Black Mental Health

The African Heritage Alliance have made Mental Health one of it’s focus areas of activity for at least the next two years due to the compelling data and pressing need for the black community.

‘Mental Health’ is undoubtedly a phrase that has been heard repetitively. The Black Mental Health and Me (BMHM) that was commissioned by Leicester City Council tells us nothing new about the state of black mental health in Leicester and replicates what we see nationally. What is different about the report is the recommendations and that is what we at the AHA are looking to implement on behalf of the African heritage community.

The report, which can be accessed from the link below, records the prevalence of mental illnesses and that we, of African heritage, are more likely to be diagnosed with more severe mental illnesses than our white counterparts. The importance of mental health is subconsciously known to several Black people, however, the question to ask is ‘what are we doing to maintain our wellness?’

Ensuring mental wellbeing in the Black community is in fact the focus of the reports recommendations and the interconnectedness of mental and physical wellness.. This is one of the reasons why mental health must become more important especially in the Black community as we are reporting poorly on all major statistics.

Now that the AHA are managing the African Caribbean Centre, the reality is that the volunteer team are faced with the impact of poor mental health on members of the community and that is why we are so pleased to have our volunteers undertaking mental health training and to have recently been award a Mental Health Friendly Space.

The report discusses the findings from several Black people in their perception of the effectiveness of mental health services. One of the issues raised is the lack of culturally competent individuals. Quite a number of African heritage individuals do not believe an understanding is reached with their white counterparts that are professionals in this field. This affirms that mental health provisions to black people must be culturally sensitive to be effective. The African Heritage Alliance (AHA) is keen to support in this respect by providing a programme that keeps people on the right side of their mental health whilst still being around like-minded individuals. The Alliance, in conjunction with VitaHealth, are currently piloting a 6-week ‘Wellbeing at Your Centre’ course in an aim to validate the report findings and to cater to the community’s needs. Information, insights and tips on managing our physical and mental health will also be provided on African Caribbean Health Day which is on the 23rd of October 2024.

We, at the African Heritage Alliance, recognise the urgent need to shift the narrative surrounding mental health in the Black community—from one of stigma and shame to one of acceptance and support. We are committed to maintaining a Centre that caters to the needs of the people, so we encourage everyone feeling down, stressed or feeling the need to maintain your mental wellbeing to come along to the ‘Wellbeing at Your Centre’ courses. It is completely free and will be for an hour in the evening. This is the first of what will be much more provision and focus on supporting black mental health.

We will like to hear from you in terms of what you would like to see in place to support you or a loved one’s mental health, as we develop our offerings at the African Caribbean Centre and beyond. There is a form at the ‘contact us’ section of the website that can be filled to inform us of any suggestions.

Link to Black Mental Health and Me (BMHM) report

Contact us for suggestions