Real Lives.
Real Voices.
Real Change.
About Us
VOICES is a collective of individuals who have lived and living experience of multiple disadvantage. We come together to ensure that that services operating in Surrey truly meet the needs of the people who use them. We work alongside professionals, organisations, and decision-makers to create a trauma-informed, person-centred approach to support and recovery.
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Our
Mission
Harnessing the strength of lived experience to promote healing, resilience, and recovery by nurturing compassionate communities.
The story so far
VOICES started in 2023 with a simple but powerful idea: those who have experience multiple disadvantage are the experts in what works. Too often, services are designed without the input of the people they mean to support.
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Working closely with the Changing Futures programme in Surrey, we have co-produced services, policies and contributed to Surrey’s first Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Multiple Disadvantage
JSNA Multiple Disadvantage | Surrey-i
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We are also proud to be a part of Bridge The Gap, a trauma-informed relational outreach service delivered by 12 local charities that helps people receive the right help at the right time.
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Through lived experience leadership, advocacy and partnership working, Voices - Support is helping to build a more compassionate system in Surrey. A system where recovery is led by those who truly understand it. ​
Stigma
People are judged for their experiences, not understood.
Discrimination
Unequal treatment creates exclusion.
Siloed working
Services don’t join up around people’s needs.
Inflexibility
Support doesn’t adapt to real lives.
Barriers
Systems block access to help.
Culture
Power and attitudes can hold people back.
‘Doing to’, not ‘doing with’
Support is done for people, not with them.​​​
What we are
up against
A System shaped by lived experience.
We want services to embrace genuine co-production with the people who use them, ensuring they are accessible, effective and trauma-informed. ​
More support, not barriers.
Many people experiencing multiple disadvantage fall through the gaps in the system. We hope for a future where services are better connected, eligibility criteria are more flexible to reflect real needs, and engagement policies are empathic, ensuring that no one is left without support. ​
Opportunity for all
We believe that recovery is possible for everyone. We want to build a future where people facing multiple disadvantage have the opportunities, support and respect they deserve.
What we are working towards
Co-Production & Lived Experience Leadership
We ensure that those with lived experience have a voice in shaping policies and services that affect them.​
Peer Support & Community
A network of people who understand, support, and uplift each other through shared experiences and collective action.​
Advocacy & Systems Change
We challenge barriers, influence policy, and work towards a more compassionate and effective support system.​
Workshops & Training
Providing training for organisations on trauma-informed care, co-production, and supporting individuals with multiple disadvantage.
What we offer
What is
Multiple Disadvantage?
​​​​Multiple disadvantage describes the overlapping challenges a person faces at the same, making it harder to access support, find stability and move forward in life.
This can include: ​​​​​
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Trauma
Mental health conditions
Neurodiversity
Homelessness or risk of becoming homeless
Domestic abuse
Social exclusion
Bereavement
Physical health disabilities
Poverty
Contact with the criminal justice system
Financial problems
Experiencing stigma, prejudice or discrimination
Drug and alcohol use
Other addictions
When these challenges are combined, traditional services often struggle to provide the right support. That’s where we come in. At VOICES, we believe that the people with lived and living experience should have a say in the services that affect them. Together, we work to break down barriers, improve support systems, and create meaningful change.
OUR COMMUNITY
