Tomorrow we are meeting for our fourth Mad Studies Group in Birmingham, where we will be discussing:
A Call For Social Justice, the Black & Minority Ethnic(BME) manifesto which is downloadable on NSUN's website.
Second half of Chapter 1 (p. 17-27) of 'Madness and the Demand for Recognition' by Mohammed Abouelleil Rashed
David Gibbs has a lot of experience in lobbying for change, raising issues and working towards systemic equality for BME groups. He has written the following synopsis, which he will present at tomorrows group:
A CALL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE - Executive Summary June 2018
This paper is underpinned by decades of research and consultations looking at the root causes why BME “communities face disadvantages, reduced opportunities and structural and institutional racism [which] … contribute to our higher rates of mental distress than the White British population. It is a call to change policy, practice and perceptions because “it can sometimes feel as if you are living in another world…”
The Kindred Minds Project conducted in Hammersmith and Southwark, areas with large Black populations, formed the basis of the consultations in 2017. The formation of desired actions are stated below.
To achieve racial equity Du Bois[1] over a century said we must realise: “These powers of body and mind have in the past been strangely wasted, dispersed, or forgotten.” He was calling us “to be a co-worker” or we would say involved in co-production to achieve the goals of the Manifesto ensuring justice for BME communities.
National Survivor User Network Manifesto
“These inequalities have been known about for decades. Nevertheless, structural and institutional racism persists, due to a lack of focus, political will and a long-term, concerted strategy for action, backed by adequate resources.”
1. Create a race equality strategy
2. Join up the many different agencies whose work affects BME communities
3. Address the multiple forms of marginalisation faced by BME service users
4. Strengthen and upscale independent BME mental health service user peer support
5. Make mental health services safe, accessible and appropriate for BME communities
6. Strengthen and realise the potential of the BME voluntary sector
7. Create a fairer and more accessible benefits system for BME service users
8. Tackle racial inequalities in employment
9. Provide safe and adequate housing for BME communities
10. Improve support for children and young people (Bermuda Triangle exclusion, prison and hospital)
11. Improve support for parents and other adults
12. Create a fairer criminal justice system that BME communities can trust
13. Tackle physical ill health together with mental ill health
14. Develop more meaningful BME service user involvement and power-sharing in mental health and society at large
“As Black and Minority Ethnic mental health service users, we want to be supported to play a full role in putting this Report and Manifesto’s recommendations into practice.”
www.nsun.org.uk
© (NSUN) 2018
[1] Bois, W. E. B. Du. The Souls of Black Folk p3. Dover Publications. Kindle Edition.
Many thanks to David for the above synopsis and our group member who will be providing a synopsis from 'Madness and the Demand for Recognition'.
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