It is Mental Health Awareness Week, and we want to take a moment to ask: how are you?
Whether you are navigating the asylum system, working to campaign against hostile immigration policies or drawing on the arts to reimagine a less dividing reality, we recognise that navigating these systems and building a world where refugees are welcome can take a toll on our mental health and wellbeing.
No matter what you are feeling, you are not alone, and there is lots of support out there.
We view mental health awareness as important year-round and an area we are exploring as part of our Arts & Mental Health strand of work. We would love to hear from you if you are an artist or creative doing work in this space.
Here is a round-up of what resources and support are available from organisations and individuals across our networks:
Download a copy of Camille Sapara Burton’s ‘The Gen Grief Toolkit’, which offers embodiment tools and rituals to support grief work in community. Link to download: https://global-diversity.org/grief-toolkit/
Resources from Healing Justice London, an organisation building community-led health and healing to create capacity for personal and structural transformation:
healingjusticeldn.org/resources
For immediate, practical support:
The Samaritans offer free emotional support 24 hours a day – in full confidence / Call 116 123.
samaritans.org
For free, confidential support, 24/7, text SHOUT to 85258.
giveusashout.org
Anxiety UK on 03444 775 774 / Text: 07537 416 905 / support@anxietyuk.org.uk
anxietyuk.org.uk
Mind info line on 0300 123 3393 /
mind.org.uk
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) helpline on 0800 58 58 58 /
thecalmzone.net
Training resources:
Amna International — Introduction to Setting Up Safe Spaces
https://amna.org/introduction-to-setting-up-safe-spaces/
Kazzum Arts — Trauma Awareness Training
https://www.kazzum.org/train-with-kazzum
Reports:
The Mental Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the UK, from The Mental Health Foundation:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-02/Mental%20health%20of%20asylum%20seekers%20-%20report%20-%20February%202024.pdf
Pursuing Racial Justice in Mental Health, by the Centre for Mental Health:
https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/CentreforMH_PursuingRacialJusticeInMH.pdf
Creatively Minded and Refugees: Arts, Refugees and Mental Health, by Counterpoints Arts:
https://cdn.baringfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/BF_Creatively-minded-and-refugees_WEB-lr.pdf
Books & Reading Materials:
Mad World: The Politics of Mental Health, by Micha Frazer-Carroll
Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety, by Cara Page and Erica Woodland
Tending Grief: Embodied Rituals for Holding Our Sorrow and Growing Cultures of Care in Community, by Camille Barton
Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others, by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky
Image: No Direction Home © Marcia Chandra
No Direction Home, is our stand-up comedy programme, currently focussing on exploring the positive impact of comedy on the mental health and wellbeing of migrants and refugees.
