New Hounslow mental health service
The Hounslow Response Fund, aimed at supporting the development of community services to improve the mental health and wellbeing for adults in Hounslow, has awarded METRO and NAZ £50,000 for 12 months to jointly deliver the BAME LGBTQ+ Mental Health Partnership. The partnership will deliver holistic mental health and wellbeing services and support to Hounslow residents from marginalised BAME and LGBTQ+ communities, including:
- mental health and wellbeing peer support groups
- dance workshops and mindfulness sessions
- one-to-one advice and advocacy
- counselling
This holistic programme will address community disparities in access to, and engagement with, mental services through focusing on social issues that affect health such as community belonging, economic stability, housing, income and social support. The programme will also address some of the main barriers to engaging in mental services, such as language, cultural specificity and inclusivity.
Joel Robinson, METRO’s Head of Mental Health, explains, “METRO is delighted to have received funding from the Hounslow MINT fund in order to improve the mental health of LGBTQ+ and BAME communities in Hounslow.
"Alongside our partner NAZ, we are excited to develop a new community support service focusing on one to one and groupwork advocacy and support.
"As well as a one-to-one support service, where people can get help as individuals, we will run a groupwork programme, in order to help with social isolation. The groups will be social spaces and psycho-educational based sessions, as well as tailored courses and interventions to improve mental health, such as mindfulness courses and dance classes.”
Parminder Sekhon, NAZ CEO, said, "The huge impact of Covid on the nations mental and emotional health has been inescapable and profound. For Black, Asian and Minoiritised communities and LGBT+ communities, the experience of disproportionate risk, loss, isolation and marginalisation has been doubly so. As we look to ease out of lockdown, NAZ is pleased to be supporting the health and wellbeing of Hounslow residents through this exciting new project."