Culturally Appropriate Advocacy
What is culturally appropriate advocacy?
Advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests, and obtain the services they need.
Culturally Appropriate Advocacy is Advocacy that meets the cultural needs of the individual to help them effectively advocate for the care and treatment they need. Our Advocates address the specific challenges Black Asian and Minority Ethnic people face and address racism and discrimination.
Why do we need culturally appropriate mental health advocacy?
People that are Black Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background are more likely to experience difficulties in accessing mental health services and report worse outcomes, especially when in hospital.
Advocacy is an effective tool to address these racial disparities and ensure people accessing mental health services have their voice heard.
DHSC pilot service
This service is a Culturally Appropriate Advocacy Pilot (Phase 2) commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care.
This pilot was commissioned following The Independent Review of the Mental Health Act, which found that people from Black Asian and Minority Ethnic groups are more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than other ethnic groups, and report worse outcomes during their care and treatment.
Gaddum successfully delivered the first phase of this pilot in Manchester from 2021 to 2022 and from December 2023 we will be expanding across Greater Manchester.
Our Culturally Appropriate Advocacy Pilot was shortlisted at the National Advocacy Awards 2022 for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Equality and Diversity’.
Our service
Our Culturally Appropriate Advocacy service works with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people across Greater Manchester who are accessing Mental Health services to ensure their voice is heard. We work with people detained under the Mental Health Act and people who have been detained in the last 12 months.
Gaddum are delivering this pilot in partnership with our established partners African and Caribbean Mental Health Services (ACMHS).
We are doing this by:
- Employing Advocates who are from a Black Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) background with a track record of providing Advocacy to BAME people with Mental Health needs
- Providing group advocacy services to people in in-patient psychiatric settings.
- Providing group advocacy sessions in local community settings
- Providing training and information sessions to people who work in the NHS, Local Authority and community organisations.
Our mailing list
You can sign up to our mailing list for updates on our service, referral information and training opportunities.
Introducing Culturally Appropriate Advocacy
We're looking for a Service Manager to join our team
Are you passionate about addressing racial disparities in mental health services? We’re looking for a Service Manager to lead our Advocacy service.
Have your say
Are you Black, Asian, Arab or from another Ethnic Minority background? Have you been treated in hospital for your mental health?
We’d love you to join us for a discussion on improving mental health services and we want to ask the experts – you.
Our sessions will be in a safe and confidential environment led by our Advocates. All we ask is an hour of your time, so bring a brew and make yourself comfortable.
Come to any of the following online sessions at 10.30am, 12.30pm or 2.30pm. See you there.
Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13 or Thursday 14 December
To book your place email advocacy@gaddum.org.uk.
News from our service
1. In December 2023 we introduce our new Culturally Appropriate Advocacy Service in Greater Manchester. Check out our latest job vacancy and have your say.
2. For Black History Month 2023 we were Saluting our Sisters – We celebrated the Black women who work at Gaddum for Black History Month 2023.
3. Congratulations Lily Huggins, our Assistant Head of Operational Development for Advocacy, who won the Equalities Champion Award at the Greater Manchester Health and Care Champion Awards on Thursday 13 July 2023.
4. Tyler Richards, our Cultural Advocate working on the project, shares his typical day here.
5. We were shortlisted for Outstanding Contribution to Equality and Diversity in the National Advocacy Awards in May 2022.
6. On Friday 10 June 2022, Gaddum Advocacy welcomed representatives from the Department of Health and Social Care.
I think it’s brilliant. Sometimes [the psychiatric ward] don’t understand the way I express myself due to being Jamaican. We should have multi-cultural rooms in here that are themed to make everyone realise we have unique celebrated backgrounds. Just to make people think.
I feel I have a community support system but whenever I’m back in the wards it goes. There should be support that’s not just a 10 minute ward round. Talking helps me feel listened to as an individual. This is the only time I properly talk with other patients in a group setting. Makes me happy.
If you’d like to find out more about our service, please send an email to advocacy@gaddum.org.uk, or you can speak to one of our team by calling 0161 834 6069.