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Update on ‘Are We Really Listening?’ local anti-stigma projects

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Monday, 20 September 2010
‘Are we really listening?’ is a project supporting new initiatives to reduce mental health stigma in BME communities. In April 2010, NHS Health Scotland invited organisations across Scotland to apply for small grants with proposals for creative and innovative projects which would aim to tackle mental health stigma locally in BME communities and also show good practice in engaging with BME communities.

They received 24 proposed projects from across Scotland and with the help of panel members from See Me and the Mental Health Foundation, they have now selected the four successful projects for tackling mental health stigma in Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities in Scotland. 

Here’s a taster of what the four projects will be doing:

  1. Top Tips for Mental Health
    Hina Sheikh from NHS Lanarkshire along with Mossend Mosque, Glasgow Association for Mental Health, North Lanarkshire Council and Humjolie.

    This project will target young people (male and female) from the South Asian and Arabic Muslim community in Lanarkshire. A series of mental health awareness workshops will be carried out with the young people. During the workshops the young people will also be involved in designing ‘tip cards’. These will provide a range of information including issues of stigma often attached to mental health problems, how to access services, information on mental health problems and local support. This project would hope to tackle mental health stigma not only with young people but also parents too. 

  2. Khamoshi – The Silence
    Maryam Imran and Paul McCusky from Deaf Connections.

    Men from a mixed group of BME deaf people (including South Asian, Arab, African, Chinese and Lithuanian communities) from across Glasgow are targeted in this project. The project will be creating a multimedia resource with a combination of communication and images to challenge mental health stigma for deaf men in the BME community and across BME communities more widely.

  3. Kick 4 Better Mental Health
    Vicky Wan from Central Scotland Racial Equality Council along with Falkirk and District Association for Mental Health.

    This project targets young men from the Polish, Chinese, South Asian and African communities in Falkirk and Stirling. The aim of this project is to break down aspects of stigma and discrimination associated with mental health through the sport of football.  Participants will be encouraged to take part in creative workshops after the football games to talk about mental health stigma and the negative impacts on BME men.

  4. Seen and Heard
    Akin Fatunmbi from Health in Mind along with Grampian Racial Equality Council, West of Scotland Regional Equality Council and Frae Fife.

    This project aims to combat mental health stigma amongst BME men. It involves creative workshops with participants producing a DVD resource which will demonstrate the negative impact of mental health stigma. The DVD will be distributed in Aberdeen, Fife and Glasgow to tackle mental health stigma in BME communities.
These projects are now underway and are due to be completed by November this year. The projects will also have an opportunity to highlight their outcomes at the NHS Health Scotland Mental Health and Race Equality programme's National Conference on 9th December 2010 at the John McIntyre Conference Centre in Edinburgh. 

For more information about the 'Are we really listening?' projects contact Arma Sayed on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or on 0141 354 2931.

Regular updates will also be available via the Mental Health and Race Equality programme's website
 
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