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The University of Bolton Student Services

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Resources brought together by the Life Lounge team

Introduction

 

Many individuals from the BAME community feel their needs can be met from mainstream services, however, we also recognise that there are times when specialist BAME services are needed.

People who have a minority ethnic background often face additional barriers when they need to access mental health services and information. Alongside this, when they do access services, they can experience difficulties accessing appropriate care and treatment that is culturally sensitive.

Mental health and psychiatric services are usually based on a western understanding of mental illness, often using the medical model to treat the illness. This can sometimes be at odds with the cultural, spiritual or religious beliefs of people from black and minority ethnic groups.

.  This section includes information about wellbeing and mental health services tailored specifically for BAME individuals.

If you have information about services that you think would be beneficial for this page please email us at lifelounge@bolton.ac.uk

 

Services

Lets Talk Fam - Opening up the conversation about mental health with our young black, Asian, Arab and mixed heritage men. This website has a range of resources to support our young men in understanding their mental health and talking about their mental health.    

The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network is home of the largest community of Counsellors and Psychotherapists of Black, African, Asian and Caribbean Heritage in the UK.

Mind offers local peer support groups, there may be groups in your area for people from your community. Use these two search engines from MIND to find support in your area.  Find your local MIND group or try MINDs peer support directory

Sharing Voices – a charity in Bradford that aims to reduce mental health and related inequalities for BAME communities.

The Chinese Mental Health Association – an organisation that is involved in providing direct services, increasing mental health awareness and representing Chinese mental health issues in public forums and raising its profile in the overall Chinese community.

 

 

African and Caribbean Mental Health Service - ACMHS is a community-based organisation providing free and confidential culturally appropriate services predominantly to African and African Caribbean communities as well as other minority groups including White Europeans with mental health needs aged 18 and over living in Manchester and surrounding areas.

NESTAC (New Step for African Communities) Charity works to empower the disadvantaged population within the Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in Greater Manchester. Their initiatives and projects work to promote social integration, equality, diversity and human rights of BAME families, with an emphasis on the mental health and wellbeing of women and young girls who have been victims of Gender-Based Violence. A COVID-19 emotional support line for black and ethnic minority communities in Greater Manchester is now live. Advice, guidance and other service signposting is on offer relating to COVID-19 related issues; including psychosocial therapy for women and young girls who have suffered abuse or violence during the outbreak. Individual or group therapy is available with advice offered in Somali, Kurdish, Swahili, Urdu, Arabic, French and others. The helpline can be contacted on either 07862 279289 or 07894 126157 seven days a week between the hours of 10am and 6pm.You can also text the word ‘HELP’ to either number and someone will get back to you as soon as possible
 
42nd St Manchester - Film42 Project Funded by Comic Relief and delivered in partnership with Sagita Media, Survivors Manchester and TIPP, Film 42 is a project which empowers young Black men to explore mental health through filmmaking.
 
Trafford South Asian Mental Health Service The Trafford South Asian Mental Health Service was set up in April 1995 to work with South Asian individual’s (aged 18 years and above) experiencing mental ill-health, their carers, families and communities who reside within the borough of Trafford. South Asian refers to individuals whose origin/heritage is from Pakistan, India or Bangladesh. The team can converse in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi and English. The service is community based, located at Broome House.

Here are some mental health information resources that are available in a range of community languages - The Royal College of Psychiatrists offer translations of their mental health information resources.