Elliott Rae

ONCE AGAIN - more research, more insights and more action is needed to resolve health inequities https://lnkd.in/es5Ru-eh

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Discover the role of email newsletters in community engagement. Our latest blog post explores how this tool supports our community with informative updates and stories #CommunityEngagement #EmailNewsletters

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Prior to joining the team at Understood.org, I never considered the collective value in a more inclusive and accessible workplace environment. Things as simple as creating and sharing agendas before meetings, designating note takers, and normalizing summarizing + verbalizing meeting takeaways in real time were often overlooked in my previous organizations. Creating more inclusive spaces for some really does benefit us all. And many of these cultural changes are seemingly minor and extremely beneficial to most! 💡 If you have some time, I strongly encourage you to check out our workplace support hubs. It has some great resources + best practices and even outlines some of the accommodations you could be requesting at work to support your learning and thinking. #neurodiversity #neuroinclusion #workplaceinclusion

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** CALL TO ACTION ** As part of the upcoming Black Mental Health Manifesto we are looking for quotes or small case study extracts to promote the need for the Manifesto prior to launch. If you or your organisation has a case study that you think we could take some quotes from that talk about difficulties with the MH system or the effects of an interaction with it. Can you please send it over and we’ll think about how we can use it to promote the Manifesto before launch.   Alternatively, I’ve we've set up a Google form where if you or any of your network feel comfortable doing so, can leave a quote or answer a couple of questions about your experiences which we would like to use for same purpose. Please share far and wide and return no later than the 29th February. #ProtectBlackMentalHealth #blackmentalhealth #calltoaction

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vital roadmap for the changes we need..

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Read and share

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𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 Throughout my work on Project Soul Stride, it has become clear that suicide bereavement services within the Black community are almost non-existent, and many individuals simply don’t know where to turn for help. This presents an enormous opportunity for existing service providers and the creation of new ones to fill this critical gap. By addressing this unmet need, we can make a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of the Black community. 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬: • Limited Access: Black people in the UK are more likely to experience mental health problems and less likely to receive adequate mental health care compared to their white counterparts (Centre for Mental Health). • Barriers: Black communities face barriers such as stigma, discrimination, and lack of culturally competent care, which hinder access to mental health services (Mental Health Foundation). • Higher Risk: Black men in the UK are at a higher risk of suicide, and the absence of targeted support services exacerbates this issue (Samaritans). • Calls for Improvement: There have been consistent calls for improved mental health services that are culturally sensitive and accessible to Black communities (Mind, Race Equality Foundation). Moreover, the area of peer support is massively growing and presents unique opportunities for development. Peer-support groups have been shown to be highly effective for suicide loss survivors, providing a sense of community, understanding, and mutual aid. For further insights, the academic article “Peer-support groups for suicide loss survivors: a systematic review” offers a comprehensive review of the benefits and best practices for these groups.(https://lnkd.in/ek8zsUQR) Attending the upcoming Suicide Bereavement Conference 2024 (https://lnkd.in/eg_a7GYm) could also offer valuable insights and support. I look forward to discussing this aspect further and sharing more insights. Best regards, Chris Frederick Lived Experience Advisor and Mental Health Advocate Project Soul Stride #suicideawareness #bereavement #peersupport #ProtectBlackMentalHealth

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DEADLINE EXTENDED: To the 14th June 2024 Synergi Projects focuses on the intersection between racial justice and mental health, distress or trauma, and connects activists and organisers into a network to shift power and resources to grassroots groups. This is the purpose of the Small Grants Fund - to Democratise Policy - supporting groups led by and for those racialised as BPoC, that have been harmed by/work on: The mental health system Disability justice Racial justice Prisons & Policing (including Forensic mental health settings) The Immigration System and Detention centres Funding is for up to £5,000 and eligible groups must be engaged in activities related to: Tackling the root causes of mental ill-health, trauma, and distress for communities of colour, through campaigning, community organising, change-making; And/or by building radical community-based alternatives to healing, mental health and wellbeing. And/or ‘non-reformist’ reforms of current statutory state services as a stepping stone towards an abolitionary approach. For example, scrapping programmes that target specific communities e.g. Prevent. The aim is for the funding to reach communities experiencing the most extreme forms of discrimination and injustice, so we are specifically encouraging applications from groups led by and for: Disabled Communities Muslim Communities Trans and Non-Binary Communities Refugees and/or people seeking asylum Black Communities (we will ringfence 50% of the funding for these groups) Eligible groups must have a yearly income of under £50k, and our fund is also open to Unregistered Groups (i.e. groups not formally registered with Companies House or the Charity Commission).   Applications close at 5pm on 14th June 2024. https://lnkd.in/eaT3YknP Debbie Solomon (She/Her)

