CAPS Independent Advocacy

31/08/2026

💛We are delighted to be able to expand our mental health individual advocacy service to children and young people (age 12-17) in Midlothian from 1st September.

✊Our advocacy workers can be by your side to help you:

• understand what's happening and what your rights are
• ask questions and find out more
• tell others how you feel and what you want
• take part in meetings about you

We can work together to support you to take part in lots of things, such as:

• meetings about your mental health care and treatment
• Mental Health Tribunals
• meetings with social work
• speaking to your school or education provider
• helping you make a complaint if something goes wrong

Our advocacy workers are there to be on your side - you are the boss!

This is a pilot service and will be open to referrals from 1st September 2026 - 31 March 2027 in Midlothian only.

To find out more or refer yourself or someone else see https://capsadvocacy.org/individual-advocacy/children-and-young-peoples-advocacy/childrens-and-young-peoples-mental-health-advocacy/ or call 0131 273 5236.

[Image descriptions: 1 ‘Pilot mental health individual advocacy service for children and young people aged 12-17’, ‘open to referrals from 1st September 2026 - 31 March 2027’. 2 ‘Our advocacy workers can be by your side to help you: understand what's happening and what your rights are; ask questions and find out more; tell others how you feel and what you want; take part in meetings about you.’ and "It’s helpful cause if I don’t want to speak, you speak for me " in a speech bubble.]

26/08/2026

🎉✨The People’s Conference is coming! Thursday 1 October is the day! ✨🎉

The People’s Conference is a day exclusively for people with experience of mental health issues living in Edinburgh or the Lothians. It’s also planned and organised by a group of people with mental health issues. The group choose the topic and this year we’ll be discussing long waiting lists; how they impact people and what could be done by services and in our communities to improve things while people wait.

It’s a super relaxed informal event where you’ll get to meet with others, share experiences and have a nice lunch! Teas and coffees from 9.30am.

It’s free to attend but booking is essential – Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-are-we-waiting-the-peoples-conference-2026-tickets-1998735413426?aff=oddtdtcreator or email [email protected].



[Image description: 1. ‘Why are we waiting: The Peoples Conference 2026. This conference is a safe space exclusively for people with lived experience of a mental health issue living in Edinburgh or the Lothians. Date: Thursday 1st October 2026
Time: 10am to 4.30pm, Location: Norton Park, 57 Albion Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5QY. Booking essential’ with graphics of a clock and calendar and striped background. 2. ‘Have waiting times for mental health support in Edinburgh or the Lothians impacted you? Is your mental health affected by uncertainty whilst waiting for support? How can we work together to make waiting more survivable? How to register: Booking is essential. To book or if you have any questions or want to talk to someone about the event please contact: [email protected] or 07881 377 635. Lunch is provided!’]

Norton Park Business and Conference Centre Voices Of eXperience (VOX) Volunteer Centre East Lothian EVOC iThrive Edinburgh Change Mental Health Health All Round Scottish Recovery Network

18/08/2026

Angharad and Steven are CAPS Collective Advocacy workers. They facilitate our groups for people with neurological conditions. In this video they introduce themselves and invite you to get in touch with them if you have a neurological condition and live in Edinburgh or the Lothians. You can contact them on [email protected] or text or call Steve on 07929 751 911.

[Video transcript: Do you have a Neurological Condition? Are you tired of people making assumptions?
Do you ever feel like you’re not being listened to?
Do you have what you need to live well?
We’re talking to people with neurological conditions about social care.
If you’re living in Edinburgh or the Lothians, and you have a neurological condition, we’re keen to hear about your experiences.
My name’s Steven, this is Angharad. We’re workers at CAPS Independent Advocacy. Our job is to strengthen your voices and our only agenda is your agenda, because CAPS is an independent advocacy organization.
Join one of our friendly and productive group meetings either in person in Edinburgh or The Lothians or online. Meet others with shared experiences. Have your say on issues that matter to you!
All our contact info is in the caption, so get in touch to find out more. ]

17/08/2026

Opportunity for sharing lived experience to help a campaign against mental health stigma

No-one knows the experiences of young people better than young people themselves.

That's why we're looking for people aged 12-25 to take part in a short survey to help shape our campaign against mental health stigma, Show Up.

As a thanks for taking part, you could win a £50 voucher! ✨

https://campaigns.samh.org.uk/page/196225/survey/1?ea.tracking.id=socials

05/08/2026

An important briefing which champions Collective Advocacy and its importance as a way for people to influence the agendas and decisions that affect their lives

What is the future of independent collective advocacy?

Parliamentary Question S7W-01285 has sparked an important conversation about how collective advocacy is understood, valued and supported across Highland.

