Step 4: Build your case

A key step in maximising your chances of influencing the change you seek is to build your case. This includes gearing yourself with evidence, examples of where others have done this (at small, medium and larger scales), statistics, etc. but also preparing what you might want to tell in terms of your or someone else’s story, and looking after yourself through this influencing journey. You should also aim to reflect and learn along the way, consider sharing this learning to inspire others too.

This section has lots of top tips to help you,

• Prove an argument
• Get support from professionals
• Tell your (or someone else’s) story
• Knowing and using facts
• Keeping safe, well and motivated.

“I knew something was not right with my hormones. I heard from a fellow peer their experiences which were so similar. For years I had depression treatment and I tried so much self-management but the symptoms were still there in the same way, I felt fobbed off – as a woman, as someone neurodivergent and as someone young. Over the next couple years I started to research, this other peer helped point me to good websites and papers. I learned about my possible condition and could see I needed to build up evidence but tracking my symptoms everyday. I got a mood chart, printed it off and for months did my records. When I took it to the consultant he said I clearly knew what was happening and he gave me options for treatment. I was overwhelmed, he actually listened straight away. I now have the chance to live thanks to this collaboration.”

Success comes down to presenting your argument clearly and logically, while retaining a passion for the subject. Having a balance of both the emotional impact and the facts to back it up makes for a winning combination, and is much more likely to influence change.

Passion and conviction are vital, especially if arguing a case that (you or others feel) is going to be hard to succeed with. Although you need more than strong beliefs to influence change, just saying that you want something to change because you have a strong belief in it, won’t be powerful enough in a world of many causes, but it’s a good starting point. Hold on to that and build on it – keep reading!

Prepare with evidence to back up what you are saying. Researching your subject is vital; showing you understand fully the ins and outs of your subject makes you more able to deal with counter-arguments and is more likely to win more people over to your cause.

There is strength in numbers; find out who shares your view and who doesn’t. This is about creating a social movement for change, even if it’s a small one. You can start by identifying who shared your views and/or experiences, and would like things to change. Questions to reflect on include: Who shares your opinion? Who disagrees with your opinion, but respects it and are happy for you to make your point? If key people in your relevant group strongly disagree with what you want to do, why is that, and do they have alternative suggestions for what ‘change’ might look like? Finding out other people’s views can help you identify who you need to influence; consider what to say and when, and how to go about it in a way that will maximise your chances.

Take care with sourcing research. People’s direct, first-hand experience is a powerful source of evidence; this is called a primary source and is very powerful. The next potent level of evidence would be from respectable research, the kind published in journals or by Government bodies. Evidence from unnamed third parties, from websites like blogs or forums are much weaker forms, as these are difficult to prove their reliability.

Get research support from those with experience. Local organisations, national bodies and universities may have individuals already focused on your issue. Get in contact with them and see if they can give you some pointers in your research. Additionally, your local librarian may also be a good source of support as they are trained in advanced information search techniques.

Join forces with existing work. There may be a local or national campaign, or programme of work already in existence, that you can join in with to add power to your argument, or just get support from others to make your point. Finding allies or partners in your cause is hugely helpful. You might find that you don’t have to do the influencing yourself as they are already are on the case, but you can feed in your knowledge and experience, and stay connected to see how things develop.

The following testimony was shared by a Moray Wellbeing Hub Champion who, now part of a collective response to influencing local healthcare through an action group, reflected on the challenges in being heard as an individual around medication choice and accessing professionals.

“As someone who has faced mental health challenges, I’ve encountered significant barriers when seeking appropriate care. Time constraints, miscommunication, and stigma have all played a role in my journey. Appointments with mental health professionals are often scarce and hard to come by. The demand for services far exceeds the available resources. I’ve experienced frustratingly long waiting times for appointments. When you’re struggling, waiting weeks or even months for help feels like an eternity. The pressure to fit within these time constraints can lead to rushed consultations, leaving little room for thorough assessment or understanding of individual needs.

During my visits, I’ve encountered doctors who seem more interested in labeling me than understanding my unique situation. The use of buzzwords—like “drug addict”—can be harmful. Instead of listening to my experiences, some professionals jump to conclusions based on preconceived notions. When I mentioned my careful self-medication with specific cannabis strains, I was met with skepticism. The doctor’s dismissive response—“it just is”—left me feeling unheard and invalidated. I firmly believe in the benefits of medical cannabis for a range of condition and many studies support its efficacy. However, my psychiatrist expressed surprise when I stopped using medical cannabis. To me, the risks associated with it were outweighed by the relief it provided. Ironically, the medications I was subsequently prescribed—anti-depressants, pregabalin, Diazepam, and lisdexamphetamine—are considered “harder” drugs. It’s disheartening to think that these options were prioritized over a carefully managed alternative.

In summary, accessing mental health services remains a complex and often frustrating process. We need a system that prioritizes individual needs, reduces stigma, and ensures timely, compassionate care. Let’s advocate for change so that others don’t face the same challenges I did.”

