Frequently Asked Questions

Caniad is for anyone involved with mental health and/or substance misuse services, and anyone who cares for someone using these services. Influence decisions and help to shape mental health and sub-stance misuse services by becoming a Caniad Involver. 

You need a referral to become a Caniad involver – this can be a self referral or from another service. However, you can contact Caniad for information and attend our local drop in sessions without a referral.

Caniad works across the whole of North Wales, each region has a coordinator who can be contacted directly. Alternatively, please email caniad@caniad.org.uk or phone 0800 085 3382. We will first arrange a 1-2-1 phone call to get to know you and find out how you would like to get involved, before starting your involvement with Caniad.

We offer a range of training opportunities, including value-based interview (VBI) training, committee skills training and digital skills. Once you have been involved with Caniad for 6 months, if you wish to volunteer you can go through the volunteering process and if successful can access internal training opportunities such as, professional boundaries, safeguarding and various accredited courses in mental health and substance misuse.

Once you have been involved with Caniad for 6 months, or have gone through the volunteering process, you can be involved in helping to organise engagement events, attend networking events with our coordinators, support with admin, assist in the Big Chats, among other opportunities.

Big Chats take place once a month in each area across North Wales. It is an informal chat about different topics, from housing, benefits, training opportunities, mental health and substance misuse services and a chance for involvers to report back any information raised in, meetings, groups and events.

Caniad provides laptops which can be booked out. Speak to your area coordinator who can arrange for you to have a private space and access to a laptop so you can take part in the pathway meeting.

Co-occurring substance misuse and mental health disorders can be challenging as people are unable to get the right support. We believe that co-occurring needs need to be addressed and we are involved in pathways and meetings to improve services for those with co-occurring needs.

We care about people with lived experience and believe that people with these experiences should be involved in the planning, delivery and improvement of mental health and substance misuse services, to help people with such challenges have their voices heard. We work co-productively with our involvers and other services to create positive change in mental health and substance misuse services.

Caniad will be going into it’s 8^th year!

Caniad do not provide direct mental health support or counselling, but we have good working relationships with various services who can provide this. Please talk to your local coordinator who can sign post you or refer you to relevant services to your needs.

Caniad do not provide direct substance misuse support or counselling, but we have good working relationships with various services who can provide this. Please talk to your local coordinator who can sign post you or refer you to relevant services to your needs.

Caniad is funded by the Area Planning Board and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. We report back on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis the work that we do as Caniad and share feedback and experiences to improve services in the area, in line with our contracts.