Our new briefing argues that now is the time to:

- Restore the real-terms value of independent collective advocacy
- Champion Public Social Partnerships as a better approach to commissioning
- Recognise and expand collective advocacy as essential strategic infrastructure

Read our briefing today:

- https://simplebooklet.com/20260713sahighlandmspbriefing2026

Labour Party
Conservatives
Liberal Democrats
Green Party
National Party (SNP)

Green MSP
Voice - Andrew Baxter
Roddick MSP
Burgess - Scottish Greens for Highlands and Islands
Eagle MSP
Bannerman MSP
-May MacCallum
Todd MSP

03/08/2026

The Understanding Oor Mad History course will be back soon! You can expect to learn about: the history of confinement and treatments; Madness, Gender, Sexuality and Intersectionality; activism then and now, and more! And you’ll be working with unique materials from the Lothian Health Services Archive.
 
The community course is for people with their own lived experience of mental health issues. Get in touch with Azra on [email protected] if you’re interested in getting a place or finding out more.

29/07/2026

Opportunity to share lived experience in this questionnaire...

Have you attended A&E in Scotland in the last five years while experiencing mental ill health or a mental health crisis?

VOX Scotland wants to hear about your experience, whether you attended for a physical health reason, a mental health reason, or both.

We want to understand what helped, what made things more difficult and what could improve the mental health support available when people attend A&E.

The questionnaire includes multiple-choice questions, as well as opportunities to share more about your experience if you choose. https://fe3f3zzl3jq.typeform.com/to/AkM3qLMv

Share your views:

29/07/2026

🎉 OOSOOM Call for Art is open! 🎉

People with experience of having a mental health issue are invited to take part in the 14th Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition at Summerhall in Edinburgh, 20 October to 8 November 2026.

Make your art on a canvas that we supply. You will have the option to make a second artwork that will be given away during the exhibition. Everyone will be welcome to take part in events and an afternoon tea.

🎨 Take part and make your art!

📣 Share the news!

➡ Return forms by Monday 31 August (midday)

📜 More information, contact info & forms here: https://www.outofsightoutofmind.scot/news/2026-call-for-art-is-open

Scottish Mental Health Arts FestivalCAPS Independent AdvocacySummerhall

28/07/2026

💛Since starting this project four months ago, we've heard from people that they need services to understand their condition and communicate in a flexible and accessible way. We've heard that access to social care does not feel possible for everyone that needs it. We've heard that people with neurological conditions often face judgement and assumptions, due to a lack of awareness and understanding of their conditions. So, what can we do about this? How can we advocate for positive change? Throughout August, there are four in-person groups in each area of Edinburgh and the Lothians, and one online meeting. Details below.

If you have a neurological condition and would like to get involved, we'd love to hear from you! Get in touch to have a chat or to rsvp for a meeting. Contact [email protected] or text or call Steve on 07929 751 911.

August group meetings:
📍Midlothian - Wednesday 19th, 1 to 2:30 pm at Midlothian Community Action, Dalkeith
📍East Lothian - Thursday 20th, 1 to 2:30 pm at Hallhill Centre, Dunbar
📍Edinburgh - Monday 24th, 1 to 2:30 pm at Norton Park Conference Centre, Leith
📍West Lothian - Wednesday 26th, 2 to 3:30 pm at Voluntary Sector Gateway, Bathgate
💻Lothian Wide Online meeting - Monday 31st , 1 to 2 pm. RSVP for link to join.

Find out more about this project here: https://capsadvocacy.org/collective-advocacy/neurological-conditions-collective-advocacy/

[Image description: ‘CAPS is meeting with people across Lothian with neurological conditions to ask them - 'do you have what you need to live well?'’]

23/07/2026

⚡Everyone in Edinburgh who has experience of Autism and/or ADHD is welcome to this collective advocacy meeting, regardless of diagnosis.

It’s an opportunity to give feedback and thoughts on services for people with experience of neurodivergence directly to Cat Young, Assistant Strategic Programme Manager in NHS Lothian. It’s also a chance to chat about how often we want to meet and when that works best for us all. We can chat about what you would all like to think about for our next steps as a collective advocacy group. CAPS have been asked to provide input on the mental health and wellbeing resources available on iThrive - https://ithriveedinburgh.org.uk/ (iThrive Edinburgh ). We could have a look at this together and see what we think.

📅Tuesday 28th July 2-4pm
📍Norton Park, Albion Road, in the main building - CAPS meeting room
Contact [email protected]

Collective advocacy happens when a group of people with similar experiences get together to raise issues and try to change things! ✊🏽

[Image descriptions: ‘Collective Advocacy Meeting: For people with Autism and/or ADHD
Tuesday 28th July 2-4pm
at Norton Park, Albion Road, in the main building CAPS meeting room
A group for people who have experience of these forms of neurodivergence, regardless of diagnosis.
• An opportunity to give thoughts on services directly to Cat Young, Assistant Strategic Programme Manager in NHS Lothian
• Discuss next steps for the group
• CAPS have been asked to provide input on the resources available on iThrive. The group could look at this together and see what we think
• New members welcome!’
With graphics of an infinity symbol, lightening flash and hands reaching upwards with megaphone, and the Edinburgh Collective Advocacy logo.]