Hundreds Benefit From Work Tackling Mental Health Inequalities

Almost 800 people have benefited so far from activities funded by Addressing Mental Health Inequalities in Minority Ethnic Groups grants. 

 

What is the programme? 

Addressing Mental Health Inequalities in Minority Ethnic Groups is a grants programme awarding funding to Community Organisations in Leeds. It sits within a broader mental health strategy, of which one of the aims is to reduce inequalities in accessing mental health support experienced by minority ethnic communities. This strategy links the programme with a range of partners, including programme funders NHS Leeds CCG (now part of the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board), hosts Leeds City Council Public Health, Forum Central and Synergi-Leeds. 

 

Why is the programme needed? 

In Leeds, as across the country, people from minority ethnic groups are more likely to experience mental health problems. They are also less likely to receive quality, timely support that meets their needs. 

Children and young people from minority ethnic groups are under-represented in mental health support services. They report a lack of trust in mental health support services, as well as barriers in accessing support for mental distress.  

Adults from minority ethnic groups have an increased risk of experiencing severe mental illness and are over-represented in Community Treatment Orders and admissions to mental health wards in crisis. 

 

How does this funding help? 

By funding Community Organisations, we give them the resources they need to support local people from minority ethnic communities with their mental health. 

For some organisations this will mean building capacity so they can work in a ‘psychologically informed’ way. For others it means reducing stigma and increasing trust to help people access existing support services. This work also includes offering a safe and trusted place for people to come to for support, or using trusted relationships to help people access other services. 

 

What’s happened so far? 

In the spring of 2021, we awarded grants to 12 Community Organisations in Leeds to do this work. The programme invested over £200,000 in grants between £8,500 and £20,000 in size. Most organisations received funding for 2 years. 

After the first year, organisations reported that a combined total of nearly 800 people had benefitted directly from the activity. Over 5,000 people were engaged more broadly, for example family members of those supported and people who attended events. 

A number of organisations have also secured additional funding from other sources. They have raised more than £110,000 in total. 

 

What activities are happening? 

The work is varied and includes life coaching, education sessions, support groups and mindfulness training. One organisation, GIPSIL, is running a project called ‘Eats & Beats’ for young people aged 13-25. 

The project combines music production and vocal performance with mental health support and signposting. Participants take the lead on their own musical learning, and receive support from tutors and musicians to create and perform their own pieces. The sessions give young people the chance to be creative and express themselves. Over 60 young people have taken part in the project so far. 

The sessions also give young people access to Youth Wellbeing Workers for support. GIPSIL said “We’ve learnt that just being there in the group to talk to the young person whilst allowing the young person to be creative and express themselves through music can be more powerful and supportive than having a 1:1 session about mental health issues”. 

Another organisation, Give a Gift, is reducing stigma and increasing trust to improve access to existing mental health support services. They deliver a Social Wellbeing group, a Muslim women’s support group and face-to-face individual support. 

Give a Gift have worked with 65 women so far. Most of them are from a mix of South Asian and African backgrounds. Give a Gift have successfully built rapport with these women through their work. They credit their success to two main factors: providing culturally competent bilingual support and meeting faith-related needs. 

 

What next? 

Most of the organisations are still delivering this work, and will continue to do so until spring 2023. Additionally, there may be an opportunity for some organisations to receive more funding to extend their work for a third year. 

 

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