Introduction
Rethink’s media volunteer scheme puts journalists in touch with service users and carers who want to speak out in the media about their experiences.
Thanks to the courage and commitment of people who speak out, their stories have been told in the Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail and the Sun.
Perhaps you have seen people taking part in TV documentaries, or being interviewed for Sky and Channel 4 News. Media volunteers have been interviewed by all these media outlets and many more.
You and Media draws on the advice of experienced media volunteers to provide a step by -step guide to the interview process for those speaking out for the first time, and for anyone preparing for an interview about mental health matters. There are links through to documents that you can make notes on to help you feel fully prepared for an interview and get the most out of the experience.
Why do it? Emma Harding, one of the seven authors of this booklet, says: “People sometimes expect that any type of media work is going to be glitzy and glamorous.
“There are occasional events that require posh frocks and the odd glass of champagne, but that isn’t the reason people stick at it. The notion that you are changing public opinion on an issue that is deeply rooted into the psyche of most human beings is powerful.
“A lot of the work of the ‘media pioneer’ is to challenge negative stereotypes and prove that it is perfectly possible to disclose difficult feelings or experiences, survive and retain friendships. With the right support, training and opportunities you can use your observations to make others’ experiences just that little bit less difficult.”
We hope you find You and Media an inspiring and practical guide that will help solve three of the biggest mental health problems: prejudice, ignorance and fear.
As the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ellen Goodman said, “In journalism, there has always been a tension between getting it first and getting it right.” Most journalists want to get it right – so let’s help them hear first-hand how people affected by severe mental illness can and do recover a meaningful quality of life.
Liz Nightingale
Media Volunteers Manager
