About Us
SpeakUpCIC originated from the East Kent User Forum, which was established in 1992 to capture and share the voices of mental health service users. In February 2011, SpeakUpCIC was founded as an independent not-for-profit organisation to continue advocating for service users and to provide a range of peer support groups and activities aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing. Currently, SpeakUpCIC operates in Thanet and Ashford and surrounding areas within East Kent.
SpeakUpCIC is led by Managing Director and Founder Maggie Gallant and supported by a dedicated team of staff, volunteers and helpers with lived experience. Our services are shaped by our service user members - who are valued as the experts by experience - ensuring that we continue to meet their needs.
“When I started out on my own recovery journey over 20 years ago, user forums in this part of Kent did not exist and that is where it all started. With my own experience of the mental health services and the difficulties I had trying to make my own voice heard when unwell, I knew I wanted to make a difference to other people and that is what I have set out to do, in partnership with other users and organisations."
- Maggie Gallant - Managing Director of SpeakUpCIC.
OUR MISSION
To provide opportunities for mental health service users to share their views and experiences about services and issues including policies, strategies, frameworks and service provision. With people’s permission, these views are presented to others – for example, mental health commissioners, decision makers, clinicians and service providers – with the aim of improving and developing better mental health provision to prevent people from reaching a crisis.
OUR VALUES
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The belief that all mental health service users and survivors have a right to be treated with dignity and respect.
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The commitment to working together and collaboratively to create a culture of hope, support and recovery that embodies a belief in people’s own abilities to manage change and improve the quality of their lives.
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To create inclusive communities free from stigma and discrimination.
"The only person you need validation from is looking back at you in the mirror"
- Robin Williams
Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step.
- Mariska Hargitay
“When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”