Health and Diversity

QUESTION TIME! @ The African Caribbean Project

2010-03-11T03:11:00.000-08:00

Question Time returns to Leamington but on a slightly different

note. All the community are welcome to attend the event next

week as it addresses some critical issues.

What is the future for Warwickshire’s African Caribbean

Community and the African Caribbean Project?

We are hosting a community consultation event 4-9pm on

Wednesday 17th March at theAfrican Caribbean Project.

WE WANT TO HERE YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS about

the impact of the loss of key services for our community so please

either attend the event or leave some meaningful comments that

can be taken forward.

Many thanks.

FREE EVENT FOR THE POLISH COMMUNITY

2010-01-29T01:56:00.000-08:00

FREE EVENT FOR THE POLISH COMMUNITY:

‘How to be Happy!’
DATE: 07/02/2010: 9-5pm
VENUE: Leamington Spa Polish Catholic Mission, High Street,

Leamington Spa.

INFO: A community organised event, organised by the BME

Community Development Worker and the local Polish community.

A workshop orientated day from 9-5pm facilitated

by a Polish ‘Neuro Linguistic Programmer’ (NLP) to address issues

such as depression, anxiety, lack of motivation, self esteem

and goal setting. The event is a very positive step to the

community collectively taking action to help each other.

Food and drink will be provided on the day and good

attendance is anticipated.

Please leave any useful comments regarding the event and

any further ideas on how local well being services in the community

need to evolve in order to offer a good service to all the Polish

community. These comments will be fed into a new strategic

plan to improve local services which I will feed back on.

‘Voice of The Dolls’: Digital story/ Documentary

2010-01-29T01:17:00.000-08:00

What are the myths of our existence? Are we just

forgotten, silent dolls?

Unravel your creativity. Share and voice your ideas around

Community, Culture, Society, Race and Health by participating

in a digital story documentary project running between

Jan-March 2010 at the Community Arts Workshop,

Leamington Spa.
Make a digital story! Create a model theatre, a city or some

wild fabulous dolls! Engage in any form of Art and Creativity,

It’s up to you! This is everyone’s issue…and everyone’s theatre!

We will hear what you are saying!

Contact: Ranj (BME/ CDW). Mob: 07796148011:

ranjitchall@warwickshire.gov.uk
Fran (Project Manager): 07939368691:

mail@communityartsworkshop.org

This project has already begun and is producing some

very interesting local stories that would not permeate

traditional media forms available!

For any of the participants that have already taken part in the

filming/ interviewing please leave any valuable comments here

regarding what you enjoyed and how useful this project has been,

and do we need more of these forms of Community/Media engagement.

Many thanks!

Question Time - -28th October/ 25th November

2009-10-23T02:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to ‘Question Time’ again – it only seems like yesterday
that we had the last event. Taking on board all the previous
events and the issues raised I would welcome all parties involved
to post their comments on the issues raised at the meeting on the
28th October and the 25th November. Alternatively if you cant make
it down to the African Caribbean Project in Leamington Spa on the
28/10/09 or 25/11/09 between 6.30 – 9pm then please feel welcome
to post your concerns on what local services need to be put in place
regarding the well being of Black men.

These comments will all be fed into the next meeting with the local
commissionaires on the 13th November. I will be feeding back shortly
after this date.

Question Time – 30th September.

2009-09-28T01:43:00.000-07:00

Question time is back - the community voice for Black
African Caribbean men. We would really welcome all
black men from the community to come forward as they
have done in previous meetings to talk openly about
what the hard hitting issues in the community are
that are not being addressed. Previous topics have
been around accessing Healthcare, Education, Fathering,
Youths and lack of things to do and well being.

Please come again and leave your vital comments that are now being
fed into the next strategic meeting on October 9th.
I will be feeding back thereafter.

Please leave ideas and concerns as these issues then can
be taken forward!

'RUGBY EVENT'

2009-08-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

With respect to the event shortly to be held in Rugby

the team would like to offer an opportunity for people

to express their concerns, ideas and views online so

please feel encouraged to do so.

We would like to understand more about your experience

of using a service, which supports people who have

mental ill health.

How good are the services you receive? Are you able

to get involved in different things? Are the right things

on offer to you? Whether these services have helped

you with your recovery? Whether you have been able

to influence how a service has developed?

