding of the global landscape and identify regions where further development or support is needed.
Connecting Consumer-Run Organizations: The network would act as a platform for connecting consumer-run mental health organisations worldwide. By fostering international collaboration, it would facilitate the sharing of resources, experiences, and best practices to support mutual growth and advocacy. This connection would also create opportunities for organisations to collaborate on joint initiatives and campaigns.
Supporting the Development of Consumer-Run Organizations: The network would provide resources and guidance to help establish and strengthen emerging consumer-run organisations within the mental health sector. It would offer training, mentorship, governance, leadership, and advocacy frameworks, helping these organisations grow their capacity to represent and empower people with lived experience effectively.
Promoting Shared Goals and Values: The network would ensure that all consumer-run organisations within the mental health field are aligned with a unified framework emphasising empowerment, self-determination, and consumer rights. This collective approach would promote the well-being of individuals with lived experience and advocate for systems and policies that are responsive to their needs.

The Consumer-Run Organization Global Network would serve as a central hub to foster the growth, coordination, and collaboration of consumer-run organisations within the mental health sector. Through strategic support and global partnerships, the network would ensure that individuals with lived experience are empowered, connected, and positioned at the forefront of mental health system transformation.

Peer Support Services

The Peer Support Services Global Network would focus on mapping, connecting, and facilitating the best practices of peer support services worldwide. Its role would be to strengthen the global peer support movement within the mental health field by ensuring that peer support services are accessible, effective, and operate under shared standards guided by lived experience. Key functions of the network would include:

Mapping Peer Support Services Globally: The network would create a comprehensive directory of peer support services available worldwide, identifying existing programs, services, and initiatives. This would enable stakeholders to understand the global landscape of peer support in mental health, identifying gaps or underrepresented areas where further development is needed.
Connecting Peer Support Services: The network would serve as a central platform to connect peer support services from various countries and regions, thereby fostering international collaboration and cooperation. Facilitating connections would enable organisations to share insights, resources, and strategies, allowing for mutual learning and growth. Peer supporters and organisations could exchange best practices, learn from each other's successes and challenges, and work together to improve services globally.
Facilitating Best Practices: The network would identify and promote best practices in peer support services, ensuring they are evidence-based, effective, and culturally relevant. This could include developing guidelines, toolkits, and training programs that support the professional development of peer workers and organisations, ensuring high standards of care and practice in the peer support field.
Providing Training and Resources: The network would offer ongoing support to peer support services through training opportunities, workshops, and educational resources. This would help peer supporters develop essential skills, increase their impact, and promote the sustainability of peer support programs. It could include specialised training in trauma-informed care, active listening, and advocacy.

The Peer Support Services Global Network would be a vital platform for enhancing and expanding the reach of peer support services worldwide. By mapping services, promoting best practices, and fostering international collaboration, the network would ensure that peer support remains a central and effective component of the global mental health ecosystem.

User-Led Organisations

The User-Led Organization Global Network would provide a unified framework for global mapping, connecting, and promoting user-led organisations. Its role would be to strengthen the international movement of organisations led by individuals with lived experience, ensuring that these organisations are effective, collaborative, and focused on empowering users to shape systems and policies that impact their lives. The network would serve as a central platform to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, resources, and strategies to support the growth and impact of user-led organisations globally.

Recovery Colleges

The Recovery College Global Network aims to provide a unified framework for mapping, connecting, and promoting recovery colleges worldwide. Its role would be to support and expand the reach of recovery colleges, which are educational institutions focused on empowering individuals with lived experiences of mental health challenges through learning and personal development. Key functions would include:

Mapping Recovery Colleges Globally: The network would create a global directory of recovery colleges, identifying existing programs, resources, and best practices. This would enable stakeholders to access a wide range of recovery-focused educational options and identify areas for potential growth or collaboration.
Connecting Recovery Colleges: The network would allow recovery colleges to connect and share knowledge. This could include networking opportunities for institutions to collaborate on curriculum development, teaching methods, and student support, fostering a global learning community and mutual support.
Promoting Recovery Colleges: The network would promote the value and benefits of recovery colleges globally, raising awareness of their role in mental health recovery. The network would advocate for broader implementation and funding for recovery colleges by showcasing successful models and sharing impactful outcomes.
Central Access to Online Courses: The network would provide a central location for individuals to access online courses from recovery colleges worldwide, ensuring that learning opportunities are accessible to a broader audience, regardless of location. This platform would make it easier for people to engage with courses that support their mental health and recovery journey.
Supporting Curriculum Development: The network would offer resources and support for developing recovery-focused curricula. This could include guidelines, frameworks, and collaborative opportunities for recovery colleges to create evidence-based, person-centred educational programs that reflect the principles of recovery and empower learners.