Gaining support from professionals is about finding common ground and working towards shared goals. This might sound daunting, but you will often find professionals are very keen to work with you as well.

Preparation and research: If you are going to try to get someone’s support make sure you know who they are, how to pronounce their name, their job title and what it covers. You need to have a clear idea of why you are approaching them and what you want them to do before you speak to them.

Getting your foot in the door: This can often be the biggest challenge. Gatekeepers like secretaries or reception staff have a role in deflecting people who might waste time. Always be professional and polite when phoning, use phrases like “Hello, I wonder if you can help me. I’m looking to contact xx about xx. What would be the best way of getting hold of them?” Be ready to respond to questions as to who you are or what your enquiry is about. Maintain a polite and enquiring tone regardless of their response; if they are rude you may wish to complain in writing to their superiors. The same is true about email or social media contact.

Offer possible solutions to problems: If you are trying to influence change then offer some possible solutions. Make sure you do your homework and have research to hand to back-up your ideas. If appropriate, offer your support or resources to help make it happen. If they can’t help you ask them who can.

Keep your promises: Be professional and reliable by doing what you say you will. If you can’t keep to an agreement let people know why and, if possible, find a solution.

People rarely respond to being attacked: Everyone finds it difficult to listen to criticism, even if it’s part of their job. Finding a solution, preferably together, that works for everyone is the best outcome. It might require looking at things from a fresh perspective, involving others or having a facilitated discussion to find a way forward.

If they are unprofessional find someone who will be: It might also be appropriate to make a complaint.

What if they just will not listen? Sometimes it is impossible to get people to listen. Perhaps they will not meet you or answer your correspondence. You may have to go above people to their managers or to their governing bodies. At this point it is best to seek advice and see if others have been in a similar situation. When encountering this situation, it’s important to consider the toll that persevering with influencing activity might take on the person/group advocating, and consider whether this is the best course of action for your/their (mental) health and wellbeing. It’s okay to take a step back for a time, or drop the influencing goal completely.

Why our own lived or living experiences are the strongest tool in creating change

Experts by experience: As peers of using health and social care services, we are best placed to use this expertise to shape and improve things for the future. We know first had what works and what does not.

Impact through emotional connection: Humans run services; they too have mental health. When we share an experience appropriately, we can help them feel the impact of what worked well, as well as the problems. This is a strong motivator for change.

Authenticity cuts through the noise: We have information overload in our busy lives. When we share experience, we help things come to life through our honesty.

We model empowerment: When we share our experiences, we get to decide what is said when. We encourage others to speak out and change continues.

For more on this explore See Me resource on the impact of real stories.

Sharing personal experience(s)

Different situations such as speaking to healthcare staff, contributing to discussion groups or events, or talking to the media, require different approaches. Think about tailoring what you want to share for the specific opportunity, the audience and for yourself. This is about creating an effective narrative, a story you want to tell about lived / living experiences that uses what is most effective at that time rather than sharing every aspect. Use the following prompts to reflect on what approach might be most helpful and effective:

• How will sharing a particular experience help the situation?
• How can I use my/others’ experiences effectively? Telling a powerful story can cause a human connection and have an emotional impact on others. Be aware when planning what to say, and let people know before you begin that what you share might trigger feelings in others, particularly when sharing a traumatic experience. However, powerful stories don’t need to focus only on pain or the negatives. Recovery stories, where pain and hope are balanced, empower and energise.
• Will I be upset by sharing these experiences? You may not know the answer to this until you share with a particular audience. Practice and support will help you explore this and decide what to share when.
• Am I sharing experiences or opinion? Opinion may not be appropriate at that time, but if you do share make sure you are clear whose opinion it is.

Peer2Peer is an excellent resource for tips on how and when to share experiences effectively.

Whether it is chatting to your GP or giving a talk to a group of trainee healthcare professionals, it’s important to be clear about certain aspects of mental health and illness. To best understand the health and social care system, check out part 1 of this guidance.

• Understand existing challenges experienced in healthcare: e.g. limited resource but high demand, impact of Brexit on staffing, impact of Covid-19 pandemic on workforce morale and resilience, etc. You might get other ideas by reading quality national and local news sources, but remember that politics will likely influence what is reported and not reported, and how. Think Tanks - groups that focus on specific topics and gather information on this - can be useful, as can other independent organisations and news outlets. When accessing this, check if this information is relevant, as the more local the better e.g. often you can find references that are UK wide or England only that are less helpful. Having this information can really support building strong partnerships with those who work under these pressures day to day.
• Find out the facts and know where to signpost: Being a good communicator is not about knowing everything, just research what you need to for your influencing activity. Knowing where to find high quality information is much more important.
• Get empowered with statistics: research can help ensure these are the most up to date or find others to support your argument. Useful sources of statistics and facts: Public Health Scotland, Scottish Government policies, Office for National Statistics, Scottish Public Health Observatory
• Understand mental health language around treatment and conditions: Websites like SAMH, Mental Health Foundation, Mind and Royal College of Psychiatrists can help ensure you get the right terms and understand what these mean. Language does change in mental health, there are new terms and others that are no longer used.