We will spend half a day with you and write up everything

you say to us on large sheets of paper. We will then

take this information away and write up report that

we will give to Ranjit Senghera from the West Midlands

Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health Care

Programme. Ranjit will use this information to make

sure that local services continue to improve.

Once the report has been analysed, we shall be feeding

back online.

Exhibition -‘Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head’

2009-07-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

A fantastic photography exhibition will be taking place
next Wednesday 5th August at The old library -
‘The Gallery’ in Leamington Spa. The exhibition entitled
‘Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head’ is a recent project
completed in partnership with The Early Intervention
Psychosis Team of South Warwickshire and the ever
reliable ground breaking Community Arts Workshop
in Leamington.

The project boasts a real success in using Direct Payments
in a contemporary and innovative way to work with diverse
communities and ages in relation to well being, identity
issues, culture, urban spaces and personal creativity and
expression. Food and much laughter will be provided on
the evening accompanied by a very thought provoking
exhibition.

Please feel welcome to leave any comments with regards
to the exhibition and the integral importance to working
with communities and individuals creatively.

Guideposts service available!

2009-02-20T07:01:00.000-08:00

We would like to introduce a service that we hope all ethnic
minority carer’s will be accessing especially in the north of
the county… If you have had a great service from Guideposts
then please share this with us so others can see the benefits...

I am BME Support Worker for Guideposts, and I cover Rugby
Bedworth, and Nuneaton, we support carers with any issues
they might face, we signpost them if need be.

We provide information on services and practical help available
to carers, we provide drop-in surgeries for carers to get information
and be able to get emotional support at difficult times, we promote
carers rights, ensure that carers voice is heard and their views
taken into account by decision makers.

Guideposts provide a wide range of information and services to help
carers; we also have social network groups that carers can attend.

If you would like to contact Guideposts for any information please
call the office number: 02476385888.

Age Concern Event!

2009-02-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

The BME team of South Warwickshire would like to announce
an exciting event in partnership with ‘Age Concern’ of
Leamington Spa – the event is simply for all BME communities
to use their nimble fingers to get online and simply tell us what
is needed as a service from Age Concern? And so the age
concern blog reads…

"Speak out about Mental Health Services for older people
in your Community….
This is an ideal opportunity for ethnic minority groups
to voice any experiences, concerns and opinions with regards
to what mental health provisions they would like Age Concern
Warwickshire to provide their communities.

The blog is now open for postings until 31st March 2009.
Please get your thoughts to us quickly and we will have
a post event review shortly after the closing date.
We look forward to hearing from you."

Question time ‘part 2’ - For African Caribbean men

2008-11-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

Question time ‘part 2’ arrived in Leamington Spa last night

with a real panoramic sense of passion, drive and purpose.

The numbers had doubled from the last event in April and the

mix of erudite men coupled with the debate proved to be an

enriching cocktail.

The group of men fused and gelled, the debate was polemical

and gritty, smothered with the brutality of the contemporary

and how communities had been ripped to pieces by ever more

alienation - aspects of modernity - aspects of how segregated

people feel in contemporary times; Race, culture, gender,

inclusion, exclusion, inequality, hope and desire were only a few

themes that were thrashed out with an over arching concern

regarding ‘Education, education, education’ - an ever receding

horizon of a pedagogic system in disarray.

This was not ‘third way’ muddled politics – but more so passionate,

hard working men from the community who feel robbed of their

communities and a ‘collective identity’ that all communities seem

so deprived of. Were communities and families failing black men?

Or are society and the systems in situ baron of the diverse frameworks

that are critical to a healthy community? These were just a few of the

debates as the ideas poured through sweat and grime of minds colliding.

This second event proved to be a huge success on many different

levels - the most salient being that the group was here to solve

these issues constructively with the aid of the BME team and the

local council - the next event is scheduled for the 28th of January

2009 at the African Caribbean Project Leamington spa (7-9pm) -

where a prime focus will be on setting goals and agenda’s for

some real community solutions.

‘OPEN UP’ event.

2008-11-06T09:25:00.000-08:00

I’m really happy to introduce a fantastic event that
the BME team has helped to introduce to the county.
It can only be best described as ‘real effective joint
working’, with people, communities and professionals.

I’ve heard it has been a very emotionally moving event
which does not surprise me – but what we want here is
people to emotionally move us! How was it? What do this
sort of community project mean to all of us and how do
we go forward as people and instigating change? Please
leave your expressions on the comments section. Below
is a copy of the press release for your interest!

