Publish date: 26 June 2023
The 'People Like Us' project is a digitally innovative co-created intervention to support mental health of ethnic minority students.
On Monday 26 June, the Trust celebrated at the 'People Like Us' conference at the University of West London. It marks an innovative development in addressing racial and cultural barriers facing BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) students in need of mental health support. People from ethnic minority backgrounds are known to experience inequalities in society, which can negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing.The project was therefore launched in order to make sure these groups receive the support they require in the most effective way possible.
The partner organisations have teamed up to create and provide racial and culturally competent support to these students before they reach crisis point.
As a result, students are supported through different types of workshops.These include face-to-face workshops, online peer support and pre-recorded workshops via Microsoft Teams.The course also explores how students could be reached through the use of social media.The workshops are delivered by both mental health practitioners and peer trainers from the Trust's Recovery College. People co-facilitating the support are also representative of their communities and have lived experience.
To reach the largest number of people, eight groups were set up.
The sessions will explore some of the challenges that BAME community groups face and how this may impact mental health and wellbeing. For example, racism, religion, as well as cultural identity and gender norms.
Participants will come away understanding the project and its aims, more about themselves and their way of thinking, how to develop skills to manage stress, coping with difficult emotions, as well as how to live a happier and healthier life. Each session has been co-designed and tailored for each community group in mind.
During the development of the programme, eight groups of students were set up to consider a specific area, for example, BAME LGBTQ+ students, and to think about what changes could be made to the programme to continue to improve how ‘People Like Us’ should continue to tackle these issues. These sessions explored some of the challenges that BAME community groups face and how this may impact mental health and wellbeing including racism, religion, as well as cultural identity and gender norms. This has been used to continually improve the content of the workshops.
You can find out more information about 'People Like Us' here.
The project was funded by the Office for Students in partnership with the university's student union and West London NHS Trust. The Office for Students is the independent regulator of higher education in England.