Self Help UK

Hyson Green Festival in Nottingham 2017

Image: Hyson Green Festival in Nottingham 2017

BAME Health Outreach Project

The BAME Health Outreach Project ran for two years to raise awareness of health inequalities within the BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities and to encourage joint working and take-up of services.

The main aim was to enable individuals from BAME groups to self-manage their long term conditions and to support people from BAME communities to access health and wellbeing information. We also supported patient leaders and held focus groups with BAME communities, so that they had a say in shaping services.

Nottinghamshire demographics

The large majority of people who live in Nottinghamshire are white British. According to the 2011 census for the county the proportion of BME ethnic groups is 35.6%. This group comprises:

  • Asian/Asian British - 13.1%
  • Black/Black British - 16.9%
  • Mixed ethnic background - 18%
  • Other ethnic background (including Polish people, Travellers and Romanians)

The census also found that the BME population is significantly younger than the rest of the population.

Supporting and promoting groups in BAME communities

The challenge

BAME communities in Nottingham have historically faced huge challenges and statistics (health, work, crime) show that they still do not experience equality of opportunity. Health risks are much higher in BAME communities, yet healthcare support is less frequently sought.

The solution

We developed:

  • Health champions -people that have in-depth knowledge of a particular health condition and experience of successfully engaging with communities
  • Self help groups - so that people share experience of a long term condition e.g. diabetes
  • Links with health services -we bridged the gap between health services and self help groups
  • Health roadshow events - we held many successful roadshows aimed at engaging with different faith centres in Nottingham City
  • Mainstream BAME principles of working into Self Help UK and other organisations.

Mainstream work

This pilot project was very successful and we now work with many communities, including BAME, as part of our core work. 

Videos we created during our project for the community, by the community

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