NSF(S): Untitled

The National Schizophrenia Fellowship was set up in London in 1972 on the initiative of John Pringle who wrote to The Times about the dilemma of carers of people who had schizophrenia.
Many people replied and the Fellowship was born, with the aim of providing mutual help and support for carers. Professional people then offered to help and users also joined.
Local self help groups were set up around the country including Scotland.
Scottish members separated from the main body in London in 1984 and became the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland). Although it works in collaboration with the organisation in London, it is completely autonomous, being responsible for its own policy, projects and funding.

NSF(S) is a registered charity, led by its members. Its constitution provides for a Management Board of up to 16 elected members, three-quarters of whom must be carers (this at present includes two users) and the rest can be professional people or carers. The Board meets at least six times per year.
We have a number of Professional Advisers who can attend Board meetings. They also attend the Public Affairs Committee, which is an advisory body.
Representations to Members of the Scottish, Westminster and European Parliaments, the Mental Welfare Commission and the Scottish Executive are initiated in this group which meets monthly.
The other standing committees of the Board, the Finance Committee and Operations Committee, meet according to a pre-agreed timetable and report regularly to the Board.

The National Office in Edinburgh has a staff of Chief Executive, Operations Manager, Information Officer, Office Manager, Administrative Assistant and Office Junior and in the Finance Department, a Finance Manager, a Finance Officer, and a part-time Book-keeper.

There are six categories of activities in NSF(S): self-help groups; information, advice and support; drop-in centres for users; outreach; employment and training; and carers support.

Self-help Groups
There are 23 such groups throughout Scotland, from Orkney to Stranraer, where members (and others) provide mutual support, with some doing local campaigning and fund-raising, and all providing information through our leaflets, through discussion and from invited speakers.

Information, advice and support
National Office provides these services, answering letters and telephone enquiries, arranging one-to-one advice meetings and putting enquirers in touch with local contacts and local groups. A wide range of leaflets is available. Grampian has a telephone help-line in Aberdeen, called Carelinkline.
The Hearing Voices Network (Fife) came under NSF (Scotland) management in December 1996. This provides support and information to voice hearers.

Drop in Centres for users
These provide a friendly and understanding setting for activities, making friends, cheap and nutritious food, and for obtaining advice and support. Most are open 5 days per week with some additional weekend and evening sessions.
The Centres are Companas Cottage (Alness), Glengarry Centre (Fort William), Cairdeas Cottage (Inverness), The Arches (Banff), The Cottage (Cupar), Stafford Centre (Edinburgh), Charlie Reid Centre (Glasgow), Rendez-vous (Dumfries), Phoenix Club (Stranraer), and smaller centres in Castle Douglas, Annan, Newton Stewart, Upper Nithsdale, Dundee, Golspie and Peterhead. The cafes in the Rendezvous and the Charlie Reid Centre are open to the public.

Outreach
Five Outreach/Domiciliary Officers reach out to users in Ross & Cromarty, Wester Ross, Stewartry, Wigtownshire and Edinburgh. A Community Liaison Officer in Dumfries and Galloway works for both users and carers. A Befrienders Project is now in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire.

Employment and Training
The Rendez-vous in Dumfries pioneered the use of therapeutic earnings i.e. earnings for centre users for work in drop-in centres and this has been taken up by other centres. Employment Support Officers in Edinburgh and Dumfries give support and advice to people in work and training.
Two Computer projects in Edinburgh and Dumfries, provide training and supported employment for users. Dumfries and Galloway has recently secured further funding from the European Social Fund (Horizon).
A Counselling Training Project was developed in Banff & Buchan with funding from the National Lottery Charities Board (Scotland) in 1997.

Carers' Support
There are Carers' Officers in Grampian, Tayside and Fife. There is a part-time Carers' Support Worker attached to the Charlie Reid Centre in Glasgow and two part-time Carers' Support Workers in the Grampian area, one of whom works exclusively in Moray from a Keith base. Informal support to carers is also provided through several of the drop-in centres.
Following a successful application to the National Lottery Charities' Board for Scotland, a three year Carers Support Project has been developed. This project will provide support and information services to carers in Lothian and Highland and explore carers needs in parts of Scotland where no carers services exist.
Support also comes, of course, from the groups and local contacts.

Projects in the regions are mostly funded through the Mental Illness Specific Grant, with some contributions from Regional Health Boards, Local Authority Social Work Departments, other agencies (e.g. Charitable Trusts).
National Office is funded by a grant from the Scottish Office, management fees from the regional projects and fund-raising.
Fund-raising from Trusts and Companies is co-ordinated at National Office.



