Additional funding would help us to work on much needed research projects highlighting the mental health needs of the Muslim community in the UK. Our research projects in the past have outlined strategies and recommendations for statutory and community organisations as well as commissioning groups who are in a position to support the mental health of minoritised communities. Our research would help inform service design at various levels and help to shape mental health policy. Our dream is to have faith and cultural sensitivity embedded in mainstream services. We have already made a start on this with our co-produced perinatal mental health project with CPSL Mind and our 2021 research report Muslim Mental Health Matters...help us to take this further!
This year it is more crucial than ever that we work to support the mental health needs of the Muslim community. The Muslim community in the UK is largely made up of a South-Asian population, who are statistically least likely to seek medical and professional help for mental illness.
According to the Mental Health Foundation Western approaches to mental health treatment are often unsuitable and culturally inappropriate to the needs of Asian communities. Suicide rates are high in young Asian women compared with other ethnic groups.
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.
Many of our service users have exhausted mainstream services and remain with their mental health needs unmet. We 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. This includes through the tackling of sensitive issues such as sexual abuse, domestic violence and abuse and mental health stigma. 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. Give those who cannot afford to pay free counselling sessions with a qualified Muslim therapist
2. Create more self-help resources on Muslim mental health and Islamic Psychology to support communities
3. Create and host free mental health workshops and training opportunities for communities
