TESTIMONIALS

I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to a pack auditorium on the subject of black men's mental health. The attention from the audience was encouraging and I felt that I was being listened to, which helped me to open up more. It is so encouraging to witness people coming together to create changes within the mental health system and to tackle the systemic inequalities that exist in service delivery outcomes. Hopefully the BiPP Network will continue to encourage people to enter the mental health professions so that we can reach those who are currently lost.

I worked with BiPP Network in April 2020 by facilitating a reflective practice workshop for applicants who had interviews for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. I found the organisation of the event and the amount of detail they put into creating this event was spectacular! I was very impressed with how well they communicated with me as a facilitator, and how supportive they were on the day of the event. I appreciated that valued my time, which is not always common in mental health, for individuals that provide services outside of their day job. I would definitely work with them again if they needed me to, and I support their vision to develop the mental health profession and grow diversity. They are a wonderful team and I hope for much more success for them in the future.

I had the pleasure of facilitating a reflective session for DClinPsy interviewees in March. The BiPP network was excellent with providing a thorough pre-session briefing and ensured that our voices and ideas were incorporated into the programme structure. Their key strengths include excellent communication and professionalism; they ensured that we were updated on all event-related information to help alleviate concerns or worries. It was helpful to have in-session support from BiPP directors to ensure the smooth running of the event. I would highly recommend other organisations to collaborate with the fantastic work they are doing to advance the profile of people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds in Psychiatry and Psychology.

The BiPP Network are a thoughtful and psychologically minded group of individuals who work hard to bring a wide range of timely, interesting and accessible learning events and reflective spaces to the African and Caribbean therapist community. It was a privilege to be invited by BiPP Network to deliver an event focused on Racial Trauma and Wellbeing, and working with them was a pleasure.

Since attending the Men’s mental health discussion as a panellist earlier this year, I feel as though it was a very worthwhile experience to be a part of. Not only did I meet some truly empathetic and supportive members of my community, but it also highlighted the need to continue discussions of the lived experience we experience around our mental health. Representation definitely matters, and I thank the BiPP team for allowing me to share my story with others. I’d be happy to take part in further events, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of what the team has to offer.

To those wanting and needing to understand more about the Black perspective with respect to mental health and mental health services, BiPP is the place to start. Whether you are a professional or someone who might have to use services, BiPP provides up to date understanding using experts with a diverse range of experience who are top of their game. You will be challenged. You will be enlightened. You will be able to do your job better. BiPP are professional in their approach. They are dynamic and innovative. It was a pleasure working with them.

I worked with BiPP as part of a panel discussing mental health in men from racially minoritised communities. I must highlight, it was a very positive experience from the outset. Once I confirmed that I’d be accepting the request to be a panel member, I was sent a comprehensive document that made it clear what I should be expecting from the BiPP team before, during and after the event. This communicated to me that I was working with an organised and professional team, which was confirmed during the event itself. As soon as I arrived at the event location, I was warmly welcomed by the entire BiPP team, who were very attentive to my needs and those of the other panel members. The event itself was fantastically inspiring (particularly the lived experience panel, which had very powerful speakers in attendance), well organised and clearly made great strides towards the aim of reaching out to aspiring clinicians from racially minoritised communities. It was heartwarming to witness the BiPP team’s passion for increasing diversity within psychiatry and psychology professions. Given my positive experiences, I wouldn't hesitate to work with this vital organisation again.

Even though the UK has made a headway in reducing mental health stigma in diverse communities, Black men are still not talking about their mental health. I was honoured to be invited to speak at the BiPP evening event at King's College London's IoPPN, this was a well organised event with a diverse BAME audience, what was unique about the panel of speakers was a mix of professionals and individuals with lived experiences (experts by lived experiences) who shared their experiences with mental illness. Often times mental health campaigns focus on high profile individuals, with celebrity status to such platforms, what BiPP achieved this evening with ordinary men sharing their lived experiences in my view was powerful in reaching out to Black men to engage in a dialogue 'talking about their experiences’ this was powerful and encouraging for the listeners, men realising similarities to their experiences and most importantly that they are survivors, indeed extraordinary black men. This was an inspiring event, I have no doubt that if anyone in the audience had been suffering in silence, this event would have given them hope to seek help. Thank you BiPP for such an excellent event, let us continue encouraging young men to talk about their mental health and wellbeing.

It was an honour to be contacted by the Founding Director of the BiPP Network, Keisha York, and to be able to speak at the impressively well organised and executed inaugural event at King's College London in 2019. The opportunity to discuss the immense difficulties that we face as a diverse group of professionals and aspiring professionals in a vastly Eurocentric field was not only inspiring, but also reassuring. The ideas and knowledge shared regarding the implications this has on the population we tend to serve have stayed with me as I carry out my clinical practice. The BiPP Network's bold initiatives to offer support and to challenge racial disparities within the field are essential and deserve to be celebrated. Thank you for including me.