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Culturally Diverse Minds

Support for young people from culturally diverse communities

Our Culturally Diverse Minds team offer support for 10* to 25 year olds (*from school year 6) from culturally diverse communities who are struggling with their mental health. This could be due to identity, place, discrimination or racism.

‘Culturally diverse communities’ is a phrase that has been adopted to try to include as many ethnically diverse communities in Leeds as possible and is based on work by the Culturally Diverse Hub. This may also be described as Black & Minority Ethnic/BAME, from an ethnic minority, or from a racialised community.  We know that preferences around language change and that no one term is suitable for everyone. We will continue to monitor any changes in how people prefer to describe themselves.

What support can I get?

Support is based on shared personal experience and empathy, focusing on strengths to help develop skills and strategies to maintain mental health and wellbeing. Support is designed with participants to meet their specific needs.

Participants within the project will be offered support for up to 6 months. The offer will start as a goal focused block of six 1-to-1 sessions with one of our friendly team, followed by a review and progress to another block of 1-1 sessions, culturally competent groupwork, Leeds Mind general groupwork or signposting/referral to specialist external provision for work around housing, education and employment. The initial appointment will be used to identify a focus for the work based on the needs and desires of the young person.

1-to-1 Sessions

1-to-1 sessions will take place in person or remotely depending on your preference, and will involve discussions around the following areas: Mental Health (Understanding and Tools), identity, place and accessing groupwork.

Groupwork

The groupwork is designed by people with personal experience, and will use a mixture of culturally sensitive workshops and courses produced specifically for the project and adaptations from existing projects. The focus of the groupwork will be health inequality, mental health and identity (belonging, race, racism, self esteem, gender, masculinity, sexuality).

How to get support

If you would like to get support for yourself or help somebody else get support, please fill in one of the short forms on this page. You will also find information about other support Leeds Mind offers for young people.

What is peer support?

Why choose this service?

We aim for all our services to be “culturally-competent”, and everyone is welcome to attend any of the types of support we offer.

But because research shows that Black and Brown people have a disproportionately negative experience of mental health support services, we believe there is a need for this dedicated, culturally-competent support, facilitated by peers with lived experience.

That’s why our team brings their lived experience to offer peer support, and encourage young people to talk about their mental health openly. 

When and where do sessions take place?

We offer 1-1 work and group work for up to 6 months, in the community and online. 

How can I join?

If you would like support for yourself or if you would like to help somebody else get support, please fill in one of the short forms on this page. If you would like help to fill in the form, please contact us at info@leedsmind.org.uk or 0113 305 5800.

We will get in touch within 3 working days (our working days are Monday to Friday) to arrange a ‘getting to know each other’ chat with one of our friendly team, who will let you know what support Leeds Mind can offer so you can choose the right support for you.

Before joining the group, you will need to attend a short introduction to group work session online with a worker and other prospective group members.