The Recovery College Global Network would help connect and support recovery colleges, ensuring their educational offerings are accessible, effective, and aligned with global recovery principles. It would foster international collaboration, create learning opportunities, and contribute to the worldwide growth of the recovery college movement.

Clubhouses

The Clubhouse Global Network would operate on a framework similar to Clubhouse International, focusing on mapping, connecting, and monitoring the standards of clubhouses worldwide. These clubhouses, which provide community-based, peer-driven support for individuals with mental health challenges, would be encouraged to operate under common guidelines to ensure consistency and quality across different regions. Key functions of the network would include:

Mapping Clubhouses Globally: The network would create a comprehensive map of clubhouses worldwide, identifying existing programs and regions where clubhouses are currently unavailable. This would enable a better understanding of the global landscape of clubhouse services and help identify areas where further development is necessary.
Connecting Clubhouses: The network would provide a platform for clubhouses worldwide to connect, share best practices, and collaborate on initiatives. Fostering global communication would enable the exchange of knowledge and experiences, strengthening the clubhouse model globally.
Monitoring and Ensuring Common Standards: The network would focus on monitoring the adherence of clubhouses to established common standards and guidelines. These standards would ensure that clubhouses provide high-quality, consistent support to members and operate by the principles of empowerment, inclusivity, and recovery. The network would provide regular assessments and updates to ensure clubhouses meet these standards.
Providing Support and Resources: The network would offer resources to support clubhouse development and sustainability, including guidance on governance, operations, and best practices. It could also provide access to training programs and other materials to ensure that clubhouses remain aligned with international standards and provide effective services.
Advocating for the Clubhouse Model: The network would advocate for expanding and recognising the clubhouse model globally, helping to raise awareness of its benefits within mental health systems and policy discussions. It would work to ensure that the clubhouse model is supported by funding, policy, and recognition at local, national, and international levels.

The Clubhouse Global Network would serve as a central hub for connecting, supporting, and monitoring clubhouses worldwide. It would ensure that they operate under common guidelines and provide high-quality, peer-driven support to individuals with mental health challenges.

Consumer-Run Drop In Centre

The Consumer-Run Drop-In Centre Global Network would provide a unified framework to map, connect, and promote consumer-run drop-in centres worldwide. Its role would be to support the global movement of consumer-run, community-based centres where individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges can access peer support, resources, and a safe space for recovery and empowerment.

Warmlines

The Warmlines Global Network would focus on mapping, connecting, standardising, and promoting warmline operations worldwide. Its goal would be to ensure that individuals seeking peer support during times of distress or crisis have access to reliable, accessible, and high-quality warmline services worldwide. The network would focus on standardising warmline operations to ensure they operate under common guidelines and principles. This would include establishing quality standards for training, confidentiality, peer support, and accessibility, ensuring consistency and effectiveness across services. The network would advocate for expanding and recognising warmline services as an essential component of mental health and crisis response systems. By raising awareness of their benefits, the network would work to ensure more widespread funding, policy support, and integration of warmlines into mental health frameworks.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan
(WRAP)

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Global Network aims to standardise the WRAP framework, ensure access to resources worldwide, and establish a global directory of individuals and organisations offering WRAP services. The network aims to strengthen the implementation of WRAP as a powerful tool for recovery and self-management, ensuring consistency and accessibility for individuals seeking support and empowerment through this approach. Key functions would include:

Standardizing the WRAP Framework: The network would ensure that WRAP services are provided under consistent guidelines and best practices, maintaining the model's integrity. This would include establishing universal standards for WRAP training, delivery, and evaluation across different regions and countries.
Providing Access to Resources: The network would ensure that resources related to WRAP, such as training materials, support systems, and guides, are readily available to individuals, mental health professionals, and organisations worldwide. It would provide a central hub where these resources can be accessed and distributed globally, ensuring that WRAP tools are easily accessible for all who wish to use them.
Creating a Global Directory of WRAP Service Providers: The network would develop and maintain a global directory of individuals and organisations providing WRAP services. This directory will serve as a resource for individuals seeking WRAP facilitators, trainers, and peer supporters in their region, ensuring widespread access to high-quality WRAP services.
Promoting WRAP Globally: The network would advocate for the widespread adoption of WRAP as a global key recovery tool within mental health systems, raising awareness of its benefits for individuals managing their mental health and wellness. It would also be beneficial to ensure that WRAP is incorporated into mental health and wellness policies worldwide, promoting it as a central component of recovery-based services.

