History
Open Up was created by Mental Health Media, a progressive mental health charity which pioneered a range of projects to give people with experience of mental distress the confidence, skills and resources to speak out about their experiences. Open Up began in July 2003 with research, testing and the development of an anti-discrimination ‘toolkit’ – a training resource designed by and for people with experience of mental distress. The aim of the toolkit was to train others with similar experiences in identifying and challenging discrimination.
We then went on to deliver 3 sets of anti-discrimination training using the toolkit. We encouraged our participants to speak openly and honestly about their experiences, and find ways in which they could stand up to prejudice within their communities, from the health services and in the media.
Our team of 9 regional workers co-ordinated the delivery of the training across England and Wales. During this time, they also began mentoring groups and individuals, hosting and attending networking events and creating a network of contacts keen to raise mental health awareness and challenge discrimination together.
Open Up in England joined the Time to Change programme in April 2008, when our current phase of work began. Open Up Cymru then started a separate strand of work, funded by Comic Relief.
In Autumn 2008, Mental Health Media decided to join forces with Mind. Through combining their expertise and sharing their vast networks the two charities aim to put a powerful infrastructure behind their work giving a strong voice to people with direct experience of mental distress. Open Up officially became part of Mind in January 2009. We now sit within Mind's Network Support department and are based at their national offices at Stratford, East London.