Press Release:

2 October 2008

‘Open Up’ show to mark World Mental Health Day A
new arts exhibition opening next month will display work
created by ordinary people around Coventry and Warwickshire.

The theme of the exhibition is that it is creative work by people
with experience of ‘mental health problems’. The aim of the show
is to raise awareness of the stigma that attaches to mental health
and mental health services, in order to try and improve care, and
to show how social enterprises can improve the lives of people in
our communities.

The event has been organised and designed by
Community Arts Workshop (CAW) of Leamington, and funded by
Social Enterprise West Midlands, Advantage West Midlands, and the
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust. The show will
be officially opened on Friday 10 October, which is World Mental
Health Day, and runs through to the end of the month at The Old
Art Gallery in Avenue Road, Leamington, open Monday-Saturday
10am-5pm.

It is hoped the exhibition will go on show around the
Coventry and Warwickshire area after that. A series of workshops
have also been arranged throughout October to enable people to
represent and express themselves through art. For more information
about the workshops, contact CAW on 01926 888333, mail:
mail@communityartsworkshop.org.

Said Fran Godwin, of CAW:
“We already have a wide range of submissions from all kinds of
artists, professional and amateur, experienced and beginners, old
and young. This exhibition really is for everyone. “Art is an important
way for people to express themselves, particularly those whose
interests and views are too often sidelined or ignored. Anyone
who has experienced mental distress knows how isolating and
disempowering that can be. This exhibition will try and give those
feelings a voice.” Added Sandy Taylor, chief executive of Coventry
and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust: "We were keen to support
this event as part of ourwork to help reduce the silence which
surrounds mental illness.I know the exhibition will be a success,
and we hope it creates real opportunities for people who have
suffered some form of mental distress to speak out and describe
how that feels." Graeme Betts, Strategic Director for Warwickshire
County Council's Adult, Health and Community Services, said:

"This is a fantastic exhibition and as well as raising awareness of
mental health and mental health issues it will help to dispel the
stigma that still is attached to mental illness. Bringing these issues
into the public domain in such a positive way is good for people
experiencing mental ill health and their families and for the wider
public as mental ill health affects a large proportion of the population.

" Media queries: Ian Andrew, Head of Communications, Coventry
and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, tel: 02476 967893, emai

A PORTUGUESE POST EVENT REVIEW

2008-10-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

I would like to firstly thank everybody for sending in
there comments. I would also like to acknowledge the
dissatisfaction that certain people feel – this is why we
are here… to help improve!

I appreciate it is not acceptable for tax paying citizens
to have to go abroad for health care – it defeats the whole
objective of being an active citizen and the adult health
directorate certainly regards everybody from all minorities
to be active citizens.

The action points that I shall take from this event will be:

· The lack of use of interpreters at the local GP services –
and with psychological interventions, resulting to the inability
for Portuguese users to articulate and express themselves

· The feeling of being excluded from services

· Extra support to support Mario and the Portuguese project.

These comments and points will be passed onto the BME
service user representative who will express these concerns
at the next mental health service user meeting which is eminent
in the middle of October. Equally so I would like to inform
all the participants of this event that a BME ‘Service
Delivery Group’, will be reforming in January 2009, which
will include commissioners, managers and stakeholders to
the mental health services. These issues will be raised at this
meeting which in the past has been very successful in rectifying
and problem solving BME issues in mental health.

I will feed back the comments from the BME service user
representative onto this page and onto a separate event
to keep all parties informed of the actions that will be
further taken to these issues.

I would just like to remind people that this service is here
to enforce change as a result of many government consultations
and inquiries – hence the ‘Real Voices’ document (2003) –
Department of health, and the ‘Inside Outside’ report.
The BME team has had many successes in raising the profile
of BME issues and hopes to continue to do so as long as people
keep us informed and are not afraid to come forward
to instigate change.

BME Service User Meeting

2008-09-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the latest online event. ‘Surinder’ who has become
our new BME rep at the South Warwickshire User Forum,
(SWUF) would like to invite local mental health service users from
BME communities to come forward and leave some comments
regarding local services and what people think or would like to
evolve/ devolve, or if there are any general issues that users may
be facing that need to be expressed.