The WRAP Global Network will work to ensure that the WRAP model is standardised, accessible, and well-supported worldwide, enabling people to utilise WRAP as an effective tool for self-directed recovery and wellness management.

Open Dialogue

The Open Dialogue Global Network would create a unified framework to standardise open dialogue, connect practitioners and service providers, and promote its benefits worldwide. Open dialogue is a mental health approach that emphasises communication, collaboration, and the inclusion of family and social networks in the treatment process. This network would help ensure that the principles of open dialogue are consistently applied and accessible globally. Key functions would include:

Standardizing Open Dialogue Practices: The network would establish global guidelines and best practices to ensure that open dialogue is delivered consistently and effectively across different regions. This would include training, protocols, and approaches that align with the core principles of open dialogue, ensuring high-quality and reliable service delivery.
Connecting Open Dialogue Practitioners: The network would facilitate connections between open dialogue practitioners, mental health professionals, and organisations worldwide. It would help strengthen the global open dialogue community by creating opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange and promoting shared learning and support.
Global Directory of Open Dialogue Service Providers: The network would maintain a comprehensive, easily accessible global directory of open dialogue service providers. This would include practitioners, clinics, and organisations offering open dialogue services, making it easier for individuals to find the support they need, no matter their location.
Promoting Open Dialogue: The network would advocate for the widespread adoption and recognition of open dialogue as an effective, collaborative approach to mental health care. This would involve raising awareness of its benefits, engaging with mental health policy discussions, and supporting the integration of open dialogue into existing mental health frameworks worldwide.

The Open Dialogue Global Network would play a key role in standardising and expanding the open dialogue approach, providing the necessary tools and connections to promote its global use and ensuring this valuable mental health model is accessible to individuals and communities worldwide.

Hearing Voices Movement

The Hearing Voices Movement Global Network would operate under a framework similar to Intervoice, with the primary goal of global mapping, standardisation, and promotion of hearing voices organisations and initiatives. The network aims to reduce the stigma surrounding voice-hearing, advocate for the acceptance of diverse experiences of hearing voices and ensure that individuals who listen to voices receive supportive, recovery-focused care. Key functions would include:

Mapping Hearing Voices Organizations and Initiatives: The network would create a comprehensive global directory of hearing voices organisations, support groups, and initiatives, identifying where voice-hearing support services are available and where gaps exist. This would enable better access to services and ensure that individuals can find suitable support regardless of their location.
Standardizing Approaches to Hearing Voices: The network would work to standardise the approach to hearing voices across different regions, ensuring that services are evidence-based and grounded in recovery principles. This would involve establishing guidelines and best practices for working with individuals who hear voices, ensuring that interventions are compassionate, effective, and respectful of the diverse experiences of individuals who hear voices.
Promoting Voice Hearing Awareness: The network would play a crucial role in promoting voice hearing as a natural human experience rather than a sign of mental illness. The network would advocate for more inclusive attitudes and reduce societal judgment.
Connecting Hearing Voices Communities: The network would facilitate connections between hearing voices groups, practitioners, and organisations worldwide. By creating opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing, the network would help strengthen the global movement, encourage innovation, and support the development of new initiatives that focus on empowering individuals who experience hearing voices.

The Hearing Voices Movement Global Network aims to foster a global, collaborative, and stigma-reducing environment for individuals who experience auditory or visual hallucinations, ensuring that voice hearing is understood, accepted, and supported to promote recovery and mental well-being.

Therapeutic Communities

The Therapeutic Community Global Network would operate as a unified framework aimed at mapping, supporting, regulating, standardising, and promoting therapeutic communities worldwide. Therapeutic communities are structured settings that focus on the holistic, collective healing of individuals, often in residential or day programs. Participants are actively involved in shaping their recovery process through mutual support, peer engagement, and professional guidance.

