Awetu All Wales Black & Minority Ethnic Mental Health Group

Wales

Voluntary Sector – registered charity no. 1072162

Summary of aims & objectives:
Awetu strives to support all black and minority ethnic people confronted by mental illness, through the delivery of it’s own services and by influencing the services provided by others in order that they are effective and sensitive to the needs of their users.

Aim:To offer support to help those isolated by their illness re-bulid their lives within their communities of origin, adopting an holistic approach, promoting recovery and independence by empowerment and self-discovery.

Services: 
At present Awetu provides home visits to those clients that need emotional and practical support in the home, eg tenancy issues, accompanying clients on hospital visits, assistance with form filling etc., to enable clients to sustain independent lives by increasing their confidence and self-esteem and supporting them to pursue interests which will improve their health, well-being and independence.

Awetu visit individuals who have been re-admitted to hospital and have formed relationships with the major psychiatric hospitals and clinics in Cardiff; Awetu staff make regular ward rounds to assess the needs of BME patients, to build a relationship with people before they are discharged and to act as a resource regarding cultural issues for the staff and also provides BME Mental Health Awareness Raising Sessions for professionals and Mental Health promotion to BME community groups.

Free Person Centred Counselling to Awetu clients.

Awetu has carried out and published research into the mental health needs and access to services for BME people living in Cardiff – BE4 Research Project

Referrals: People can access our services through a formal referral process by GP, Social Worker, CPN or Psychiatrist. If a friend or family member does refer a person to Awetu we would still need to have background details of the client via a referral form.

Contacts:

• Manjit Kaur – Community Support Worker
• Gabriel Silveira – Counsellor/Community Support Worker
• Neeta Baicher – Children & Young People’s Support Worker
• Suzanne Duval, Director of Policy

Awetu, 3^rd Floor, Alexandra House, 307-315 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1JD

Fax: 029 20368889

email: info@awetu.org.uk