It is more crucial than ever that we work to support the mental health needs of the Muslim community. 

According to the Mental Health Foundation Western approaches to mental health treatment are often unsuitable and culturally inappropriate to the needs of Asian communities. Mainstream services rarely incorporate faith and spirituality within mental health support provision; we see the support we offer at The Lantern Initiative as a vital need for our communities.

Often racism, Islamophobia and isolation play a significant role in mental illness. In South Asian communities mental illnesses are often stigmatised and seen as a source of shame. In many families mental health is never discussed because it is still very much a taboo subject. By providing platforms and events where mental health is openly discussed though a faith lens, we aim to dispel misconceptions about mental health; normalising these conversations.

 Many of our service users have exhausted mainstream services and remain with their mental health needs unmet and not understood. We often work to support people in the community who perhaps feel mainstream mental health support has not worked for them thus far.

 Our vision is to improve the overall mental and emotional health of the Muslim community and empower them to take control of their wellbeing, utilising protective factors specific to them. There is a growing body of research to suggest that those exposed to racism and Islamophobia may be more likely to experience mental health problems such as psychosis and depression and are less likely to reach out for help. Muslim communities often face both racism and Islamophobia, compounding their barriers to engagement. Equally faith has been found to have many protective elements. We thereby aim to utilise this crucial aspect of identity, for individual and collective empowerment allowing communities to become self-sustaining in developing improved mental health.

With the funds raised we would like to do the following:

 1. Create more self-help resources on Muslim mental health and Islamic Psychology to support communities

 2. Create and host free mental health workshops, drop in sessions and training opportunities for the Muslim community.