Caniad: Promoting Positive Change in North Wales
Improving Lives Together.
Caniad is a long-term community support project based in North Wales. Commissioned by the Area Planning Board and the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Caniad was launched by Adferiad in 2015.
Levels of Engagement
Our service is fully reciprocal and there are numerous benefits for participants.
We base our client relationship on the Ladder of Participation whereby Service Users can decide to participate on a variety of levels. There is ample scope for contribution, ranging from informal involvement all the way through to volunteering.
This involvement provides Service Users with opportunities for personal growth, such as acquiring new skills, gaining an understanding of research projects, funding, and services, experiencing personal validation, building increased confidence, and most importantly, witnessing their ideas in action and seeing the impact of their words.
At Caniad, we believe in empowering Service Users by giving them complete control over their level of involvement. It is entirely their decision, and there is no pressure to continue on the ladder of participation. We respect their choices, and if they wish to become more engaged and progress further, we are here to support their decision and journey every step of the way.
Ladder of Participation
Informal Involvement: Caniad will provide regular information and updates to Caniad Involvers, as well as our quarterly Newsletter where you can find out general information about Caniad and it’s involvement opportunities. Informal involvement can also be attending the Caniad Big Chats, or answering surveys and questionnaires that we share.
Training and Support: Caniad offer training and support to help build confidence and develop your skills. Our training will support Caniad Involvers into Active Involvement, please see out ‘Training Opportunities’ page for more information.
Active Involvement: As Caniad Involvers participating in active involvement, you will get the opportunity to attend mental health and substance misuse pathway meetings where you will attend as a Caniad representative, carry out Value Based Interviews, attend events and much more! Please see our ‘Become an Involver’ page for more information.
Peer Mentoring: Use your skills and experience to deliver training to new Caniad Involvers, support them in their Ladder of Participation journey, and promote the Caniad service to service users and carers.
Volunteering: Caniad will support you in finding volunteering opportunities which will enable you to use your skills and build your confidence.
Our Vision
The primary focus of Caniad is to encourage communication between service providers and service users, we do this by working co-productively with Service Users and Carers, to ensure their voice is being heard.
We offer a platform for service providers to seek guidance on how best to improve their facilities. While service providers often seek advice from various professionals like doctors, nurses, project managers, and healthcare professionals, at Caniad, we understand the importance of considering the Service User and Carer’s perspective.
We recognise that individuals with first-hand experience of issues such as addiction and mental health challenges, play a vital role in facilitating improvements in local services. We firmly believe that the best people to shape effective services are those who use them. That’s why we are committed to involving people with lived experience of mental health and substance misuse problems, and importantly, carers as well, in decisions about how these services should be delivered.
Since 2015, Service Users have played a pivotal role in driving positive change across various areas, including health, employment, and community services. They have achieved this by filling gaps in current systems, sharing valuable feedback on service experiences, and introducing entirely new and innovative ideas. Their contributions have been instrumental in shaping more effective and responsive services that cater to the needs of the community.
Building Relationships
Building respectful partnerships underpins everything we do and we value the importance of continuous care relationships characterised by empathy and respect.
We encourage Service Users to make their own decisions, knowing that they have our unwavering support whenever they need it. Their journey with us is entirely tailored to their preferences and comfort level, ensuring that they feel empowered and valued throughout their experience at Caniad.
