Voices of Experience
Voices of Experience is a Scottish mental health charity and Company Limited by Guarantee that aggregates perspectives from 500+ members with lived experience to influence mental health policy, legislation, and service design in Scotland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersGlasgow, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Voices of Experience does
Voices of Experience (VOX Scotland) is a Scottish non-profit charity and Company Limited by Guarantee operating as a collective advocacy organization for people with lived experience of mental health conditions. Registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), the organization aggregates the perspectives of more than 500 members across Scotland to influence mental health policy, legislation, and service design. Its primary activities involve responding to government consultations, publishing position papers and reports, and engaging with statutory bodies, NHS partners, and third-sector organizations active in the Scottish mental health ecosystem.
The organization's core "products" are policy advocacy outputs: consultation responses, manifestos (including a manifesto targeting the 2026 Scottish Parliament election), public reports, and representation on advisory forums. There is no commercial technology platform or proprietary software product; the underlying work is human-mediated advocacy and stakeholder engagement conducted by a small staff team (11-50 employees) headquartered in Glasgow. The business model is a non-charitable revenue model typical of UK advocacy charities: a combination of individual membership fees and grants from public-sector and charitable funders. Operating as a Company Limited by Guarantee, the entity reinvests any surplus into mission delivery rather than distributing profit.
VOX's go-to-market model is relationship-based rather than commercial: it grows influence through coalition-building with other Scottish mental health organizations, direct engagement with Scottish Government policymakers, and visibility in statutory consultation processes. Recent strategic activity includes a leadership transition in 2023, ongoing publication of advocacy reports, and preparation of an election-cycle manifesto. The organization's defensibility rests on its positioning as a representative voice for the lived-experience community within Scotland's statutory mental health framework, rather than on proprietary technology or commercial contracts.
Voices of Experience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Voices of Experience
- Legal name
- Voices of Experience (VOX) Scotland
- Website
- https://voxscotland.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Voices of Experience is a Scottish mental health charity and Company Limited by Guarantee that aggregates perspectives from 500+ members with lived experience to influence mental health policy, legislation, and service design in Scotland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Voices of Experience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Advocacy
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)
Keywords
Where Voices of Experience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glasgow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Voices of Experience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership fees: VOX Scotland operates as a membership organisation with individual, group, and associate membership categories. Members contribute to the organisation's advocacy work and receive access to events, consultations, and representation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Voices of Experience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VOX Scotland operates as a membership organisation of individuals with lived experience of mental ill health, representing their collective views to the Scottish Government, NHS, and parliamentary bodies to influence mental health policy, law, and service design. Its core deliverable is collective advocacy supported by research reports, policy manifestos, consultation responses, educational resources on co-production, patient-facing tools such as Advance Statements, and participatory events for members. The organisation is a registered charity and Company Limited by Guarantee, operating from Glasgow with national reach across all 14 Scottish Health Boards.
Product overview
VOX Scotland (Voices of Experience) is Scotland's national mental health collective advocacy organization, operating as a membership-based charity rather than a traditional product company. The organization offers a portfolio of advocacy services, research reports, educational resources, and policy work. Core offerings include membership services for people with lived experience of mental ill health, research publications such as the 'Your Views: Psychiatrists in Scotland' survey report, educational resources like the 'Making Co-Production Work: Back to Basics' guide, partnership programs including 'With Us, For Us' with Scottish Recovery Network, and patient resources such as Advance Statements templates. The organization also produces policy manifestos and consultation responses to influence Scottish Government mental health policy and practice.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Membership Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 469 survey responses from all 14 Scottish Health Boards on psychiatrist care experiences
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Voices of Experience
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Voices of Experience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Voices of Experience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA)coreJoint advocacy with SIAA to express concerns about erosion of collective advocacy provision for people with experience of mental illness. Over 30 organisations supported their joint letter to the Minister for Mental Wellbeing. Co-hosted 'Advocating for Collective Advocacy' event in January 2026 and published joint report.
- Royal College of Psychiatrists in ScotlandcoreJoint motion submitted to Scottish Parliament welcoming the 'Your Views: Psychiatrists in Scotland' report and calling on Scottish Government to address the lack of permanent psychiatrists. Collaboration on workforce issues, patient safety, and continuity of care.
- Suicide Prevention ScotlandcoreVOX Scotland has been a member of Suicide Prevention Scotland's Personalised Risk and Safety Management steering group since September 2025. The group aims to make services safer, more person-centred, and more inclusive for people affected by self-harm and suicide.
- Scottish Recovery NetworkcoreJoint partnership on 'With Us, For Us' project to ensure lived experience engagement in Healthcare Improvement Scotland's Personality Disorder Programme. Lived experience is at the heart of this initiative.
- The ALLIANCEcorePartnership on 'Shaping New Mental Health Standards' report with lived experience perspectives. Collaboration on 'Future of Social Care' series and various consultation events.
- Age ScotlandminorCollaborated on Older People and Mental Health consultation event in August 2021, gathering views from those with lived experience and those who support older people.
