When I was first moved to supported accommodation, I spent about three months there and then my son, who couldn’t live with his mother anymore came and moved in with me. It was only a studio flat, and he was there. So, I had to sleep on the floor. While I was sleeping on the […]
Hi, here at Listen Up we often write about focus or awareness days – who doesn’t love them… well, me for a start…! For example, 6th March is Spring Budget day… so you have a fortnight to digest it ready for celebrating International Day of Happiness on the 20th March ☺️ Just imagine a budget […]
Compassion, not merely a benevolent gesture, but an affirmation of shared existence. A compassionate approach extends beyond the material to the ethereal; it encompasses the acknowledgment of every individual’s dignity. Simple acts of kindness – a warm conversation, a shared meal – can serve as beacons of humanity in a desolate urban landscape. Compassion […]
The first time I ever saw a ‘REAL’ computer was in the 80’s just before graduating from the College of Economics and Administration. I was 19 at the time and after 4 years of studying touch-typing, typing through carbon paper to create copies, shorthand, telegram and even IT technology which meant how 1’s and 0’s […]
Imagine the worst question you could face at the start of any conversation with someone new. Using my magical powers of I didn’t know how else to start writing this, so humour me, I’m going to guess it was some variation of “tell me a bit about yourself.” If that wasn’t what you were thinking, […]
Advocacy Healthcare Access Mental Health Physical Health Stigma Women’s Perspectives I’m Nawshin, I’ve done a lot of policy work with Groundswell in the form of YouTube, podcasts and writing. Whilst also being on boards/steering groups for people participation in East London, NHS Foundation Trust. I have 13+ years experience in people/project management and advocacy for […]
It’s all about that four letter word…. H…E…L….P… HELP! When I grew up under Thatcher in the mid to late 1980s everything was about customer service. How do you make a better experience for your customer without them even asking. That approach even seeped into the charitable and public sector too, for a little while. […]
So, my health journey continues with my trip today to the teeth police, or dentists to be more polite. Thankfully, I get a reasonable pass for my work! – although I could do better with my brushing technique, hence a recommendation to spend time with a hygienist on top of the £40 cost for today’s […]
Myalgic encephalomyelitis [ME] aka chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS] is a serious long-term condition that impacts multiple systems in the body. Sufferers can experience severe fatigue and persistent insomnia, while symptoms can be severely exacerbated as the result of physical, mental and emotional exertion, no matter how minor.[this phenomenon is known as post-exertional malaise]. May 12th […]
The report mentions substance misuse I was a regular visitor to A&E, GPs and dentists. I was a real burden on an already struggling NHS, but in my defence, I was in the grips of addiction, I was a lost soul, frightened and mentally unwell. I have fallen down the stairs knocking myself unconscious, I’ve […]
They say that one person can make the difference. That’s true, but I’ve generally found one voice in a deafening crowd gets lost within the maelstrom of noise but add our voices together, then just maybe, just maybe, we can be heard and have influence for the good. They say that one person can make […]
Hello everyone, it’s John Chiko. So today I will be starting a series called Emotions For Our Future, which will be focused on the emotions I believe will help humanity solve its many problems and build a better future for us all. The first emotion I want to talk about is empathy, which I believe […]
One night between lockdowns, after a rare excursion out of the borough, I return to Brixton by tube. It’s nearly midnight. A ghost town. Don’t think I’ve ever seen the high street so empty except, perhaps, at four in the morning. There’s a chill in the air, after all it’s October. A fine drizzle clings to […]
What HHPA training has done for me – Listen Up! Hub
This is Steve reporting for Listen Up on the 16th of February, 2023. I haven’t done a report for a bit. That’s because I’ve been doing other stuff for Groundswell. . I’ve been doing HPAA work, Homeless Health Peer Advocacy. And yeah, I have to say, I find it really rewarding, you know, for a […]