Empowering Black and Minority Ethnic Young People

Counselling and Mental Health

Time For Us Activity Pack Available!

Check out the Time For Us activity pack brought to you from the Mental Heath Foundation. The activities are intended to get adults & children to talk about their feelings and are to be led by an adult – aimed specifically at young people aged 11-17.

They can still be used with younger children, you may just need to explain or change some of the activities slightly to make it easier to understand. They can be used with one person or as part of a bigger group.

The pack will offer some practical tools to complement our guidance around how to support your mental health and wellbeing during this global pandemic. Download the PDF pack by clicking here


New Fund for Digital Access and Interpreting

Hey everyone ! We just wanted to celebrate being awarded with this new fund from the @scottishrefugeecouncil and Foundation Scotland. Thank you so much. We are hoping that we can put this to good use, increasing digital access for young people, and especially asylum seekers and refugees. We will also be able to increase translating offered to our clients.

New project just starting April 2020!!! YCSA Mending Our Planet Project!

Funded by Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Climate Challenge Fund YCSA, MENDING OUR PLANET will offer free support to help Glasgow’s young Black and Minority Ethnic community become active on reversing climate change. The project will reduce materials going to landfill through workshops teaching skills around upcycling and preventing food waste; will reduce food miles through encouraging growing; will help people become more  energy efficient  and encourage sustainable travel options. The project will create opportunities for learning, understanding and debating about climate change and will increase understanding in the local community through arts and performance to communicate the message.

COVID-19/Coronavirus: Sources of Advice and Support

Below is a list of resources to help our community in all of its diversity, in the challenging times we are facing with the COVID-19 Pandemic and resulting lockdown.

This list was published on the 16/04/2020, though we will continue to update. We start off with visual guides to COVID-19, as these are useful for sharing with friends and family about handwashing and hygiene. The ‘Talking Matts’ have been designed to be easy to ready and may be a valuable resource for explaining this to young children or for workers engaging with those with limited understanding of English.

As well as sharing public health advice about COVID-19 in accessible formats, including many minority languages spoken in our community, there are a lot of other amazing resources for fun, indoor-activities, emotional support and knowing and defending your rights at this time.

Advice to support parents, young people and for maintaining physical and mental health while in lockdown are displayed below. This includes virtual home work outs, which you can take part in with Club Glasgow for free, as well as advice about managing anxiety. Fun, free activities to destress, such as Mindful Colouring-in and Affirmation Cards are also available.

Additionally, community sources of support, such as Mutual Aid groups, tenants advice, advice for workers and more are displayed below.

Please also remember that BME young people and families can get in touch with YCSA at 07842 792843 for any info, advice or support, or to refer for telephone counselling. We are on the phones at least 9-4, every weekday and reachable by email.

Stay safe and we are hoping that you are all well and coping in this very difficult time.

Visual Guides to COVID-19

How to Hand Wash? World Health Organisation Poster  https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/How_To_HandWash_Poster.pdf?ua=1

How to use Hand Rub? World Health Organisation Poster https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/How_To_HandRub_Poster.pdf?ua=1

Coronavirus Information, what should I do?  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51711227

Coronavirus Easy-Read, Talking Mats: https://www.talkingmats.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200324-coronvirus-easy-read-v3_.pdf

(above, example of Talking Matt, showing activities we cannot do due to Coronavirus).

Public Health guides to COVID-19 (including translations to non-english languages)

NHS Guide to Coronavirus https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Doctors of the World translated NHS guides to COVID-19, in Arabic, Vietnamese, Albanian, Amharic, Kurdish, Slovak, French and Romanian  https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/coronavirus-information/#

Dr Jeffery Van Wingen MD Public Service Announcement, Grocery Shopping Tips for COVID-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDuwc9KBps (subtitles available in English, Spanish, Italian, Hindi, German, Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic, Japanese & French. Click CC & Settings bottom right)

Slovak Stay at Home Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxofatqpnfI&feature=emb_title

(Above: Image of hands cradling a health care cross)

Community Support during lockdown for COVID-19

Glasgow Helps Helpline, organised by Glasgow Council for Voluntary Services 0141 3450543, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Glasgow Helps website, information about food delivery, pharmacy pickups, crisis support and reducing social isolation: https://www.glasgowhelps.org/

Food banks in the Glasgow area, including COVID-19 free food services https://www.urbanroots.org.uk/freefood/

Scottish Government shielding (staying at home to protect self and others from COVID-19) food support. You can get help by contacting your local authority directly or by phoning the national helpline on 0800 111 4000.

