The Well Being Project at Refugee Action:

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The Well Being Project at Refugee Action the
promotion of mental well-being and social
inclusion Cath Maffia MA RN RM RHV
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Well Being Project, Refugee Action 2002-05

• Funding - Esmee Fairbairn Lankelly Foundations,
  Home Office Purposeful Activities for Asylum
  Seekers
• 3 development workers (2wte) plus manager
• Manchester / Salford / Stockport / Tameside
• Response to dispersal
• Cultural, sports, leisure and health activities
  in partnership with refugees and asylum seekers
  and with other agencies
• Project finished November 2005

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Aims

• To prevent distress from becoming a mental
  health problem
• To enable people to rebuild their shattered lives
  and shattered communities
• To promote social inclusion

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Why this approach?

• Conditions in the UK are more likely than
  experience of torture to lead to depression
• Gorst-Unsworth Goldenberg (1998), Ager
  et al (2002)
• Social isolation is a risk factor
• Social support is a protective factor
• Exercise and creativity are good for mental
  health
• Pragmatic approach

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What did the Well Being Project do? did

• Arts music, dance, drama, art
• Exercise country walks, football, swimming, gym
• Activity sewing, cooking, gardening, wild
  flower planting
• Events Womens Fashion Event, Ethiopian
  Orthodox church festival, Refugee World Cup
• 34 groups, 762 participants in activities, 805
  participants in events

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Agale Awamu Dance Group (All For One)

• Ugandan women
• Initial contact
• Consultation
• Venue and instructor
• Weekly sessions
• Performance at Refugee Week Festival
• Further performances at festivals, town hall,
  parties, Big Dance

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• We are like sisters now. We know who can help
  us, and we know how we can give help to others
  who are going through this nightmare
• Aidah, Agali Awamu

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International Manchester F.C. case study

• Football excellent method of engagement
• 70 of asylum seekers are male
• High turn-out at sessions
• Forming the club volunteers / management
  committee / Sunday League
• Funding from Community Chest Awards for All
• Became an integration project
• Outcomes social inclusion well-being

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International Manchester F.C. case study
The team has been very good for me over the last
few years. I have increased my fitness and made
lots and lots of new friends. We have done
really well in the league and this has made me
feel proud. The team helps each other and we all
support each other through bad times. My life
would be very different without this
project. Khalid, Rwanda, 20 years
old International Manchester football project
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Cookery Course for Men

• Research based
• Funded by Wellbeing Project
• Multi-agency PCT, LA, WEA, Private Provider,
  Faith group, Red Cross
• Ran for 10 weeks
• Cooked 3 dishes each week
• Shared meal
• Second course funded by PCT
• Cooking with men from local community

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• I used to have a problem with food. Now I am
  eating more because I am cooking more interesting
  food, and my children are eating better. Last
  week I cooked for a friend, which made me feel so
  proud.
• Zimbabwean man

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Evaluation? When I first arrived, counselling
would not have helped me, but getting out and
about did Man from Zimbabwe
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It was great. I did not realise that there was
anything pretty in England. Last night I slept
for 8 hours for the first time in such a long,
long time.French speaking African man,
referred by Medical Foundation Northwest, after a
trip to the Lake District
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Refugees present perhaps the maximum example of
the human capacity to survive despite the
greatest of losses and assaults on human
dignity.Marjorie A Muecke, 1992
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Are we making progress?

• For while the tired waves vainly breaking
• Seem here no painful inch to gain,
• Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
• Comes silent, flooding in, the main
• Say not the struggle nought availeth
• Arthur Clough