Surinder will attend the next user rep meeting with SWUF which
will take place on September 16th. He is very keen to represent
the local BME community ‘Voice’ – so please feel free to comment.
All entries will be relayed to Surinder who will be feeding back
online shortly after the date mentioned above.

We look forward to your entries!

'A Portuguese Debate'

2008-07-08T03:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the ‘Health and Diversity’ Blogsite for south
Warwickshire where you will be able to participate in a special
online event specifically designated for the Portuguese
community.

This is an ideal opportunity for you to voice your experiences,
opinions and concerns of mental health provision in South
Warwickshire with regards to the Portuguese community. We
want to know what is working, and what is not? What needs
to change? How can services deliver a service that is culturally
more competent?

This is a great opportunity to communicate with the BME Health
and Diversity team with regards to what you think is lacking or
working in the area of mental health provision. We need you to
come forward and to share either the good or really bad
experiences. This way you can shape the services you receive.
Share your thoughts through stories, or anecdotes, or however
you feel appropriate. Please be creative – it could be through
art, poetry, animation or even creative writing. You choose!

The Blog will is open now for postings and will remain open for
a period of just over three months; the deadline – September
30th. Please get your thoughts to us quick and we shall have a
post event review shortly following the closing date.
We look forward to hearing from you!

‘A Polish Debate’

2008-07-08T03:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the ‘Health and Diversity’ Blogsite for south
Warwickshire where you will be able to participate in a special
online event specifically designated for the polish community.

This is an ideal opportunity for you to voice your experiences,
opinions and concerns of mental health provision in South
Warwickshire with regards to the polish community. We want
to know what is working, and what is not? What needs to
change? How can services deliver a service that is culturally
more competent?

This is a great opportunity to communicate with the BME Health and

Diversity team with regards to what you think is lacking or
working in the area of mental health provision. We need you to
come forward and to share either the good or really bad
experiences. This way you can shape the services you receive.
Share your thoughts through stories, or anecdotes, or however
you feel appropriate. Please be creative – it could be through
art, poetry, animation or even creative writing. You choose!

The Blog is open now for postings and will remain open for a
period of just over two months; the deadline - August 31st.
Please get your thoughts to us quick and we shall have a post
event review shortly following the closing date.
We look forward to hearing from you!

‘Insight’… A new project coming soon!

2008-07-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

2008-06-09T07:56:00.001-07:00

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And we sat eloquently beside the Stratford River; a pre-stage buzz
hummed in the quintessential Shakespearean town.
The BME 'Satellite' user group warmed to each others company.

Basking in the early spring heat, some sipped a light beer whilst others
refreshed with a sweet Malibu and soft drinks.
Diversity, ethnicity and culture was having its finest hour as it was

about to interlock with the nostalgic folly; poetic genius and power of

the genius kind. 'Why Shakespeare?' we asked, and what emotional

resonance could it afford to a British- Indian sensibility?
'Power... Choice and experience. A re-enactment
of the human drive and its powers and limitations'

And as the conversation flowed regarding power, identity and a

sense of place and who we all were in the collapsing modern age; we

turned our attention to the moon that was hanging in the blue sky

like a lost pearl. We felt eclipsed in its presence, a mythic air of fantasy

and adventure was roaming amongst the pre -performance chatter

in the bustling beer garden of the ‘Dirty Duck’
Shakespeare was roaming! Like the suspended moon that was pulling

our emotions in a mythic charm of fantasy awaiting.
... And thus we entered the courtyard as a bewitching nocturnal light

ushered us inside like artisans of old.

…Excited chatter, illuminated faces; the crowds were embracing

themselves in a pre- euphoric trance; and we were guilty of this sinful

excitement. Shakespeare and diversity, welcome to a true sense of

modernity.

... The moon from the outside had wandered in as if by enchantment.

The stage sets were fantastical and the focus group along with the crowds

at large were gripped even before the show was unleashed…The lights soon

faded...The crowds began to murmur...And a trance like narcotic ambiance

prevailed.The show burst onto the stage, with venomous awe, with an

audacity of power, history and poetic grace... what one would expect

from a Shakespeare play.

The enchantment of the tale with its roots cleverly embedded in a mindset

of mythical fantasy and human love and tyranny enchanted and star struck

the audience; with a dynasty of dance and performance!