		The National Schizophrenia Fellowship was set up in London in 1972 on the initiative of John Pringle who wrote to The Times about the dilemma of carers of people who had schizophrenia. Many people replied and the Fellowship was born, with the aim of providing mutual help and support for carers. Professional people then offered to help and users also joined. Local self help groups were set up around the country including Scotland. Scottish members separated from the main body in London in 1984 and became the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland). Although it works in collaboration with the organisation in London, it is completely autonomous, being responsible for its own policy, projects and funding.

		NSF(S) is a registered charity, led by its members. Its constitution provides for a Management Board of up to 16 elected members, three-quarters of whom must be carers (this at present includes two users) and the rest can be professional people or carers. The Board meets at least six times per year. We have a number of Professional Advisers who can attend Board meetings. They also attend the Public Affairs Committee, which is an advisory body. Representations to Members of the Scottish, Westminster and European Parliaments, the Mental Welfare Commission and the Scottish Executive are initiated in this group which meets monthly. The other standing committees of the Board, the Finance Committee and Operations Committee, meet according to a pre-agreed timetable and report regularly to the Board.

		The National Office in Edinburgh has a staff of Chief Executive, Operations Manager, Information Officer, Office Manager, Administrative Assistant and Office Junior and in the Finance Department, a Finance Manager, a Finance Officer, and a part-time Book-keeper.

		There are six categories of activities in NSF(S): self-help groups; information, advice and support; drop-in centres for users; outreach; employment and training; and carers support. Self-help Groups There are 23 such groups throughout Scotland, from Orkney to Stranraer, where members (and others) provide mutual support, with some doing local campaigning and fund-raising, and all providing information through our leaflets, through discussion and from invited speakers. Information, advice and support National Office provides these services, answering letters and telephone enquiries, arranging one-to-one advice meetings and putting enquirers in touch with local contacts and local groups. A wide range of leaflets is available. Grampian has a telephone help-line in Aberdeen, called Carelinkline. The Hearing Voices Network (Fife) came under NSF (Scotland) management in December 1996. This provides support and information to voice hearers. Drop in Centres for users These provide a friendly and understanding setting for activities, making friends, cheap and nutritious food, and for obtaining advice and support. Most are open 5 days per week with some additional weekend and evening sessions. The Centres are Companas Cottage (Alness), Glengarry Centre (Fort William), Cairdeas Cottage (Inverness), The Arches (Banff), The Cottage (Cupar), Stafford Centre (Edinburgh), Charlie Reid Centre (Glasgow), Rendez-vous (Dumfries), Phoenix Club (Stranraer), and smaller centres in Castle Douglas, Annan, Newton Stewart, Upper Nithsdale, Dundee, Golspie and Peterhead. The cafes in the Rendezvous and the Charlie Reid Centre are open to the public. Outreach Five Outreach/Domiciliary Officers reach out to users in Ross & Cromarty, Wester Ross, Stewartry, Wigtownshire and Edinburgh. A Community Liaison Officer in Dumfries and Galloway works for both users and carers. A Befrienders Project is now in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire. Employment and Training The Rendez-vous in Dumfries pioneered the use of therapeutic earnings i.e. earnings for centre users for work in drop-in centres and this has been taken up by other centres. Employment Support Officers in Edinburgh and Dumfries give support and advice to people in work and training. Two Computer projects in Edinburgh and Dumfries, provide training and supported employment for users. Dumfries and Galloway has recently secured further funding from the European Social Fund (Horizon). A Counselling Training Project was developed in Banff & Buchan with funding from the National Lottery Charities Board (Scotland) in 1997. Carers' Support There are Carers' Officers in Grampian, Tayside and Fife. There is a part-time Carers' Support Worker attached to the Charlie Reid Centre in Glasgow and two part-time Carers' Support Workers in the Grampian area, one of whom works exclusively in Moray from a Keith base. Informal support to carers is also provided through several of the drop-in centres. Following a successful application to the National Lottery Charities' Board for Scotland, a three year Carers Support Project has been developed. This project will provide support and information services to carers in Lothian and Highland and explore carers needs in parts of Scotland where no carers services exist. Support also comes, of course, from the groups and local contacts.

		Projects in the regions are mostly funded through the Mental Illness Specific Grant, with some contributions from Regional Health Boards, Local Authority Social Work Departments, other agencies (e.g. Charitable Trusts). National Office is funded by a grant from the Scottish Office, management fees from the regional projects and fund-raising. Fund-raising from Trusts and Companies is co-ordinated at National Office.