The recent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has prompted widespread horror and protest. The footage of the incident itself, and the protests that followed, have been circulated widely on the news and social media; all of which are deeply distressing. We are fully behind the worldwide condemnation that has followed George’s death.
The cumulative effect of this and past examples of violence and discrimination against black people is traumatic and can deeply impact our collective mental health – and of course the mental health of black people most of all.
Our CEO, Brendan Hill, has already reaffirmed unequivocally to our black colleagues that they are absolutely valued at Concern Group. We want our workplaces to be diverse and supportive, with everyone’s contributions and perspectives being recognised and celebrated. All black and ethnic minority colleagues are an integral part of our organisational family and we care about their welfare and wellbeing.
We want to reaffirm that our services are for everyone too, and we want black members of our communities to know that your life matters to us.
We understand how the recent events might increase stress, fear, and anxiety; we want to support anyone who has been affected as best we can; especially members of our black and ethnic minority communities. So, if you need any of our NHS talking therapy services, you are welcome – we are here for you. Please fill in an online self-referral form and we’ll take it from there: Find a talking therapy service.
Our organisational values include compassion and openness, so with that in mind let’s take even greater care of each other in the days to come.