... And as the night ended, and the crowds drifted away in starlit wonder

of the residue that was sprinkled on the hundreds like fairy dust; we

wandered over the river, contemplating as a group how such things can

empower and transcend human experience.

The BME initial group event was a huge success. The group left the event
inspired, empowered and elevated to a new sense of understanding.

Various new projects were discussed with the group as it fruited

that a real critical understanding of culture and ethnicity was needed

across the services. Various members of the group were proposing to

write recovery stories in the context of a compilation

book that could then be distributed to stakeholders and practitioners;

allowing a qualitative and emotional perspective on how to engage

with BME communities.

It was felt that the current understanding of BME issues was dire;

the constant crossing of wires and misrepresented

information and poor judgement by practitioners was very problematic;

coupled with uninspiring interventions.Two book proposals were

‘The Lennon Tree’ and ‘Fairy Tales and Dreams’. I hope

(CDW) to work closely with the ‘Satellite’ group on these two initial projects.

It was hard to peel away from the enchanted energy and the provocation that

had been induced by the play; the group will be meeting very soon to initialise how

to take these projects further.

If anyone out their has any really important narratives, experiences,

or stories of recovery and being involved with the

mental health services; focusing on improving services for the ethnic

minority community then please do drop us a mail; if anyone wants more

information on how to join the ‘Satellite’ focus group then likewise, don’t

be afraid to get in touch by sending us a few comments. The BME diversity
team is here to listen, to help, and improve services regarding people’s

emotional well being!

Question Time -post event review.

2008-06-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

The project was a success; due not to the colossal crowds

that were bursting to have a say on the stage with the trembling

sweat soaked microphone that was awaiting lip murmuring intimacies;
but more so to the fact that the men who had attended were of a broad age
range (Young and old) and spoke of the real issues that
were facing local communities; the undercurrent of so
called modernity and a crippling infrastructure that is
falling from beneath us.

So what were the burning issues with regards to ‘Black
men’ accessing services on offer within the community?
What were the concerns of the ‘male’ African
Communityregarding community provision and
promoting a sense of emotional well-being?

For the older generation access to NHS dental healthcare
was a primary concern; but this was coupled with a general
nihilism of cultural services on offer. It was felt from the
older generation (40 +) that there were no creative spaces
available for social histories of the local African Community
to be shared with the younger generation.

It was evidently expressed through bails of laughter, amongst
feasting on the delightful Caribbean dish that had been prepared by the
ever so charming project manager. And there was a poignant sense

of the vitality and importance of the commune happening

before our eyes which gave resonance to the voice of the younger

generation who appealed to the group parties and professional agencies
that there was nothing on offer within the community for
young people. Youth centres and projects were out of
touch if not completely off the radar with what was being
offered. The young had nowhere to turn to apart from
the streets, where contemplation would so often turn
to confusion.

A desperate plea was in the air of the small hum drum
room of the centre, that had suddenly become
transformed and had permeated time, like a time
machine voyaging across Harlem nights, over the seas
of immigration, over the hardships and the struggles of
African predecessors; from the youthful, creative and
graceful young men who had proudly bothered to turn
up because they cared; ‘how do we connect?’, ‘What do
we connect to?’, were the issues of the day that
resonated the undercurrent that communities were
breaking without much recognition.

Was there any mental health prevention strategy for Afro- Caribbean men?

What about the 'Breaking the Cirlces of fear' initiative and guidelines?

Had Mental Health and younger BME people been forgotten locally?

The community felt concerned and very sidelined!

And thus a new solution was required. Where local
services needed to acknowledge the importance of
sustaining old and new communities and building the
bridges between them to safe guard the past and future.

Since the event it has fruited by my communication with
some of the attendees of the event and the project manager
that a creative group for men is vital; that it could withhold
and nurture the need for a sense of community and place
for the young and the old. A project will soon be proposed
and is in the pipeline involving key members of the African
Caribbean community. More information will be provided
when the blueprints have been set!

2008-04-29T04:10:00.000-07:00

Question time has arrived in Warwickshire. A new creative

approach at looking to engage with people who have some crucial

things to say. The event will be hosted at the

'African Caribbean Project' (Next to Bath place), and already it

has created a pre- event buzz amongst the community.

It's an ideal opportunity to say what you think about local services,

and how they should change for your benefit.

Keep watching the blog as a post event write up will shortly be posted!