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Empowering Others

Helping Those Who Need Us Most

  1. Description of the project:

Mental health issues within the Black community are sensitive topics. However, we aim to create a platform through the Uplifting Project Calderdale (Black Community) to address and mitigate the stigmas that have developed over time, particularly among the older generation. 

 

The project will focus on raising awareness and providing training in mental health first aid through sports events and music lessons. This initiative is designed to empower vulnerable individuals, giving them the tools to be the first line of support for others and to facilitate access to mental health resources and proper assistance at an early stage.

 

We will offer music lessons, sports classes, and IT support at a local community centre. These music lessons and sports activities will be available for young people aged 16 to 21, a demographic that currently lacks sufficient services and support in Calderdale. By participating in these programs, young people will have the opportunity to learn new skills and socialize in a safe environment.

 

The music lessons will be taught by local church members from the New Hope United Reform Church, who have experience playing the organ, piano, and drums, thereby sharing a diverse range of musical skills with participants. The sports classes will be held at the Halifax Academy Sports Centre, which has facilities to support various sports, including football, basketball, and netball. The sessions will be led by Brown Giwa and dedicated volunteers.

 

In addition to the lessons, we will host monthly community talks at the central library, focusing on mental health themes to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health struggles in our community. The project aims to empower young people who access these services to become community advocates, serve as role models for others, and promote the importance of mental health care.

 

Furthermore, we plan to purchase laptops for this initiative and establish a local e-library. This will provide members of our Warley community with free access to the internet. We will also conduct IT education and support sessions to improve computer literacy, a vital skill in today's digital age. The need for an e-library was highlighted through our organization's support of a local homeless individual who needed help completing an online housing application. Thanks to this support, he is now in temporary accommodation for the winter, a situation that would not have been possible without access to a computer.

2. How many people will your project support?

We believe this project will benefit around 100 people directly.

 

3. How will your project support people affected by mental health inequalities?

There is a significant paradox at the heart of Black people's experience with mental health services in England. Young Black men are disproportionately represented in the most restrictive areas of the service, including secure facilities. Moreover, Black individuals generally have overwhelmingly negative experiences with mental health services. Despite this, these communities are not accessing primary care, mental health promotion, or specialist community services that could help prevent or mitigate their mental health issues. They are receiving the mental health services they do not want, while the services they do want remain out of reach, leading to a profound sense of mistrust and fear between Black communities and mental health services.

 

Black people often mistrust and fear these services, while staff may also feel apprehensive about engaging with the Black community, fearing criticism and feeling unequipped to respond appropriately, especially regarding young Black men. Our organization's aim is to achieve an evaluated level of success in addressing mental health inequalities and crisis issues within our community.

 

The stress stemming from poverty and debt can lead to mental health issues and exacerbate existing conditions. Research conducted by the Spotlight CIO indicates that socioeconomic disadvantage is a significant cause of depression among Black individuals in Calderdale. This may be partly due to comparisons with others in unequal societies. Our socioeconomic circumstances can increase the risk of developing mental health problems, making them more prevalent in certain communities. The Healthy Survey of England consistently finds that Black individuals in the lowest socioeconomic class face the highest risk of mental health issues. Disadvantaged young people are two to three times more likely to experience mental health problems.

 

If we can reduce mental health inequalities in society and support communities and individuals in coping with their effects, we can also decrease the prevalence of mental health issues. In many ways, the Spotlight CIO is championing initiatives like the "Healthy Sound Minds" programs in Calderdale, which can positively influence mental health through social activities such as sports and music lessons, both of which serve as effective forms of therapy.

 

The Spotlight CIO Organization embodies the idea of having faith in ourselves and in our community. By encouraging individuals to believe in themselves, resist racism and discrimination, and trust that their local community will be there for support during difficult times, we can forge powerful connections and create a resilient community. Building this sense of community ensures that people do not have to face inequalities alone; they can tackle these challenges together.

 

Therefore, this project aims to bring the community together, particularly focusing on young people. By utilizing the shared interests in sports and music classes, we can foster community strength and trust. Once this foundation is established, we can begin discussing mental health openly, reducing the associated stigma. 