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Why do large non profits that are not led and run by queer and trans persons take funding for programmes for queer and trans persons? Should they not be mindful of the fact that funding pool for LBQT organisations is generally small and if big organisations start taking funding from the limited pool - what would community based organisations do? We want to be more than a mention in a BIG organisations/ INGOs funder report that “highlights” the importance of grassroots and community based organisations.

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🔥 When Discrimination Turns into Aiding and Abetting False Reporting 🔥 Let's tackle a deeply troubling and often overlooked issue: how discrimination can evolve into aiding and abetting false reporting in the UK. It's a serious matter with far-reaching consequences. 🚨 The Problem: Suspecting and Charging Based on Bias: Discrimination can lead to biased suspicions and wrongful charges. When the police allow prejudices to influence their decisions, innocent individuals become targets. ⚠️ Aiding False Reports: Sometimes, discrimination goes a step further. The police may inadvertently support or even encourage false reporting by taking claims at face value without proper investigation, especially when these claims fit certain prejudiced narratives. 🕵️‍♂️ How It Happens: Implicit Bias in the Police Forces: Officers may unconsciously allow racial, gender, or socio-economic biases to colour their judgment, leading to unequal treatment and hasty conclusions. 🚔 Confirmation Bias: The police might focus on evidence confirming their prejudices while ignoring evidence contradicting it. This can result in supporting false allegations that align with their biases. 🔍 Pressure to Act: In high-pressure situations, the police may rush to judgment to show they are taking action, sometimes siding with the accuser without a thorough investigation. 🏃‍♂️ Consequences: Injustice for the Innocent: Innocent people suffer from wrongful charges, arrests, and convictions. This not only affects their lives but also undermines the credibility of the justice system. ⚖️ Erosion of Trust: Public trust in the police and the judicial system erodes when people see biased or unjust actions, leading to a lack of cooperation and respect. 🏛️ Real Victims Overlooked: Resources are wasted on false claims, diverting attention from genuine victims who need support and justice. 😔 Call to Action: Training and Education: Police forces must invest in comprehensive training to recognise and combat implicit biases. Knowledge and awareness are the first steps to change. 📚 Thorough Investigations: All reports should be thoroughly investigated with an open mind, ensuring that biases do not influence the outcome. 🔍 Accountability: The police must be held accountable for discriminatory practices and wrongful support of false reporting. Transparency and accountability are crucial. 🕵️‍♂️ Join the Conversation: What do you think about this issue? Have you witnessed or experienced instances where discrimination led to aiding false reporting? How can we better address this problem? Let's discuss and find solutions together. 👇 #JusticeInTheUK #Discrimination #FalseReporting #Police #Bias #LegalReform #Justice #Law #Courts #CPS #CCRC

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‘Children facing a ‘brutal’ loss of time and space for play at state schools’ - The Guardian Shorter playtimes and shrinking outside space in England have serious implications for children’s wellbeing and mental health. New research from the UCL Institute of Education showed a continued downward trend in the amount of time children have for playtime in the wake of the Covid lockdowns, with the youngest losing the most time. The demands of the curriculum have increased, and continue to diminish time outside, while staffing shortages are reducing capacity to oversee playtime. Schools face difficult financial decisions, which are having an impact on the funding to care for grounds. Headteachers in the state sector have said they are in desperate need of funding to improve basic facilities for children. School buildings are crumbling, as many were built with RAAC that was not replaced within its usable lifetime, meaning in some cases playgrounds are being used to host temporary classrooms. This is squeezing out the little space some schools have for children to spend time outside. Damien Jordan, Headteacher said “The curriculum means that from six or seven years old play is gone . . . it’s brutal, children aren’t ready. The classrooms change from a free-flow space to what is more like an office.” Dr Jackie Applebee, a GP said ”Severe cuts to council budgets mean that local councils often don’t prioritise outdoor play spaces and cuts to the education budgets mean that schools, who are heavily inspected and penalised, inevitably prioritise the classroom over the playground.” Dr Helen Dodd said what she saw in schools was part of a worrying wider picture. “Children are losing space and time to play everywhere.” This👆🏼is why Play England are calling on the next Government to introduce #PlaySufficiency legislation in England, which would establish statutory guidance for local authorities to provide and secure sufficient play opportunities ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eKtJWuBg 🏫🚸🌿🍁🍂🪵 🚲 🛴 🛹🛼 🛝 🏃🏼‍♂️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏾👩‍🦽🚴🏿🚏🚶🏻🤸🏾‍♂️🤸🏼‍♂️🌳🏘️ #PlaySufficiency #FreePlay #Play #PhysicalLiteracy #PhysicalActivity #ActiveTravel #PlayStreet #SchoolStreets #StreetPlay #HomeZones #UNCRC #FreerangeUrbanNeighbourhoods #FUN #KnowBallGames #Parks #Playgrounds #PublicRealm #RaisingTheNation