Key functions would include:

Mapping Therapeutic Communities: The network would create a global directory of therapeutic communities, allowing individuals to locate and access these services easily. This mapping would highlight where therapeutic communities are already operating, identify areas lacking these services, and help expand access to communities in underserved regions.
Supporting Therapeutic Communities: The network would provide ongoing support to therapeutic communities, offering resources, training, and tools to help them enhance their operations. This would involve creating a space for communities to share challenges, solutions, and innovations, fostering growth and improvement across the global network.
Regulating and Standardizing Practices: The network would work to standardise the principles and practices of therapeutic communities, ensuring that they provide safe, effective, and ethical services. This would include establishing global standards for community guidelines, staff training, participant involvement, and the delivery of therapeutic services, as well as monitoring compliance to ensure the maintenance of high-quality care.
Promoting Therapeutic Communities: The network would advocate for expanding and recognising therapeutic communities as a vital part of the mental health and recovery landscape. By raising awareness about their benefits, the network would work to integrate them into mainstream mental health and social care systems, encouraging governments and institutions to support their development and implementation.
Fostering Global Collaboration: The network would connect therapeutic communities globally, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing across borders. This could include hosting events, conferences, or online platforms that enable communities to exchange best practices and share challenges, fostering a spirit of mutual learning and continuous improvement.

The Therapeutic Community Global Network will ensure that therapeutic communities are accessible, standardised, and well-supported worldwide. By providing a central framework for connection, regulation, and advocacy, the network would enhance the impact of therapeutic communities, empowering them to create healing environments where individuals can thrive in their recovery.

Anti-Stigma Campaigns

The Anti-Stigma Campaign Global Network will focus on mapping, supporting, and coordinating advocacy and awareness campaigns to reduce stigma surrounding mental health and related issues worldwide. The network's goal would be to ensure that professionals working on anti-stigma campaigns in different countries are connected, that these campaigns are systematically implemented across regions, and that the most effective programs are shared globally to reduce duplication of efforts. Key functions would include:

Mapping Anti-Stigma Campaigns: The network would create a global anti-stigma advocacy and awareness campaigns map. This would involve identifying existing initiatives, the regions they cover, and the specific mental health or social issues they address. This mapping would help ensure comprehensive coverage and identify areas lacking initiatives, allowing them to be addressed.
Supporting Campaigns and Professionals: The network would support professionals and organisations leading anti-stigma efforts, offering tools, resources, and training to help them run effective campaigns. This could include sharing successful strategies, offering grants or funding opportunities, and creating a platform for professionals to exchange ideas and collaborate on new initiatives.
Ensuring Global Implementation: The network would work to systematically implement anti-stigma campaigns worldwide, ensuring that countries and regions use best practices and standardised strategies. It would promote the adoption of proven campaigns across diverse cultural contexts while adapting them to meet local needs and circumstances.
Reducing Duplication and Promoting Best Practices: By tracking existing campaigns, the network aims to reduce duplication of similar programs across different regions. Instead, it would encourage the adoption of the most effective campaigns, ensuring that high-quality, evidence-based initiatives are implemented on a larger scale. This would help maximise impact and resources, providing the best approaches are universally shared and adopted.
Connecting Campaign Leaders and Professionals: The network would connect individuals and organisations working on anti-stigma campaigns worldwide, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. The network would strengthen the global anti-stigma movement by creating opportunities for professionals to connect, share insights, and collaborate, allowing for greater coordination and impact.

The network would help create a united, strategic movement to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, ensuring that the most effective campaigns are shared and implemented worldwide.

Peer Workforce

The Peer Workforce Global Network would focus on professionalising and expanding the peer workforce, ensuring that peer workers are recognised as integral members of mental health and social service systems. The network would map existing peer work services, advocate for integrating peer workers into mental health and social care, and develop standardised guidelines, training programs, and accreditation frameworks to ensure the global implementation of ethical and effective peer work. It would also facilitate knowledge sharing to enhance the professional growth and impact of peer workers. Key functions would include:

