Community Development Workers (CDWs) for
Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) Communities in Adult Mental Health Services

 
FACTS
 
One in five mental health in-patients come from a black and minority ethnic background, compared to about one in ten of the population as a whole. BME communities are sometimes reluctant or unable to access mental health services due to culture, background and language barriers; often they delay seeking help until they reach crisis point.
 
BME communities in Portsmouth
 
The term Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) group is any group in the UK who are not white British but have a shared race, nationality or language and culture. This definition includes:

• Eastern Europeans
• Gypsy & Travelers
• Irish people
• African and Caribbean people
• Asian and East Asian people
• Chinese
• Mediterranean
• People who are mixed race

What are Community Development Workers (CDW'S)?
 
Community Development Workers work with BME community members to raise awareness of mental health and well being and also to break down the stigma and fear among service users, their carers and families. We engage with community groups, to provide various talks on mental health and well being as well as signposting people to the appropriate services. We listen to your views about local mental health services: consulting with and informing local services about your needs and passing on your views of the services.
 
We also work closely with services to bridge the gaps between service providers and BME users, raising awareness of equality and diversity among Adult Mental Health staff and finding effective ways to help the providers of Adult Mental Health Services- Solent NHS Trust in partnership with Portsmouth City Council Health, housing and Social Care Directorate, deliver their services to the wider BME community.
 
Meet the team:
Mabel Fan - Senior CDW
 
Portsmouth Team
Lola Adegboye - CDW
Shipa Ahmed Khan – CDW
Sadhia Amin - CDW
 
Contact
Friendship Centre
Elm Grove
Southsea
PO5 1JT
Tele: 02392 755485
Fax: 02392 815483
Email:cdw@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
 
Befriending project:
In partnership with Portsmouth Mind we are expanding the befriending service run by them to meet the needs of ethnic communities. The team is currently recruiting volunteers to this service to befriend adult mental health service users. Volunteers will work alongside Community Development Workers and Portsmouth Mind to build relationships; this will provide the chance for BME service users to participate in social activities. Volunteers will learn about the issues facing people from Black and Minority Ethnic groups with mental health problems. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer and are over 18 years of age please contact Lola (project lead) on 07958 913473 or the CDW team on 02392 755485.
 
Cross Cultural Women’s Group (CCWG)
We are currently working collaboratively with Portsmouth Friendship Centre and Portsmouth Counselling Centre. Portsmouth Counselling Centre’s BME Group will be re-launched in October 2011 and will then be known as the Cross Cultural Women’s Group; it will meet every Wednesday between 12 and 2.30 p.m. at Friendship House in Elm Grove, Southsea. The group offers various activities and workshops around mental health and well being; it is also a source of social support and can reduce the isolation of women from ethnic minority backgrounds/communities. For further details please contact Shipa (project lead) on 07958 913256 or Rowshonara on 07894 708999 alternatively call the team on 02392 755485.
 
Download the CDW Annual Report 2010
Download the CDW Action plan 2010-2011
 
If you are interested in looking at legislation or up to date policy in this area you can log onto the Equality and Human Rights Commission at www.equalityhumanrights.com.