Media Volunteers

We can put you in contact with articulate individuals who are willing to talk publicly about their experiences of mental health issues.

About the programme

The media volunteers programme has been a crucial part of 'see me' – Scotland's national campaign to eliminate the stigma of mental illness. The National Programme has recognised the need to work with journalists and broadcasters to inform their coverage of mental health issues. Central to this approach has been the ability to help individuals with first-hand experience of stigma to publicly tell their own stories.

The scheme has now been extended to cover other areas of the National Programme including Breathing Space, Choose Life, HeadsUpScotland and the Scottish Recovery Network.

Support for media volunteers

Following recruitment, public media volunteers are offered professional training to prepare them for being interviewed and ongoing support during and after all media work. In three years, volunteers have featured in a range of local and national press, in magazines and on TV and radio broadcasts.

Talking Scotland

Many of our media volunteers have contributed to Talking Scotland, a series of short programmes transmitted across STV covering issues of importance to Scottish people. By sharing their story they help raise awareness about a range of mental health issues, including positive mental wellbeing, mental ill-health, suicidal intentions, bereavement, stigma and recovery.

You can view their broadcasts at:
www.talkingscotland.com/content/default.asp?page=s36

Further information

To request a media volunteer from the Volunteer Programme please contact Rebecca Charles, Katrina Beaton or Ann Rowe at IAS SMARTS on 0131 555 0425 or by email on firstname.surname@iassmarts.co.uk.