Black Women's Link Project: Fortnightly Meet Up

BWLP aims to proactively tackle loneliness in Black women and seeks to bring together women for an inspirational, uplifting conversation

About this event

Black Women’s Link Project

The Black Women’s Link Project is about linking women together to share ideas, experiences, and stories. This is done by providing a safe space for them to express concerns. Through talking and listening to the group, can address and resolve unhelpful patterns of behaviour and thinking, relieve isolation, increase self-esteem and improve self-awareness.

Why are we creating this group?

A community network is about creating a social link to reduce loneliness among black women. Within the community, black African women find it difficult to access the kind of community resources and support they need due to lack of communication barriers and lack of community involvement.

Age UK defines 'isolation' as separation from social or familial contact, community involvement, or access to services, while 'loneliness' can be understood as an individual's personal, subjective sense of lacking these things.

According to the Holt-Lunstad, {2015}, “loneliness can increase risk of death by 26%, obesity (Holt-Lunstad, 2010)”, coronary heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, and loneliness and social isolation and risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

In a social study by UCL researchers as part of the Covid-19, "women have found the Covid-19 pandemic more challenging than men psychologically, reporting higher levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness". Also, a study from BAME backgrounds reported that pandemic has affected BAME group's mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, abuse, and loneliness than any other groups across every measure throughout the pandemic.

The Black Women’s Link Project is about linking women together to share ideas, experiences, and stories. This is done by providing a safe space for them to express concerns. Through talking and listening to the group, can address and resolve unhelpful patterns of behaviour and thinking, relieve isolation, increase self-esteem and improve self-awareness.

Linking together agenda

• Facilitating discussions to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding loneliness

• Encouraging Black women to talk about being lonely and enhancing community involvement

• Empower Black women to find friendship within and outside of their community

• Signposting information to access community resources

• Having conversations over tea/coffee, hearing inspiring talks with Health, Wellness, and Well-being Professionals

• We are open to new ideas

• Support Black women to be open, honest and feel free to be themselves

• Encouraging networking with professionals who could potentially support group needs

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-womens-link-project-fortnightly-meet-up-tickets-197865841057