Faith and mental health in South-East London: why ‘one size’ does not fit all

What’s on offer?

This in-person event will provide an opportunity for members of faith communities, particularly those from Black Majority Churches (BMCs), and mental health professionals to share their experiences and learn how to work together to improve the experiences of those seeking mental health support in South-East London.

The PRiSM project, is part of the a PhD funded by the ESRC LISS-DTP within the Centre for Society and Mental Health at King’s College London. Community researchers within the PRiSM project (www.kcl.ac.uk/prism) will share actionable insights from the project, as part of a panel discussion around the challenges Black communities in this area face in accessing appropriate mental health support and how we can start to bridge divisions between spirituality and medicine to provide culturally sensitive and holistic mental health support in our local area. This event follows on from an interactive PRiSM event “Faith and mental health: a light at the end of the tunnel?” within the “Partnering for change” festival.

What’s it about?

Although approximately 90% of the world’s population take part in some form of religious/spiritual practice, how people cope through their faith is often neglected by mental health professionals. South-East London is home to a multicultural population with enduring health and social inequalities. Faith is an important part of life for many racialised minority groups, and there has been a notable rise in the number of Black Majority Churches in South-East London over recent years. PRiSM researchers from our local community will facilitate a discussion around:

• The role of Black Majority Churches in our local area as spaces for belonging, spirituality, and opportunities for improving mental health support.
• The importance of partnerships between local faith communities and healthcare services to address institutional racism and better understand how an individual’s faith can influence their coping, mental health and help-seeking.

Who’s leading the event?

Sanchika Campbell (ESRC LISS-DTP and Centre for Society and Mental Health funded PhD student and PRiSM project lead),

Revd. Gail Thompson (PRiSM Peer Researcher),

Evangelist Winston Webber (PRiSM Peer Researcher),

Denise Richards (PRiSM Peer Researcher).

Open to

Mental health professionals and members from faith communities (particularly from Black Majority Churches within South East London).

Of particular interest to

We welcome mental health professionals and members of local faith communities to come together to foster transparent dialogues and understanding.