UNTRAP was founded in 2004. The following aims and principles guide the work of the organisation:

Aims:

• To support and facilitate involvement of service users and carers in teaching, research and governance
• To give service users and carers the opportunity to contribute to the training of doctors, health professionals and social workers
• To support academics in the process of involving service users and carers in their research projects and teaching related activities
• To give students the opportunity to learn from service users and carers
• To deliver training courses in user involvement and partnership working for both service users and professionals

Guiding Principles:

UNTRAP members are:

• Valued for their skills and experiences
• Always treated with dignity and respect
• Are paid for their time and expenses are reimbursed at a fair and appropriate rate
• Adhere to the UNTRAP Code of Practice Are supported with appropriate training and briefing