Emotional support line for black and ethnic minority communities affected by COVID-19 launched

Those from BAME communities have experienced proportionately higher death rates due to COVID-19

A COVID-19 emotional support line for black and ethnic minority communities in Greater Manchester is now live.

The helpline, setup by the charity The Guardian Project, offers targeted emotional help for BAME families and individuals, who make up a third of COVID-19 patients across the UK.

Scientists have found that deaths among the BAME population from COVID-19 are disproportionately high. Emotional support for those affected is therefore vital.

The dedicated telephone line is for people from BAME communities who:

• Are recovering from COVID-19 or are self-isolating
• Have relatives and friends of clients suffering from COVID-19
• Are bereaved relatives and friends of someone who has died with COVID-19
• Are BAME women and young girls and victims of abuse and violence

The Guardian Project, in partnership with the NESTAC group (New Step for African Community), is a charity which specialises in the provision of cross-culture emotional support.

The charity has registered mental health practitioners and psychotherapists, bilingual trained peer mentors who can provide basic cultural counselling and community support volunteers on board.

Advice, guidance and other service signposting is on offer relating to COVID-19 related issues; including psychosocial therapy for women and young girls who have suffered abuse or violence during the outbreak.

Individual or group therapy is available with advice offered in Somali, Kurdish, Swahili, Urdu, Arabic, French and others.

The helpline can be contacted on either 07862 279289 or 07894 126157 seven days a week between the hours of 10am and 6pm.

You can also text the word ‘HELP’ to either number and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.

For more information you can visit NESTAC's page here or email info@nestac.org.uk.