 

It is important to note that, at the last event I attended through the Healthy Minds programs at the Inspired Centre, located opposite Halifax College, there was a noticeable lack of representation of Black individuals in the campaign for mental health within Calderdale. In other words, we need inclusion and diversity outcome measures to prevent inequalities and disparities within the Black community.

4. How have people likely to benefit from your project helped shape the activity or activities you are planning?

This project and organization have been shaped by the ideas of local Black individuals facing mental health challenges. Many of these concepts have evolved over the four years that Brown Giwa, the chairman of Spotlight CIO, has worked to enhance mental health support within Calderdale. The organization’s members, who generously contribute their skills and time, are essential in running the classes.

 

The success of our uplifting project largely depends on how effectively we engage with the community. Input from the Black community is crucial in helping us shape the project vision, ensuring that Spotlight CIO's organizations respond to local needs and building support for our development initiatives. Ideally, we want community involvement from the very beginning. This approach will facilitate lasting relationships with Black community members and ensure our development efforts address the critical mental health issues that affect everyone.

 

It is not a myth that prioritizing mental well-being is essential in our community. Furthermore, community involvement is widely recognized as a key factor in reducing mental health disparities. The acceptance and investment of the Black community in Calderdale are necessary to achieve sufficient engagement levels that can lead to positive population-based outcomes. 

 

Several models exist that successfully involve Black community members in planning, implementing, and evaluating our uplifting project, ensuring that Calderdale thrives and meets the needs of its most vulnerable residents.

 

Studies have shown a correlation between the development of coalitions and improved mental health practices in Black minority communities. Our main goal is to ensure that those in need benefit from this project, leading to the changes we advocate for in the Calderdale community. While this transformation won't happen overnight, we are committed to achieving our ultimate aim: to positively influence mental health in the Black community.

 

Additionally, successful interventions in trusted community institutions, such as our Spotlight faith group organization and local churches, have become increasingly important in bridging the gap of mental health inequalities across the West Yorkshire region.

5. How will people be referred to or signposted towards your project?

As this project is mainly aimed at young people, we will signpost them towards the project using our social media, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. We will also liaise with other local organisations and share the opportunities we are offering. Using the local network of VSCE organisations means we can access many people in Calderdale and have young people signposted in from other projects. Within our community, we aim to use word of mouth, share details of the services within the church and community centre, and invest in standing poles and leaflets to share information quickly. 

6. What will happen after the funding for your project ends?

 

The funding for this project will enable us to purchase essential equipment for sports and music classes, as well as laptops for our e-library. Once the project concludes, we will retain this equipment for ongoing use. Given that most of our classes are run by volunteers during the project, these can continue seamlessly once funding ends.

 

We aim to cultivate community advocates from the young people who participate in our sessions. Many of them will be equipped to support and deliver future sessions, thus expanding our volunteer pool. The same principle applies to the e-library: with the laptops acquired through project funding and volunteers managing it, community access to the library will persist beyond the project's end.

 

Moreover, we hope that this project will elevate our local profile with the support of Healthy Minds. Increased recognition in Calderdale will enhance our ability to apply for future funding and foster a network of supportive organisations.

 

Our carefully implemented mental health initiative ensures that the uplifted participants and partners in Calderdale will be ready to carry on independently. The primary outcomes and impacts align with our theories on mental health in the Black community, eliminating the need to revisit unexpected negatives or unanticipated innovations.

 

A post-project evaluation will provide data for a deeper sustainability analysis, helping us understand how beneficiaries integrate development projects into their lives. Ultimately, the project's outcomes continue, as we, as an organisation in Calderdale, do not consider endings an option.

7. How do you aim to collect data throughout the project?

We will employ a variety of data collection methods to ensure a comprehensive range of data can be shared with you. Our approach includes:

  1. Participant Registers: We will maintain detailed registers capturing general information such as the gender and age of class participants.

  2. Surveys: Participants will complete surveys before and after their series of classes, allowing us to measure the impact our sessions have on them.

  3. Visual Documentation: We will take pictures and videos of various activities to provide a visual representation of our services.

Mental Health support

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