The Equality Networks Forum (ENF) Blog

In 2008 NHS Health Scotland, in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation and Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance, started scoping the interest in establishing a mental health and ethnicity special interest network in Scotland.

It was hoped that the aim of such a network would be to provide a forum for sharing knowledge, research and evidence in the area of mental health, ethnicity and race equality.

On the 7th September the Network will hold their third seminar: Bringing Ethics Into Research: Ethnicity In Mind Seminar 3 at The Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terr, Edinburgh EH1 2JL.  This is a FREE seminar for researchers and practitioners in the public and voluntary sector interested in mental health and ethnicity research and practice in Scotland. At the event particpants will: learn about ways of conducting ethical research about mental health with Black and minority ethnic communities; meet other researchers, practitioners, the public and voluntary sector partners; find out how you can work together on collaborative research and apply for funding opportunities.

To register contact Liz McEwan at the Mental Health Foundation (T: 0141 572 0125, E: lmcewan@mhf.org.uk)

The network aims to enhance the links between practice and research and to ensure that there is a good balance between research, practice and service user involvement. As well as regular seminars, the network is involved in a wide range activities including: Research Skills Course for community development workers; JISCMAIL email account and network for information sharing; Information Repository for mental health and ethnicity research and resources.

To find out more about the network contact Neil Quinn at the Mental Health Foundation (T: 0141 572 0125, E: neil.quinn@strath.ac.uk)

Ethnicity in Mind Seminar 2 Report
Ethnicity in Mind Seminar 1 report

Runnymede, the UK’s leading race equality thinktank, is currently researching the contribution of South Asian communities to the NHS.

We are looking to interview people of South Asian heritage who have been employed by the NHS, particularly first generation older people who arrived in the UK from the 1950 onwards.

The oral testimonies we collect will form a book to celebrate the achievements of South Asian NHS employees, past and present.

If you would like to participate in this project, or know someone who would be interested, we’d be delighted to hear from you on: klara@runnymedetrust.org or 020 7377 9222 or The Runnymede Trust, 7 Plough Yard, London, EC2A 3LP

From Scottish Government (via Midlothian Voluntary Action):

….in response to the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Pakistan, the Scottish Government has made available £500,000 from it’s International Development Fund.  Organisations in Scotland who are responding to the crisis and assisting those affected by the floods, are able to apply for funding from the Scottish Government.  Details, including the application form and criteria are also available online at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations/internationaldevelopment/idffundingguidance/humanitariancrises/pakistan

The closing date for application is noon on Monday 16th August.