
DAGENHAM BANGLADESHI WOMEN & CHILDREN'S ASSOCIATION A charity for the local community

Our strength is our community
NATIONAL LOTTERY COMMUNITY FUND
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR BAME OLDER PEOPLE
Dagenham Bangladeshi Women and Children’s Association has received a funding from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund. The fund will help older people of BAME community to improve their mental health during Covid-19 pandemic. Thanks to the Government for helping our community.
Many older BAME people in our local area have developed mental health problem during Covid-19 pandemic. They have no online or digital skill to keep contact with friends and relatives. They cannot go outside of their residences due to lock down and Government restrictions. They cannot participate in physical activity. Many of them have suffered from the coronavirus infection and lost their relatives. All these made older people mentally ill and they need urgent mental health support to improve their condition.
We have started a project on 15 October 2020 receiving the funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to support BAME older people who have developed mental health illness. We have recruited five local volunteers and distributed leaflets in the local area. We have recruited 25 BAME older people. We have stared the project delivery on line and using digital equipment. We recruited a Digital trainer to develop digital skill of the older people so that they can receive mental health counselling support. We have recruited a Mental Health Counsellor from the BAME group who understand culture of the BAME people. Volunteers work as befriending to the older people. They manage date and timings for the Counsellor.
We have been monitoring the project interviewing participants on phone and face to face. We have found that they have improved their mental health. They have developed their digital skill and keep contacts with friends and relatives. They have received advice from counsellor on how to manage their mental health during this crisis time. The project will be completed on 31st March 2021.


Publicity leaflet