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Lived experience insights can be shared far and wide through a medium that millions of us are familiar with and love: films and movies. If you’re not familiar with the lived experience movement, films and movies can provide a safe space to learn about it. The positive impact films can have on people’s mental health, wellbeing and recovery is priceless. And once you experience the amazing stories that people with lived experience so courageously share through writing, starring in, producing, directing or consulting on a film, you’ll want to share the impact you feel. Incredibly, that’s the power of paying it forward, which helps elevate the voices of people with lived experience and reduces the stigma around talking about mental health and suicide. I’ve been lucky enough to watch three films in the last 9 months that had such a profound impact on me. Immerse yourself in storytelling with heart and compassion by watching: The Healing: https://lnkd.in/gNzt47HX; Say My Name: https://lnkd.in/gB93Fv85; and Just a Farmer: https://lnkd.in/g_rePKyy ❤️ #storytelling #livedexperience #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthadvocate #suicideprevention #payitforward #arttherapy #horsetherapy #filmmaking #independentfilms Dr Mel Baker Rhoyce Nova Leila McDougall

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It truly is wonderful to witness people with a learning disability break out of all the boxes they continue to be put in. Thanks to Jen & @ciarale01 for your openness & honesty Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AQafX #EndingStereotypes #Thinkingdifferently

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The Black Mental Health Manifesto is an important initiative. In the Nip in the Bud film on dyslexia Marcia Brissett-Bailey BSc, PG Dip (QCG), MA,IPSEA talks about her intersectional experiences as a black, dyslexic woman, and the challenges she faced as a child before she received her diagnosis. She also explores the structural inequalities in schools, and the pipeline between education and the ciminal justice system which particularly impacts young black boys with undiagnosed neurodiversity. https://bit.ly/3ViSfsh #BlackMentalHealthManifesto #undiagnosedneurodiversity #dyslexia #autism #ADHD #conductdisorder #criminaljusticesystem

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With so much hard work going on in the restorative sector and beyond, why do most people affected by crime not know what Restorative Justice is? Why me? UK's latest blog from Keeva Baxter explores how a lack of understanding, misconceptions and punitive attitudes all contribute to criminal justice professionals not telling people about Restorative Justice, and calls for an urgent reframing of the way we talk about Restorative Justice so that more people can access this transformative tool. #restorativejustice #whyme https://lnkd.in/eUgP-s2b

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Reporting, post the Black Inclusion Week Health Panel. Massive shoutout to the Surgeon, GP, Psychiatrist, Menopause Advocate and Inclusion Doctor 🤣 Today's health panel was a resounding success, leaving no stone unturned and providing a comprehensive exploration of crucial topics revolving around Black Health. Panellists engaged in dynamic discussions, addressing the importance of Black inclusion and empowerment in healthcare. The event began with spirited panel introductions, with very active audience participation. Throughout the discussion, the panellists highlighted the significance of Black Inclusion Week in fostering awareness and actionable initiatives to dismantle barriers and promote diversity and equality in healthcare. Intersecting with Mental Health awareness week, some of the key themes included the importance of addressing mental health stigma within the Black community, as well as advocating for preventative health measures. Dr T.Ayodele Ajayi FRCPsych provided valuable insights into the impact of cultural stigma on mental health care, stressing the need for culturally sensitive approaches. Panellists also discussed the role of tailored healthcare solutions in addressing the diverse needs of the Black community, as emphasized by Ms (Dr) Rantimi Ayodele. Dr Oluseye Arikawe FRCGP MbChB DRCOG DFFP PGAmed(ed) underscored the importance of empowering individuals to advocate for their health needs effectively and Fay Reid, a menopause champion, brought attention to the intersectional challenges faced by Black women particularly where menopause is concerned, offering practical tips for navigating transitional phases with confidence. Today served as a catalyst for meaningful conversations and empowerment in healthcare, geared towards better physical, mental and healthcare outcomes for the black community. Sharing a sneaky picture of the backroom with Aggie Yemurai Mutuma FCIPD and Habee Hamilton - Unseen footage!!! We are doing it all again tomorrow!!! Not to late to register for the 3 events https://lnkd.in/eQkas5sy #BlackInclusionWeek #BlackHealth #Advocate #TakeASecondOpinion

