Ewan Hilton

About Ewan Hilton

Ewan Hilton is a CEO of Platfform  – Wales’ leading mental health and social change charity.

Platfform works with people who are experiencing challenges with their mental health, and with communities who want to create a greater sense of connection, ownership and wellbeing in the places that they live.

Areas of interest

  • Social Change
  • Creative Disruption
  • Innovation
  • Website: platfform.org

More Info

Ewan Hilton is CEO of Platfform (formerly Gofal)- a charity in Wales that provides a range of services to people experiencing difficulties with the mental health. Ewan has over twenty years’ experience of working in the independent sector in Wales. He says:

“We do not believe that people or communities are “broken” or in need of fixing. We are driven by the fundamental belief that a strengths-based approach is the foundation to sustainable wellbeing for everyone.

We see the mental health, and wider health, social care and public sector systems, as no longer ‘fit for purpose’. Based on illness and/or deficit models, they deny people the hope and agency to heal. Over the coming months everything we do will become asset based, trauma informed and healing focused.

We are part of a growing social movement working towards a fundamental shift in the way that public services are provided, so that they support people towards sustainable wellbeing and the life of their choice.

We have operated in Wales as Gofal for 30 years, as of 24 of July 2019 we are Platfform.”

Ewan is also Chair of Cymorth Cymru, the representative body for providers of housing related support, homelessness and care services in Wales. He’s also been Chair of Shelter Cymru, where he was a Trustee for eleven years. Ewan currently represents the Wales Alliance for Mental Health on a number of national strategic groups driving improvements to health, housing and support services in Wales.

Ewan and the Platfform Board have supported Compassionate Mental Health since the first Gathering in 2016 by sponsoring bursary places so that experts by experience can attend the event. Ewan says:

“I am really delighted that we have been able to fund the bursary places for the Compassionate Mental Health Gatherings. It has been a privilege for me to attend the events and to spend time with Brigid as she has developed the themes and content. Despite the narrative of recovery and psychosocial approaches to mental health being present in the legislative and policy landscape in Wales, we know – from the three thousand people that use our services each year – that this is not the reality for people in crisis. The disease model and  medication is the dominant model and treatment option and we believe strongly this needs to change.”

Read Ewan’s Blog about becoming Platfform

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