Success of the Asian Elders Research Project Annual Review Meeting
The Asian Elders Research Project Annual Review Meeting on the 23rd March at the Harrow Baptist Church was a real success.
Over 70 people attended the event including, mental health service users, carers, researchers, research participants, Sector Managers from CNWL etc, Mental Health Commissioner, Councillors, Harrow Council managers, and other voluntary sector staff, among others.
Mind in Harrow together with UCLAN (University of Lancashire) and CNWL (Central and North West London) Trust had been working together on the Asian Elders research project which was completed May 2008.
Shakti group had been working to fulfil the five recommendations made by the project. Shakti group was set up by myself (Nisha Mental Health Community Development Worker at Mind in Harrow), and included participants from other voluntary organisations like Jayshree Joshi from Harrow Carers, Valsa Kurian from Age Concern and CNWL sector Manager Carol Harrison Reed, and one of the original researchers from the Asian Elders Project Arvind Joshi, to name but a few.
The event on the 23rd was aimed primarily at feeding back to the research participants (the Asian Elders), and organisations involved in the project as to what were the outcomes of the work on the five recommendations.
The actual day was broken down into an interesting mix of ‘role play’ to bring the recommendations to ‘life’ (solutions included), speakers:
Mark Gilham (CEO, Mind in Harrow) & Arvind Joshi (Stepping Stones Carers Project & Carers Worker CNWL)- Background & history of Asian Elders Project, Nisha- Brief outline of Recommendations from the Asian Elders. Jayshree Joshi (BME Carers Project, Harrow Carers Project), Nisha- Reflections on what has been achieved re: Recommendations, Feedback & information from EKTA group (Chandra Shah – Befriending scheme, Mind in Harrow & Open Up, London Co-ordinator). Eric Craig (Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust Older Adults Service Manager) re: Innovations funding for Asian Elders worker. Feedback & information from Jason Jongali (joint Mental Health Commissioner) and Carol Harrison-Reed (Sector Manager, CNWL), Talking Tables (discussion on how services have improved and suggestions for further improvement), Bhajans (religions songs) by Chandrika Chudasama & Lata Chauhan.
The event was completed by a lovely Indian veggie lunch.
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the role-play session. Chandra Shah, Arvind Joshi, Lata Chauhan (who played the Community Champion at Social Services) and Gillian Samuels (plying unhelpful Receptionist at Social services) enacted about three of the Recommendations from the report. There were arguments with a receptionist at Social Services, complaints about inappropriate food at a day service and corresponding solutions to these problems in the form of Community Champions who could assist Asian Elders at social services, and suggestions of more service user involvement in appropriate food provision at day services.
Chandra (playing ‘Kanji’) and Arvind (playing ‘Manji’) stole the show with their witty banter, jokes, yoga and more.
Synopsis of Reflections of work on the Recommendations (completed and on-going):
· Issue of access to translated information, signage etc. Older peoples services like Bentley House provide translated letters when required.
· Mind in Harrow uses UK Asian Women’s Conference (UKAWC) to translate leaflets, and provide interpretation services
· Signposting to organisations like Yakeen, Asian Disability Alliance,Sneh Care etc.
· Discussions & plans with statutory day services e.g. Bridge – to involve service users in food preparation and for food to represent ethnic mix. (Ongoing)
· ‘Veggie Kitchen’ initiative started at Marlborough Hill via BAMER (Black,Asian,Minority Ethnic Refugee) Women’s Group.
· BAMER Women’s Coffee Morning in partnership with Asian Women’s Resource Centre, Brent (Now started @ Marlborough Hill) Activities: Yoga, discussion, signposting, advice & information etc
· Strategic meetings with Harrow Council and Older Peoples Services Bentley House re: Asian specific food provision & activities. – Personal Budgets also cited as a way forward.
· EKTA Group- provides supportive & therapeutic activity for over 80 South Asian’s in Harrow.
· Harrow Council plans to collate a list of Council staff who speak different languages
· Difficult to ensure each community language is represented by an individual worker in small teams. E.g. Older Adults Community Mental Health Team
· Plan for bi/multi lingual volunteers to be utilised at statutory services.e.g. Harrow Council, NHS,CNWL. Interested partners Age Concern, Mind & CNWL.
· Innovations Fund CNWL – Eric Craig & Carol-Harrison Reed plan to make a bid for Older Adults Gujarati Group
· Community Development Worker in post! (Nisha appointed March 09, 3yr post)
· Harrow Council identified that it is a priority to appoint a new CDW to work within Mental Health Older Adults Team (to outreach to BME communities)
· Via strategic meetings with Mark Gillet, Paul Najsarek, Shakti group reps inc Nisha(CDW), Mind in Harrow CEO Mark Gilham, Carol Harrison Reed (CNWL), Arvind Joshi Stepping Stones Carers project & Asian Elders Researcher, plans have been made for the Community Development Team (Harrow Council) to be involved in Community Champions initiative.
· Community Champions via EKTA group and Health Trainers
· HUG User Reps e.g. supporting groups like ‘Veggie Kitchen’ initiative and Shakti group work
· NHS Expert Patient Scheme- hold sessions in Gujarati
· Harrow Carers runs Carers support groups for over 65 year olds
· Asian Elders involvements in Shakti group as a way of ensuring Recommendations are met.
· There is more work needed to ensure the monitoring process is established. Harrow Council User and Carer Engagement Officers could focus their activities towards Gujarati communities.
· Sponsored Walk (Please join in!)– Sunday 27th June. Money will go towards EKTA groups’ social activities. E.g. Trips
· Drama initiative- a tool to reduce stigma, increase information to BME communities in the borough and therefore the Older Asian community as well. (Currently Mind in Harrow is applying for this funding)
Next Review in 6 months to see how much further the Recommendations have progressed!
To conclude: It was a wonderful day…thank you to all who took part in it. May the good work continue!
Nisha Wickramasinghe Mental Health Community Development Worker Mind in Harrow, Tel: 0208 515 7872