Mental health charity launches new strategy and unveils new name and brand, stressing need for radical system change
- Welsh mental health charity , the mental health and social change charity
- Platfform’s mission is to be a platform for connection, transformation and social change.
- Platfform’s vision is sustainable wellbeing for all.
Having operated for thirty years in Wales as Gofal, the charity believes that traditional public sector and charity models are now no longer fit for purpose. They see radical transformation and system change as essential to deliver the sustainable change and wellbeing we want to see available to all – and that is the aspiration of the Welsh Government.
Platfform CEO Ewan Hilton said ‘New ways of understanding mental distress, that challenge the dominant paradigm of psychiatric diagnosis and offer a human, political and social understanding need to be more widely bedded into how we provide services and support’.
‘At Gofal we have spent thirty years delivering services we are proud of, influencing policy and legislation in ways that we believe are right. We have done good work, but we have also been, at times part of the problem. Austerity, increasing inequality and poverty, the gradual disintegration of community, trust and human connection have all compounded the problem – that our systems designed to help are broken. We need a new way of operating, a new way of understanding what good ‘help’ is and we need it now”.
A new strategy and significant change in direction has resulted in a new name and brand for the charity; Platfform – for mental health and social change. Working as part of a growing social movement the charity will act as a platform for connection, transformation and social change. A Platfform for those who do not have a voice, a Platfform for gathering, convening and campaigning and a Platfform for innovation.
Dave Davies, Chair of Platfform said:
‘Having used the mental health system and been through my own journey I know from first-hand experience that change is needed. The labelling and writing off of people who are distressed, the pathologising of people’s life experience has got to stop. The design and delivery of our services has got to move from “broken person needing fixing” to a Strengths based, trauma informed approach. I am proud to be part of the leadership as we have made our transition to Platfform and am looking forward with anticipation to the journey ahead”.
Platfform has a new website featuring their new strategy, projects, blogs, wellbeing sections and more at https://platfform.org/
For more information or to arrange interviews contact Media and Campaigns Officer, Natasha Withey on natashawithey@gofal.org.uk or 07811 375 415
