We wish to purchase video camera, sound, editing software and an iMac computer in order to cascade media skills training amongst mental health service users within Coventry and Wawickshire. Fully skilled, the participants will be able to produce their own videos, podcasts, websites and other forms of media communication in order to challenge the stimga associated with mental health problems and to tell their own stories of how they live with their condition.

Stigma and discrimination against those with mental health problems is entrenched within our society. The words 'schizo' 'retard' 'psycho' are still used to describe those who experience mental health problems. This leads to the social exclusion of a wide range of people within Coventry and Warwickshire. Not only is this distressing for those affected, it is slows down their recovery from their condition.

We would expect all participants in the project to develop technical skills which would enable them to confidently record and share their own experiences. We would also encourage those people to share their skills with others, cascading their training and experience to other mental health service users. Through engagement with existing media such as the Coventry Telegraph and the BBC we would expect to challenge society's perceptions of people with mental health problems and reduce stigma.