MIND in West Essex’s new Mental Health Support Team (aka Trailblazer) is seeking to engage with minority communities particularly BAME, LGBTQ+, religious groups, traveller community and any other under-represented groups in the field of mental health.

A spokesperson said: “We would like your input on how to tailor our service to best meet the needs of the diverse groups represented in our local community and want to know what prevents BAME people accessing mental health services?

“The Mental Health Support Team works with children and young people across Harlow, taking referrals from Primary and Secondary schools and Harlow College. We offer a range of one-to-one and group interventions aimed at different age groups including:

Challenging Behaviour for primary aged children (work completed with parent/carer)
Anxiety for primary aged children (work completed with parent/carer)
Anxiety for secondary aged children
Low Mood/Depression for secondary aged children
Emotional regulation
Interpersonal Therapy for improving relationships

“We are also able to offer one-off tailor made workshops in collaboration with schools to suit their specific needs.
BAME pupils are severely under-represented amongst our referrals yet have been significantly impacted by Covid-19 in terms of both physical and mental health. Black men are over-represented in psychiatric inpatients across the U.K. We want to be involved in changing the relationship between BAME communities and mental health and wellbeing in Harlow.

The team is comprised of four mental health professionals at management level – Mike Ellen, Louisa Fry-Jones, Marrisa Dear and Munaza Ali, as well as a team administrator Kerry Lawson and four trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioners.

Please contact us on [email protected] if you are interested in being involved in shaping the future of our mental health support team.