Psychology Uncovered 2010 Mental Health Support Worker 13th October 2010

1. Established in 1991 Ethnic Alcohol Counselling EACH

2. Aim EACH exists to make positive changes in the lives of individuals, families and communities affected by alcohol and drug misuse, domestic violence and related mental health issues.

3. Diverse Communities We work with diverse communities to help people address their alcohol, drug, mental heath and domestic violence concerns. Over the years, EACH has helped developed specific services tailored to meet the needs of black and minority ethnic communities who experience cultural and linguistic barriers to mainstream services.

4. Our Services Services at EACH are provided in a safe, confidential and accessible environment. We take a client centred approach, considering individual needs based on background, personal experience and circumstances.

5. Counselling Using a range of therapeutic approaches, we provide short and long-term counselling in a number of mother-tongue languages to help people to talk through their concerns and achieve positive changes. Individual counselling available in English, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Gujerati, Farsi, Tamil, Somali, Polish and russian.

6. Structured Day Care To help those a long history of substance misuse to achieve abstinence, the Structured Day Care programme provides a12 week abstinence based structured programme to support groups on topics such as anger management, confidence building and relapse prevention, combined with complementary therapies for those committed to their own recovery.

7. Family therapy and support Substance misuse can have a significant impact on families and children. Our family service provides advice, information, counselling and peer support groups to help families to cope.

8. Women-only service To meet the multiple and particular needs of black and minority ethnic women and the difficulties they experience in accessing services, EACH provides targeted support for women and girls through our specialist domestic violence project and through home visiting, GP satellites, and women-only groups.

9. Volunteer Empowerment and Training EACH enables volunteers and service users to access training, housing problems, employment and further education in order to develop their skills, confidence and experience and build on their strengths.

10. My Role at EACH Provide one-to-one support, e.g. Motivational interviewing, CBT, to substance mis-users (primarily khat) in a professional context. Develop, establish and provide EACH’s Outreach service for substance misuse (primarily khat) living in the Boroughs of Hillingdon, Hounslow, and Brent. Undertake assessments of referrals to the service and devise appropriate support/care plans. Provide support that addresses emotional and practical needs in line with client’s needs and treatment goals. Provide harm reduction advice, information, workshops and CBT/Motivational Interviewing or ITEP based support to help clients address drug or alcohol use. I do the Somali project for EACH for the drug called Khat and I am the Somali support worker at EACH.

11. KHAT Khat is a substance used mainly by people from the East Africa and Arabian Peninsulas. In 1980 the World Health organisation (WHO) added khat to its list of drugs of abuse. While it is illegal in most of EU countries, US and Canada, the trade and use of khat is legal in the UK. Khat contains cathine and cathinone which has an amphetamine like effect.These two components are controlled under the international conventions and in the UK under the misuse of Drug Act 1971 as Class C drug. The rationale behind khat being legal in the UK is that the UK laws are only concerned with the processed product. Legality issue of khat and weather it should be banned read the below writing on the Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/nov/25/drugsandalcohol-somalia http://horseedmedia.net/2010/03/khat-and-prejudices-in-the-uk-%E2%80%93-appealing-to-the-somali-community-in-the-uk/

12. Main Task of an Outreach Worker Works in partnership with other key agencies and professional in contact with parents and relatives, such as social services, schools, health providers, carers and community organisations. To promote EACH’s substance misuse counselling and support service to the local community, other agencies and professionals in the Borough. To engage and work with drug users who are unable or unwilling to access appropriate treatment, carrying an active case load 12-20 clients per week. To work within the monitoring requirements of the National Treatment Agency, NDTMS and EACH(MIS)

13. Experience or Qualifications Needed A relevant qualification e.g. NVQ level 3 in health and social care. Some experience of providing motivational interviewing / CBT support to drug and alcohol users. Experience of working with people from BME communities and diverse social and cultural backgrounds. Have an understanding of drugs or alcohol use within ethnic communities and how it impacts on individuals and families. Knowledge of child protection issues and ability to use the appropriate procedures to safeguard children.

14. How I got the Job. Psychology Degree from Brunel University Introduction to counselling Certificate Certificate to work with People effected by substance misuse Bi-lingual and had Interpreting Certificate Volunteered with DAAP before in the community Worked previously as I child Support Worker and Leisure Worker with Barnardo’s and had experience working with clients on a one-to-one base as well working with group organising day activity for a youth club