My Voice Matters

Project Manager: Juni Raak Høiseth

Project Team Members: Christina Kildal, Johanne Bakken Moe, Liva Elvira Myrvold Nynes and Ellinor Elvrum Evensen

 

Results from My Voice Matters

My Voice Matters started as a pilot project in 2015. Since then, 4 different services have been evaluated. In 2021 the final report was finished.

The project gave valuable knowledge of user involvement of children and youth, and how the method "User Interviews User" can be used with this group in society. In addition, the project led to increased self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment for the young project workers (aged 18-23).

The 4 services that were evaluated in My Voice Matters, was:

• Child and adolescent psychiatric clinic at St. Olav's Hospital (2020)
• Stangehjelpa Team Barn og Unge, Stange municipality (2019)
• Child and adolescent psychiatric clinic, Levanger Hospital (2018)
• Child and adolescent psychiatric clinic at St. Olav's Hospital (pilot project, 2015)

 

Background of My Voice Matters

My Voice Matters was a three-year development project aiming to develop a method for actual user involvement for children and youth as service users. The goal is to enable children and youth to bring forward their experiences with the services with their own voice.

The project is based on User Interviews User (UIU) as a methodology, where former service users interview current users of a service. In this project we have young people/young adults in the ages of 18-23 as project team members, who themselves have experience with the use of mental healthcare services. The project team members are trained in the UIU-method, and participate in designing the interview guide, conducting interviews, analysis and writing the report.

They present the results at a dialogue conference for employees of the service and service users. Here findings are discussed, and we decide how to work on improving the services according to findings. The service is given a final report which will serve as a tool for further development. One year after the project has ended we have a follow up meeting where we look into whether services are continuously developed after children and youth’s experiences and views.

The project is funded by Stiftelsen Dam through The Council for Mental Health.