- See MeminorCollaborated on Older People and Mental Health consultation event alongside VOX Scotland and Age Scotland.
- Kairos WomenminorVOX Scotland in partnership with Kairos Women delivered a series of three wellbeing workshops for members of Kairos Kitchen, focusing on mental health awareness, emotional wellbeing, and advocacy.
- Jean Bothy, HelensburghminorCollaboration with volunteers from Jean's Bothy in Helensburgh to create animation 'Mental Health and Covid-19' amplifying voices of those with lived experience during the pandemic.
- Media Co-opminorProduced the 'Mental Health and Covid-19' animation in collaboration with VOX Scotland and volunteers from Jean's Bothy.
- Wellbeing WorksminorPartnership to deliver 'Creating Wellbeing for All' event in Dundee in July 2022, bringing residents together to share perspectives on improving wellbeing.
- Dundee Volunteer & Voluntary ActionminorPartner in 'Creating Wellbeing for All' event in Dundee alongside Wellbeing Works and ArtAngel.
- ArtAngelminorPartner in 'Creating Wellbeing for All' event in Dundee alongside Wellbeing Works and Dundee Volunteer & Voluntary Action.
- BeaconcoreThird-party service provider used by VOX Scotland to collect and manage membership applications and related membership information. Information submitted through membership forms may be processed by Beacon.
- MailchimpcoreEmail marketing platform used by VOX Scotland to send newsletters and email updates. Name, email address, and email engagement information may be processed by Mailchimp.
- Mental Health FoundationcoreParent organisation/service provider that helps VOX Scotland run its website, email systems, events, surveys, forms, databases, and cloud storage.
- Healthcare Improvement ScotlandcorePartner in 'With Us, For Us' project through their Personality Disorder Programme, ensuring lived experience engagement in the programme.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Voices of Experience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mind: The UK's largest mental health charity. Operates broadly across mental health advocacy, services and information across all four UK nations, offering a wider portfolio than VOX's Scotland-only advocacy niche.
- Together UK: UK-wide mental health charity focused on policy, rights and campaigning for people with mental illness. Closely comparable to VOX Scotland in its rights-based, lived-experience advocacy focus.
- Rethink Mental Illness: Major UK mental health charity providing services, advice and policy influence. Comparable in advocacy and policy-engagement function, but operates at UK-wide scale and across service delivery as well as campaigning.
- Centre for Mental Health: UK mental health think tank producing research and policy analysis to improve mental health services. Comparable to VOX Scotland's research and policy-influence work, though operating at UK rather than Scotland-only level.
Direct peers
- Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH): Scotland's largest mental health charity, providing services, campaigning and influencing policy. Directly comparable as a Scottish mental health advocacy and service organisation with policy engagement similar to VOX Scotland.
- Support in Mind Scotland: Scottish mental health charity providing direct support services and campaigning. Comparable as a Scotland-based, lived-experience-informed mental health organisation engaged in both service delivery and policy advocacy.
- Scottish Recovery Network: Scottish organisation promoting recovery-oriented mental health approaches and lived-experience involvement. A confirmed partner of VOX Scotland on 'With Us, For Us', and structurally comparable as a peer-led advocacy and network body.
- Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE): Scottish third-sector intermediary representing people with lived experience across health and social care. Comparable in its policy-shaping role, third-sector convening function and explicit partnership with VOX Scotland.
- Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA): The national membership body for independent advocacy organisations in Scotland. Closely comparable to VOX Scotland in its advocacy, collective-voice function and joint ministerial engagement; an active partner.
- See Me: Scotland's national anti-stigma mental health programme, working to change public attitudes and influence policy. Comparable in its Scotland-wide, lived-experience-led advocacy focus and Scottish Government ties.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Voices of Experience social profiles
Digital presenceVoices of Experience compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Voices of Experience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Voices of Experience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Voices of Experience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Voices of Experience M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Voices of Experience
What does Voices of Experience do?
VOX Scotland operates as a membership organisation of individuals with lived experience of mental ill health, representing their collective views to the Scottish Government, NHS, and parliamentary bodies to influence mental health policy, law, and service design. Its core deliverable is collective advocacy supported by research reports, policy manifestos, consultation responses, educational resources on co-production, patient-facing tools such as Advance Statements, and participatory events for members. The organisation is a registered charity and Company Limited by Guarantee, operating from Glasgow with national reach across all 14 Scottish Health Boards.
Is Voices of Experience a public or private company?
Voices of Experience is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Voices of Experience founded?
Voices of Experience was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Voices of Experience based?
Voices of Experience is headquartered in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Voices of Experience make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership fees.
Who are Voices of Experience's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mind, Together UK, Rethink Mental Illness and Centre for Mental Health. Direct peers are Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), Support in Mind Scotland, Scottish Recovery Network, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) and See Me.
Does Voices of Experience have an API?
No public API is recorded for Voices of Experience.
What industry is Voices of Experience in?
Voices of Experience's product category is Mental Health Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAD, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAFAB, Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8300.