Supporting the mental health needs of refugees

Over the past few years, BSMHFT has supported the mental health and wellbeing needs of over 200 Syrian refugees. This Refugee Week, we aim to recognise the resilience of Birmingham’s 516 Syrian refugees whilst shining a light on some of the work that we have done to support them.?

In 2019 the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (SVPR) scheme was first launched at BSMHFT to support a community which experienced and witnessed trauma, violence and the effects of war first-hand.

Over the years, BSMHFT has supported around 200 practitioners who work closely with refugees through Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, assisting them to identify, understand and help those who may be experiencing a mental health issue.

Our teams have also provided courses that cover topics such as the diverse cultural traditions and makeup of Syria as well as understanding more about the conditions they have experienced since the conflict began.

Overall, 200 refugees have engaged in our community wellbeing events hosted in partnership with Refugee Alliance to help destigmatise mental health and reduce isolation. We have also worked in partnership with Birmingham Ethnic Education and Advisory Service (BEEAS) to develop an English as a Second Language mental health training course that was delivered to 68 Syrian refugees, aiding their understanding of mental health issues and the support available.

In March of this year, our Consultant Psychologists, Dr Aula Meki, and Dr Alan Kessedjian finalised a therapeutic, clinical model known as the Sanctuary Model.?It aims to recreate feelings of settlement and belonging for refugees, helping them to process complex and traumatic experiences.

The scheme has been a huge benefit to hundreds of people in the Syrian refugee community and continues to advocate for the refugee populations’ needs. Speaking on behalf of the SVPR Project at BSMHFT, Caroline Mitcham, SVPR Project Manager said:

“We were delighted to hear that all the participants said that the course had significantly increased their understanding of mental health issues and how to find support. A member of the refugee community has also been trained as a Mental Health First Aid Instructor to continue to support mental health awareness and signposting. BSMHFT has also developed eight Arabic self-help guides and five Arabic podcasts available for service users.

“We know that Syrian and other refugees will still need our support after the SVPR scheme ends in 2025 and our next steps are to look at what we can do as a Trust to further respond to inequalities faced by refugees in accessing mental health support.”

If you or someone you know is a resettled refugee in need of mental health support, help is out there.

For further information please contact [email protected] or [email protected].