Building Strengths - Self-harm in black and ethnic communities
BUILDING... THE STRENGTHS WITHIN
A new programme is addressing self-harm with Scotland's young people from black and minority ethnic communities.
In 2004 the National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minority Health ( NRCEMH) and the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health ( SDC) became aware that relatively little was known about the experiences of young people from ethnic minority communities in Scotland around mental health and, specifically, with regard to self-harm and suicide. It was also found that there was little support for agencies and practitioners working in this particular field.
In 2004, the Camelot Foundation and the Mental Health Foundation launched a two year programme, The National Inquiry into Self-Harm Among Young People, to investigate how public services across the UK can:
- work with communities, families and young people in order to prevent self-harm among young people (aged 11-25)
- increase the understanding about self-harm, and
- improve responses to people who self-harm
Simultaneously Camelot awarded capacity-building grants, and the SDC launched the Building the Strengths Within programme in Scotland. The purpose of this project was to establish a network of agencies and practitioners to explore the issues around black and minority ethnic young people and self-harm. The group aimed to build the capacity of individuals and organisations working with young people from ethnic minority communities who self-harm, or are at risk of self-harm, and to respond more appropriately to the young people's needs.
To raise awareness of the issues around self-harm, particularly across black and ethnic minority communities, Building the Strengths Within worked with 'see me', the national anti-stigma campaign challenging attitudes towards mental ill health, to provide support to the media on World Self Harm Day in March 2007. Information and personal stories appeared on BBC, STV, radio and the press.
SDC formed a steering group which identified a number of key issues:
- Although many of the individuals who self-harm may contact services for support and treatment there is a lack of awareness of the issues around self-harm.
- Within ethnic minority communities individuals may have different concepts of mental health and well-being to those held by mental health professionals.
- Professionals are often lacking in confidence in working with young people from minority ethnic groups, and are afraid of saying the wrong thing.
The steering group has run a series of interactive seminars with national and local groups of practitioners from various backgrounds including teaching and psychiatry. In addition, SDC has established a database of organisations in Scotland with interest and experience in self-harm and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
For more information about the programme contact:
Pippa Coutts, SOC
E:pippa@sdcmh.org.uk
www.sdcmh.org.uk
Dale Meller, NRCEM
E:Dale.Meller@health.scot.nhs.uk
www.nrcemh.nhsscotland.com
www.penumbra.org.uk