Community Partners
Jemilea Wisdom-Baako
Poet Jemilea Wisdom-Baako of Writerz and Scribez, runs projects and events in various community settings across the UK, often in collaboration with partnering organisations that have similar aims. These have included school festivals, homeless projects, prison performances and youth events which has resulted in exhibitions, drama productions and book publishing. Jemilea collaborates with HERON through the S.W.I.T.C.H project.
Kay Rufai
Kay Rufai is a Photographer, Poet, Author, Creative facilitator and Immersive artist He has spent the past 3 years exploring the intersection between culture, identity, racial emancipation and community cohesion through art, photography, educational workshops and public events. A great deal of his work has directly engaged diverse community’s minority, refugee and displaced groups of people as well as collaboratively creating bodies of work with them. Kay collaborates with HERON through the S.W.I.T.C.H project.
United. One For All
United. One For All is a partnership between HERON and three London-based organisations. Each member organisation works with young people and others to engage them in physical activity to support their wellbeing in different ways. This includes:
The aims of United. One for All are to raise awareness of the role of physical activity in supporting wellbeing for the mind, body and soul; and, to engage and empower young people collectively to take up, lead, and engage others in physical activity.
Alima Photography
Alima Faye is an up and coming photographer from London, who currently studies for her BA (Hons) in Photography at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. She has been doing freelance work for over 3 years after buying her first Digital Single Lens & Reflex (DSLR) camera and began to the learn basics after attending a beginners’ course. Alima has an interest in portraiture photography but also has interests in other areas of photography, such as events, weddings, studio, landscapes and travel. Alima is also beginning to get involved in videography.
Leeds Inequalities Research Network
HERON is partnering with the Leeds Inequalities Research Network (IRN), University of Leeds, on an initiative linking up various equity focused networks to form a ‘Partnership for Social Justice’, established in April 2019. The Partnership’s overarching goal is to facilitate joint action between multi-sector equity networks in order to increase their impact. As part of this work, we will be working with community organisations to test out our RISE and SELPh toolkits, and to coproduce updated versions able to be taken up by other community organisations. For more details on the partnership contact Dr Ghazal Mir: g.mir@leeds.ac.uk.
Youth Access
HERON is partnering with Youth Access to support evaluation of project activities.
Youth Access champion young people’s right to access local, high quality, evidence-informed advice, counselling and support services. It is a membership organisation overseeing and supporting the work of Youth Information, Advice and Counselling (YIACS) services UK-wide. YIACS are voluntary sector-led services available to young people aged 13 to 25 years, providing integrated youth work, mental health counselling and other therapies, as well as information, advice and guidance on key social determinants of health (e.g. housing). Youth Access promote the YIACS model as part of local services for young people everywhere.
The Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies (IWES)
Founded in 1993, the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies (IWES) is a national non-profit health organization domiciled in New Orleans. Many people of colour and their families in the Greater New Orleans area do not have access to programs that address their full mental, emotional and physical health. This prevents people in our city from living fully healthy lives and weakens our communities. Because of this, IWES works with communities, schools, individuals and organizations to provide tailored health and wellness services that address this lack of health options and access. We combine advocacy, health education, research and direct services to improve wellness in local communities. Ultimately, when New Orleans is a city that puts health first, our people live happier, more resilient lives and our communities will be stronger!
Black Thrive
Black Thrive was set up to bring together everyone interested in addressing issues surrounding mental health for Black people to ensure that resources and programs are well coordinated, complementary and most importantly reflect the wishes and wants of the people affected by mental health inequalities. They are a partnership between people, organisations, and public services which unites the energy and experience of us all to achieve real change.
ThriveLDN
Thrive LDN is a citywide movement to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all Londoners. It is supported by the Mayor of London and led by the London Health Board partners.
Two million Londoners experience some form of poor mental health every year and Londoners’ life satisfaction and feelings of self-worth are lower than the national average. Thrive LDN was established in response to this, with the aim of reducing the number of Londoners affected by poor mental health.