The Community Mental Health Transformation programme is led by One Voice Blackburn, and supported by Spring North and Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board. The project will help tackle mental health inequalities that may exist in the service.

The video was shot in a local tea shop, Chai Station in Cherry Street Blackburn and features individuals who are also being trained to deliver workshops to health professionals in a bid to promote the barriers that exist among the BAME communities accessing mental health services.

Nazia Khan, Health Lead at One Voice Blackburn, is aware of the importance of the video. “While there is so much good work being conducted in the NHS when it comes to mental health, it is vital that they learn about specific barriers facing people from our communities. This video provides a unique opportunity for our residents to voice their experiences and for us to frame our training around the specific needs of the BAME populations of Lancashire.”

Sophia Kazi, who took part in the video said: “I really enjoyed participating in this project. I felt like I could express my voice, experience, understanding and knowledge and hopefully help the services understand where the underlying issues are with people not accessing mental health services and what changes need to be made in order to improve services and enable people get the help when they need it. I have met some amazing people during this project with many different stories and lived experiences and the knowledge I have gained has been phenomena.”