Mutual Aids groups across Glasgow and around Scotland: https://covidmutualaid.org/#

Living Rent- opportunities to receive help from those in your neighbourhood and volunteering if it is safe for you to do so: https://www.livingrent.org/corona

(Above: signs for Community, Equality and Diversity beside a microphone)

Information for Young People/ including Young Carers

Young Scot advice for Young People (good section for young carers too): https://young.scot/get-informed/national/what-is-coronavirus-and-how-might-it-affect-me

(above: figure of people holding hands with light pouring through their silhouettes)

Mental Health and Wellbeing during Lockdown and Coping with Crisis

Mental Health Foundation guide to looking after your mental health https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak

Working (out) from Home with Club Glasgow: https://glasgowclub.org/News/Pages/Working-Out-From-Home.aspx

MIND UK Guidelines for taking care of your mental health and coping with physical distancing. Advice on setting a schedule, relaxation, creativity and advice with housing and benefits: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/#collapse34a3e

Free mindful colouring print outs: https://ladygabe.com/free

Affirmation cards and using poetry to improve self-confidence and focus on sense of purpose (free to print out) http://www.cope-scotland.org/index.php/latest-blog/the-power-of-poetry-and-affirmations

Mental Wellbeing and COVID-19 – SAMH – www.samh.org.uk

How to look after your mental health – www.mentalhealth.org.uk

General Anxiety:  www.anxietyuk.org.uk Text service 07537416905

(image above: an image of a happy brain working out)

Support for Parents and Carers

Calm, practical and emotional support for parents, 7 days a week at Parentline, call 08000 28 22 33

You can also visit ThinkUKnow, a UK organisation with age appropriate resources educating young people, parents and carers about online safety.

Visit the site here: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

(above image: A family in rainbow colours, all holding hands)

Support for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

The Scottish Refugee Council has a guide on the changes to the asylum system during lockdown due to COVID-19, https://www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/covid-19/

(image above, to the left: Refugees Welcome sign, with people on the move)

Workers and Support with Unemployment

Universal Credit Drop in Sessions in Selected Glasgow Life libraries https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-information

Glasgow Life UNIVERSAL CREDIT SUPPORT LINE – FREEFONE 0808 169 9901

Mental Health when working from home: https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/lets-walk/tips-and-stories/tip-and-story/advice-and-tips-for-homeworkers

Thompsons Solicitors Legal Briefing of the Responsibilities of Employers and Employees in the wake of Coronavirus: https://www.thompsonstradeunion.law/news/news-releases/employment-matters/briefing-on-employer-and-employees-responsibilities-in-the-wake-of-coronavirus-covid-19

The UK Government advice on Statutory Sick Pay, Home-Working and the Government Furlough Scheme:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-employees 60000

(sign above: ‘Safety First’ icon

Domestic Abuse

Scottish Women’s Aid is still working to support those who are experiencing domestic violence and abuse. You can reach them on the helpline: 0800 027 1234 or visit https://womensaid.scot

Galop are continuing to run their LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline, from Monday to Friday

10:00am – 5:00pm and Wednesday to Thursday 10:00am – 8:00pm. T: 0800 999 5428 c

(above figure: Purple Ribbon, the symbol of support for survivors of domestic abuse)

Support with Education/Home learning

YCSA is in contact with local Glasgow schools, however you might find the Future Learn website a useful source.

An initiative to help teachers and students and you during lockdown. |

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Helpful Resources for Keeping Fit and Staying Safe online while Social Distancing

So, with the latest developments around NHS and Government advice regarding Coronavirus/COVID-19, some of you may have concerns about how to stay healthy and fit while social distancing.

The transfer of all types of communication, from education to catching up with friends to digital platforms, may also raise concerns from parents and carers around the safety of the channels that young people are using, and increasingly, having to rely upon.

Luckily, YCSA’s partner agencies have been sharing really useful advice and resources.

Free Online Workouts and Fitness Classes with Club Glasgow

If you want to stay fit or have the social experience of a workout class from home, Club Glasgow have a range of free fitness options.

Visit their site for more info, with options to use on your phone or laptop or home computer: https://glasgowclub.org/News/Pages/Working-Out-From-Home.aspx

Keeping Safe Online Resources for young people and parents

You can also visit ThinkUKnow, a UK organisation with age appropriate resources educating young people, parents and carers about online safety.

Visit the site here: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/