Mapping Peer Work Services: The network would create a global directory of peer work services, identifying where peer workers are currently active and where expansion is needed. This mapping would help ensure that peer support services are accessible to those in need and address gaps in services, enabling the strategic growth of peer work globally.
Advocating for Peer Workforce Recognition: The network would work to advocate for the formal recognition of peer workers in mental health and social service systems. This includes promoting the value and effectiveness of peer work and ensuring that peer workers are integrated into care teams and recognised for their unique expertise. The network would engage with policymakers, governments, and service providers to build awareness of the benefits of peer work.
Developing Standards and Frameworks: The network would focus on standardising peer work practices to ensure consistency and quality across different regions. This would include developing guidelines, training programs, and accreditation frameworks that peer workers can follow to ensure they provide ethical and effective services. These resources would also provide a clear pathway for professional development, allowing peer workers to advance in their careers.
Facilitating Knowledge-Sharing and Networking: The network would create global opportunities for peer workers to connect, share best practices, and exchange knowledge. This would include online platforms, conferences, and collaborative forums facilitating learning and networking. The aim would be to provide peer workers with the resources, tools, and support they need to thrive in their roles.
Enhancing Professional Growth and Impact: The network would focus on the professional development of peer workers by offering training, mentorship, and ongoing support. It would ensure that peer workers have access to the latest resources, research, and best practices, enabling them to improve their practice and impact continually. This would help empower peer workers to provide high-quality support, advocate for systemic change, and be recognised as valued contributors to mental health and social service teams.

The Peer Workforce Global Network would provide the framework and resources necessary to professionalise the peer workforce and ensure that peer workers are effectively integrated into global mental health and social services. By advocating for their recognition, developing standards and training, and fostering international connections, the network would amplify the role of peer workers and ensure they can deliver impactful, ethical, and high-quality support to those in need.

Mad Studies

The Mad Studies Global Network will serve as a unified framework for mapping, supporting, and promoting Mad Studies, with a focus on challenging conventional psychiatric narratives and elevating lived experience as a valid and vital field of knowledge. The network will foster the creation of research initiatives, educational resources, and academic curricula that challenge dominant psychiatric frameworks and emphasise the importance of lived experience in understanding mental health and societal responses. Key functions of the network would include:

Mapping and Supporting Mad Studies Initiatives: The network will create a global map of Mad Studies programs, research, and initiatives, helping to identify ongoing work and where Mad Studies is not yet represented. It will provide resources and support to universities, researchers, and activists working to establish or strengthen Mad Studies in their regions.
Challenging Conventional Psychiatric Narratives: The network will promote research and scholarship that challenges the dominant psychiatric models of mental illness, advocating for a more inclusive and holistic understanding of mental health based on lived experiences. It will support work that questions pathologisation, the medicalisation of mental health, and the silencing of marginalised voices.
Creating Research and Educational Resources: The network will encourage the development of educational materials, research programs, and academic curricula that introduce Mad Studies as a legitimate discipline in universities and research institutions. These resources will aim to highlight lived experience as valuable knowledge and emphasise the importance of non-medicalized perspectives in understanding mental health.
Increasing Mad Studies in Academic Institutions: The network will work to increase the presence of Mad Studies in higher education and research institutions globally. This includes advocating for the inclusion of Mad Studies as an academic field, promoting its integration into existing curricula, and supporting scholars who wish to pursue research in this area.
Promoting Public Discourse on Mad Studies: Beyond academia, the network will help bring Mad Studies into public discourse, working with media, activists, and communities to promote alternative mental health narratives and challenge the stigma associated with being labelled “mad.” This would help raise awareness of the importance of lived experience and contribute to societal change regarding how mental health is viewed and treated.
Advocating for Recognition of Lived Experience as Knowledge: The network will advocate for recognising lived experience as an essential and legitimate form of knowledge within mental health research, policy, and practice. It will highlight the importance of incorporating first-person accounts and expertise, including those of individuals with lived experience, as well as researchers, educators, and policy influencers.

The Mad Studies Global Network will provide a platform for the global promotion and development of Mad Studies, ensuring that lived experience is recognised as a central, valid, and transformative area of academic study. By supporting research, education, and public discourse, the network will help establish Mad Studies as a respected and essential discipline contributing to more inclusive, equitable, and humane understandings of mental health worldwide.

The Global Networks aim to connect, promote, and support initiatives, organisations, and individuals globally who advocate for and empower those with lived experience in mental health. These networks focus on building a unified framework that enables global collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the standardisation of practices to ensure that lived experiences are respected and integrated into mental health systems worldwide. Each global network is dedicated to promoting the lived experience movement, ensuring that the voices of those with lived experience are integrated into decision-making, policy development, and service delivery worldwide. They provide opportunities for connection, collaboration, and the advancement of inclusive, compassionate, and mental health systems driven by the insights of those who have lived through mental health challenges.

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