Protect yourself from falling into a pattern of boom and bust. Influencing change is a marathon, not a sprint!

• Start slowly and build up your stamina; Do a little bit often
• Don’t over-commit yourself; Initial enthusiasm is great but by saving some energy you can see a project to completion and not burn-out
• Think about how much you want to share of yourself (and/or others); This might be the amount of time you can offer, but also consider sharing personal experience. If you plan to use others’ stories, make sure to get permissions, agree what you can and cannot say, and be mindful of protecting their identity, by not providing any identifiable information (unless they tell you they feel comfortable with that)
• Use your support network; Lean on friends, family as well as any organisations that can support; share with them your plans, sense-check whatever you’re not sure about, and explore with them what support they can provide you with. Be mindful that others might have different opinions to yours and that’s okay - try to use that information as data to inform your approach. Do remember that those who care about us naturally want to protect us and may be more conservative as a result
• Need to step back? Let someone know: It can be tempting when things get too much to retreat from all involvement without being in contact. If you are overwhelmed ensure that friends, family can support as well as crisis supports. If you are part of a group involved in action, sending a text or a short call can help you feel you are still involved, and makes it easier for you to return in the future. They can help you find practical solutions, like postponing a meeting or sharing your workload. If you are influencing change as an individual, gain the support of a friend to talk through anxieties. This may also be a sign to explore group approaches going forward, as collective action provides a support network
• Involvement is about making positive change, to your community and to your life: Improving mental health and support in the healthcare system is not your responsibility. Sometimes the best thing is to step away completely, let others know you are ok, but that things are not working for you. This is not failure, but an opportunity for reflection and regrouping on your next step that is best for you

Getting the right support

Everyone needs support to succeed, whether it is someone giving you a lift to an event, professional health advice, or a group of people publicising your event.

To attract the right support, plan any activity out: Know where your strengths and weaknesses lie, both individual and with your plan as a whole.

• Get the right people involved: Who do you need? What skills should they have?
• Get help to find the right people: Ask others who have done similar activity before or dealt with similar problems who they would recommend
• Recognise and appreciate the support that exists: Sometimes we already have the right support but don’t recognise or access it

“ I have a processing disorder, I tell people this but sometimes they say I’m making excuses. Other Champions have helped me understand what is being said, help me by saying if something is not right.” Moray workshop participant 2024

Dealing with setbacks, dismissal and feeling rejected

Be kind to yourself. Often when things don’t go as planned, we blame ourselves; even if our actions have contributed to an issue, blame rarely ends in a positive outcome. Talk to someone who knows you and understands the situation to get a more objective view on the situation. Consider what you can learn from the situation and keep moving forward. Sometimes there is nothing to learn, but it might have shown you that you have to work on a certain skill, or need support for something specific, or simply that you attempted to influence change that is systematic or not your fault, but not at the best time.

How to deal with threatening or aggressive behaviour

Some people might be reluctant to listen or receptive to what you have to say. If anyone behaves in a threatening or aggressive manner towards you, stay calm and remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible. After the event take time to chat it thorough with someone else.

Avoiding misconceptions and connecting with diverse experiences

It’s important to consider diversity and inclusiveness of experience. Mental health stigma and discrimination don’t sit in isolation; instead, they intersect with other experiences relating to social identities and factors in human life such as race, sexuality, ability, citizenship, housing, wealth, etc. Systems of power (patriarchy, whiteness, racism, etc.) determine people’s access to privilege and experiences of disadvantage and create unique barriers when accessing (mental) healthcare, such as cultural biases, financial challenges and racism. It becomes important to note that these identities are not the problem; the barriers exist because of the way the system is designed, which does not accommodate the needs of certain communities.

To further reflect on this, have a look at See Me’s ‘Making Space For Everyone’s Mental Health’.

It’s important to recognise that people collaborating or working in partnership often come from a range of diverse backgrounds and experiences; when there’s a lack of communication and/or understanding of perspectives challenges may come up. Considering intersectionality can be powerful in this, both in terms of your own and those you want to influence. The more we can critically reflect on our assumptions and biases , the more open we can be to recognising resources, opportunities and supporters. Two common challenges in influencing change in healthcare are the use of acronyms and use of the word representative.

Acronyms is where someone uses the initials of an organisation, group, meeting, paper or other item to describe this rather than the full title; for example, MWH instead of Moray Wellbeing Hub. If you see an acronym ask for clarity, you will not only be empowering yourself, but you may also empower others too fearful to ask for the meaning themselves. 

A common role title for a community member when working in a decision-making group is as a ‘representative’. The problem with this term is that the definition places assumptions on who you speak on behalf of and who you may report information back to. A more useful and less common term is a ‘liaison’. Check out part 3 for more detail on this role.