In Poland, the number of people suffering from mental disorders is rising systematically: currently it is approximately 23% of the population. There are only 6 psychiatrists and 18 nurses per 100 000 inhabitants in Poland, which is half the psychiatric staff in neighbouring countries (Germany, the Czech Republic). There is a lack of research into the needs of people experiencing mental disorders. There are many scientific studies on the disorders themselves, but they do not take into account the perspective of patients. Another problem is the asymmetry in the patient – psychiatric care relationship. There is a lack of developed standards for cooperation, e.g. communication with patients nad their families with empathy and in open dialogue. Professionals in psychiatric care adopt a dominant attitude and often overlook patients and their families in the treatment process. We recognise the need for changes in the health care system to increase the effectiveness of treatment. Low public awareness related to mental disorders is also a challenge. 73% of people surveyed believe that people suffering from mental disorders usually hide their illness, only 37% declared that attitudes towards people with mental disorders are friendly, 45% feel sufficiently informed about mental health problems, but as many as 83% have experienced discrimination. In our project, we want to develop a model relationship between patients and mental health care and encourage the implementation of innovative solutions in the health care system. We conduct survey on experiences and needs of patients and their families, inspired by the idea of participatory action research (i.e. research with and for people, not on people). We carry out workshops and a seminar, and implement a promotional campaign disseminating the effects of the project in the medical community. Our activities will increase social awareness and change attitudes of a part of the society towards people with mental disorders.