A number of principles govern the action and the operations of regional mental health rights advocacy groups and it is their underlying values that allow individuals who suffer or who have suffered from a mental health problem to occupy a place where they can grow and find meaning in their lives in society.
Autonomy of Individuals
Regional mental health rights advocacy groups promote the autonomy of individuals by encouraging them to develop their competencies and by using their potential and their skills to promote and defend their rights. Thus, affected individuals are encouraged to assume the lead role in the process aimed at defending their rights.
Specificity of Individuals
Regional groups respect the pace of the individuals with whom they intervene and the particular context in which their journey is taking place.
Favourable Bias
Having a favourable bias towards individuals who suffer or have suffered from a mental health problem means that we must support them in the expression of their choices and respect their values based on their own assessment and interpretation of their reality.
Voluntary Relationship with Groups
The concerned individuals must always feel totally free to undertake a process with the regional mental health rights advocacy groups. They must also feel free to put an end to this process at any time.
Accessibility
The rights advocacy process is available to any individual or to any group whose members suffer or have suffered from a mental health problem and who require assistance in order to be able to exercise their rights or to have access to existing remedies.
In addition, regional mental health rights advocacy groups facilitate the use of existing remedies and make it simpler to access these remedies in all the sectors that the concerned individuals deal with, including the health and social services network.
Regional mental health rights advocacy groups are available close to where the individuals suffering from mental health problems live.
Empowerment of Individuals
Regional mental health rights advocacy groups promote access to places and venues where the individuals concerned can express themselves. It is the preferred means of helping individuals to take charge of their own lives.
Democracy and Solidarity
Groups structure their operation in order to promote learning and the involvement of the individuals concerned in the democratic process of our society. The individuals can, in this manner, experience citizen solidarity which is the basis of certain social transformations.
Confidentiality and Personal Information
Respect for the confidentiality of information and the privacy of individuals lie at the heart of our concerns.