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Hi folks 👋 Our next Demystifying Domestic Abuse Workplace Training taster day is coming up and there are JUST TEN PLACES REMAINING! WHEN - 9.30-4.30, Thursday 27th June WHERE - Salvus House, Durham SIGN UP - https://lnkd.in/eaZu4n5z RECEIVE - lunch courtesy of Business Durham, as well as 2 informational resource books to take away!   WHY?   As business leaders and managers, there are always so many issues to prioritise.   If you have not received disclosures of staff affected by domestic abuse, it’s tempting to think it isn’t happening to those in your teams.   The likelihood, however, is that, as domestic abuse has been treated as a private matter for so long, until your business proactively brings domestic abuse into the open, your staff won’t feel confident enough to mention it.   But, if 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men are affected by domestic abuse in their lifetime, this issue will be impacting your workplace in a range of ways, from:   - Days of work missed - Productivity affected - Stalking and surveillance of employees whilst they are at your workplace - Employees leaving the workplace altogether and all the costs of recruitment, induction, teams being short-staffed this incurs   Could you get more from your staff by creating a more open and supportive workplace environment? Past training participants have said: “Gave me more confidence to have those conversations.” “Broadened the context in which I understand domestic abuse” “Films were very powerful, backed up by quality resources” “I found the interactive session very engaging. Can’t wait to share my experience and new knowledge.” “Changing Relations training format is very different to what you might be used to - they use arts and media as a conduit for deep and meaningful reflections without invading anyone's privacy.” We'd love to see you there and would be so grateful if you would be up for sharing this with your networks.   If you think your colleagues would prefer to start with our 1 hour Safety and Health at Work webinar exploring how domestic abuse relates to your staff duty of care, we’d be happy to deliver this for you at your company’s convenience. Get in touch by the end of June to claim our special summer rate of £125. Karen Parkin Helen Huitson North East Chamber of Commerce

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🚨 The Online Safety Act’s strength lies in its enforcement. Glitch are committed to ending online abuse against Black women and girls and achieving meaningful change for all women and girls 🌟 That’s why a team of us supported reviewing and sharing our recommendations with Ofcom to ensure our communities understand how we use our expertise to combat online abuse. Furaha Asani, PhD keisha B. Josh Rivers Seyi Akiwowo 👩🏾‍💻 Glitch has highlighted the Act’s shortcomings in protecting women and girls, especially Black women and girls. The guidance, along with input from other civil society organizations, is crucial for the Act’s effective implementation. 💪🏾 Effective enforcement is key, and Glitch appreciate Ofcom’s invitation to contribute to their Illegal Harms consultation. Rooted in Black feminist values, our recommendations aim to foster collaboration with civil society and those vulnerable to online abuse. 💰 Ringfence budget for civil society and community engagement. 🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Improve Ofcom’s knowledge of intersectionality, race, and ethnicity. 🔍 Build and fund an Advisory Council for policy guidance and critical engagement. Glitch continue to mobilize digital citizens to action, holding tech corporations and governments accountable. Symbolic protection isn’t enough. They stand ready to collaborate with Ofcom and government officials to ensure the Online Safety Act is implemented effectively, safeguarding women and girls, especially Black women and girls, online and offline. 🌐✨ Read the full response below! https://lnkd.in/eG5WxKFP

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This article from the Runnymede Trust is a 5-minute read and asks the right questions.  We must hold our new government to account if we want to see and experience #Change #RacialJustice https://lnkd.in/e_drpH_m

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