A group of local Hull and East Riding based charities have announce a new initiative aimed at providing support for international communities in Hull and neighbouring areas.
New funding will allow local charities, including Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, Welcome House, Tigers Trust, and The Peel Project, to provide additional support to help address the physical and mental health needs of refugees and asylum seekers. By pooling resources and expertise, the charities aim to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all individuals, regardless of their background.
As part this new initiative, local mental health charity Hull and East Yorkshire Mind will have a member of their staff stationed at Welcome House, Tigers Trust and The Peel Project two days per week, focusing on developing relationships with individuals and organisations. This will support with identifying and addressing mental health concerns among asylum seekers. Additionally, language-specific workshops and mental health sessions will be put on throughout the year to provide essential support and guidance to people who need it.
Welcome House, a local charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees in Hull and East Riding, will assist individuals transitioning from hotels to permanent accommodation. This support will include provision of basic as well as a range of events and activities to help asylum seekers integrate into the community.
The Peel Project, a community and youth organisation in Hull, led by individuals with lived experiences from diverse ethnic backgrounds, will focus on providing access to various place based physical and recreational activities for women, children and men, orienteering and canal boat trips. They will also be working with Hull and East Yorkshire Mind to provide outreach support to refugees and asylum seekers in temporary accommodation.
Tigers Trust, an independent charity linked with Hull City Football Club will be working with other charities and partners to host a series of local and regional football tournaments for our international communities together with an additional range of alternative activities, such as arts & crafts and mindfulness sessions, multi-sport, dance, and wellbeing park walks to foster inclusivity within these communities.
Emma Dallimore, Chief Executive at Hull and East Yorkshire Mind said:
“It’s great to be working with The Peel Project, Welcome House and Tigers Trust on this new initiative to help address the physical and mental health needs of refugees and asylum seekers.
Asylum seekers and refugees face unique and complex challenges related to their mental health. Research suggests that asylum seekers and refugees are five times more likely to experience poor mental health, however data shows that they are less likely to receive support.
By working with our partners, we can come together to address barriers to receiving support and provide person-centred care that is respectful of cultural differences.”
Jamal Choudhury, Managing Director at The Peel Project
“Over the past few years, we have witnessed first-hand the struggles and concerns faced by refugees and asylum seekers in our city, and the subsequent negative impact on their mental health. This collaboration presents an opportunity to improve the lives and wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers. We are eager to build awareness of our physical and recreational activities and believe that by accessing our activities, individuals can benefit and gain a better understanding of the locality, reduce isolation, and much more, all of which will lead to improved mental health and reduced pressures on services.”
Catherine Bishop, CEO at Tigers Trust, said:
‘We are excited to be working together and see this as an important collaboration to support our participants with a range of activities and suitable pathways, adding huge value to our existing provision such as our Active Through Football programme to keep our communities engaged, active, healthy and happy’.
