This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences. It is hosted by The PRiSM Project Team, part of a PhD project by Sanchika Campbell of the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health. You can sign up to the Centre mailing list here. 

About this event

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 (www.kcl.ac.uk/prism) is part of a PhD funded by the ESRC LISS-DTP within the Centre for Society and Mental Health at King’s College London. PRiSM Community researchers will share actionable insights 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 (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/partnering-for-change).

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 is it open to?

We welcome mental health professionals and members of local faith communities (particularly from Black Majority Churches within South East London) to come together to foster transparent dialogues and understanding. Note there are limited spaces per group, due to venue capacity. 

Who is leading this 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), Verity Buckley (Centre for Society and Mental Health Impact Manager).