The Teashop in Redbridge: Impact Report
These sessions aimed to create a safe space to explore how identity and background shape mental wellbeing, using practices from various cultures to guide session activities.
This report reveals some of the key challenges ethnic minorities face in accessing mental wellbeing support, and demonstrates the value of rooting support services in community practices.
Highlighting the importance of community-based, culturally inclusive services in enhancing the mental wellbeing of individuals with complex identities, the Teashop sessions connected people over a cup of tea to enhance mental wellbeing together.
Recognising that different cultures shape us and our ability to cope with life's ups and downs, Celbrating You featured four unique sessions in June and July 2024.
Sessions 1&2, 'Celebrating Your Roots': Across 2 sessions, participants explored pasts, presents and futures with activities informed by Tree of Live, a therapy developed by Phola in South Africa.
Session 3, 'Celebrating Belonging': Participants used mindful journaling and breathing/meditation exercises to reflect on their communities and where they found their sense of belonging.
Session 4, 'Celebrating Those Who Support You': The series ended with a celebration of gratitude, using poetry and creative writing to thank the people in their lives who participants felt had supported them.
The sessions provided some key insights:
- Participants highlighted the importance of cultural heritage and identity in shaping mental wellbeing.
- Long waiting times and excessive delays for assessments were raised.
- Participants raised concerns over the lack of mental health training for GPs. They described themselves as more knowledgeable than their GPs, whose lack of understanding caused frustration.
- The group expressed that more training around cultural sensitivity is needed in mental health services. Highlighting the importance of feeling engaged with and listened to participants valued community organisations that represent different cultures and ethnicities.
The participants outlined changes that they would like to see to services:
- Participants expressed a desire for more accessible non-clinical environments where they can feel they are treated as individuals not patients
- Better communication of what services exist in the local area
- 24-hour care
- Increased training for GPs
Read the full findings by downloading the impact report below.
