Ferns Associates have a very long track record of working in partnership with Service Users/ Survivors. In 2005 we recruited, trained and managed 43 people in teams across the Uk to carry out over 400 interviews nationally for the 2006 Count Me In Census Service User Qualitative Survey. This was the first time that a complete national service evaluation for the Mental
Health Act Commission was undertaken by mental health service users.

We have delivered training to to a variety of groups including volunteers, Social Care and Health staff (eg Social Workers, Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Nurses), managers,service users and carers, middle and senior management and students on first degree and masters courses., We have a pool of service user trainers who co-train on various courses and who have been effective in delivering powerul challenges to current practice.

The Race Equality and Cultural Capability materials which Ferns Associates have drafted, piloted and developed for the National institute for Mental Health can be found in the RECC section. These materials are now being rolled out to practitioners and we are also offering an R.E.C.C. Train the Trainer programme for capacity building in the regions and in several Trusts and voluntary organisations. Our RECC Courses now attract academic credits. 

Further examples of our recent work can be found under the relevant subsections from this page.For dates of next RECC Courses for Mental Health Staff and RECC Train the Trainers please see Downloads page.