Responding to continued uncertainty  – support for individuals and communities

Responding to continued uncertainty

London is a major global city, with a rich and diverse population of nine million people from hundreds of different backgrounds and nationalities, which is constantly growing and changing.

Whilst London has significant potential to be a city full of social, economic, and cultural opportunities for all, it also carries significant risks. The term ‘polycrisis’ (when present and future risks interact with each other) is increasingly relevant for London’s health, social care and political system and to Londoners mental health and wellbeing.

Today, the world’s simultaneous and overlapping crises include a mounting climate crisis, multiple wars, an inflation shock, a health crisis, banking instabilities and much more.

As the regional lead for public mental health across London’s health and social care partnership, Thrive LDN supports crisis response and recovery capabilities to support London communities impacted by sudden events.

Deepening our understanding of the mental health impact of geo-political and international humanitarian crises and responding to needs of diaspora and affected communities in London is an important part of the work we do. Given the complex and often unpredictable nature of crises and the interconnected nature of polycrisis, public mental health responses can often appear to be very different. However, Thrive LDN’s process is consistently rooted in equity and participation and underpinned by situational awareness and scenario planning.

Some recent examples of our public mental health response to global events impacting Londoners are outlined below.

Supporting those impacted by the war in Israel and Gaza

Since the beginning of 2024, Thrive LDN has been working with communities in London impacted by the war and violence in Israel and Gaza to understand where mental health and wellbeing support would be most effective.

The war has had an undeniable impact on the mental health, stress and anxiety of affected communities in London and many have struggled with complex feelings in response.

We have engaged with and spoken to organisations and representatives from London’s Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian, Arab and Muslim communities. The insights gathered has helped us to step up meaningful and community led support, in collaboration with the Greater London Authority.

Read more about this ongoing work.

Supporting Londoners during the Cost-of-Living Crisis

Prior to the pandemic, many struggled with the costs of housing, heating, and food with 4 in 10 Londoners not meeting what is deemed to be an acceptable standard of living.

As such, the increased cost-of-living pressures which have emerged in recent years have been significant for many across the city and have had a detrimental impact on Londoners’ mental health and wellbeing.

Thrive LDN’s Economic Wellbeing Forum is one way in which we are collectively recognising the impact on population mental health of financial pressures. The forum involves a broad range of statutory partners, community organisations and those from the workplace/ business sectors who have been shaping the development of a public mental health response to those dealing with the cost-of-living crisis and emerging economic pressures, particularly on timely ideas for training and resources.

Training and resources

We have also worked with various partners to provide a series of training programmes to support individuals helping those affected by increased cost-of-living pressures in London. The training programmes were funded by the Mayor of London, and they aimed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals experiencing financial struggles.

Thrive LDN partnered with Money A+E to host a free webinar on the cost-of-living crisis, the Ethnicity Premium, and the impact on racialised and marginalised communities.

Resilience and conflict resolution training workshops, delivered in partnership with Healthy Dialogues.

Free money guidance programme to combat the health toll of money worries, delivered in partnership with Clean Slate.

Mental Health Awareness and Financial Hardships Training, delivered in partnership with Healthy Dialogues.

Trauma-Informed Practice Training, delivered in partnership with Nicola Lester – Psychological Trauma Consultancy.

Thrive LDN’s Conversation Starter Tool has been adapted to directly address the rise in cost-of-living and financial concerns, as well as offer signposting to further support including financial advice and practical help.

Evaluation: An independent evaluation report is available to download which looks at the impact of the range of mental health training offers to support Londoners during winter 2022/23 and beyond offered by Thrive LDN in conjunction with the Economic Wellbeing Forum.

Supporting the mental health needs of Hongkongers

Thrive LDN has been funded by the Greater London Authority to undertake a programme of work to support the mental health and wellbeing of Hong Kong arrivals in London. 

In partnership with grassroots organisations, Thrive LDN developed a culturally specific mental health response. This included looking at barriers in talking about mental health and accessing services in the Hong Kong community. This is on ongoing partnership, read more about this work.

Thrive LDN was funded for a second year to further this work, with a focus on children and young people and Hongkongers with intersectional identities.

Year 3 of this funded programme is currently being scoped and will begin in September 2024.

Supporting displaced people with their mental health

Thrive LDN and the Refugee Council have developed a short video for volunteers and professionals on engaging with refugees and asylum seekers, particularly in relation to supporting mental health and wellbeing.

We have also worked together with partners to produce a ‘Help with your concerns or worries’ wellbeing guide for displaced people, which outlines tools and ideas encouraging good mental health and wellbeing.

Supporting London partners’ Ukraine response

The Ukraine response was based on supporting the mental health needs of displaced Ukrainians as well as those diasporas living in London.

The ongoing crisis has affected the 49,000 Ukrainians and 150,000 Russians living in London. In April 2022, Thrive LDN built relationships with the Eastern European community organisations and groups to adapt a short guide for those supporting the mental health and wellbeing of displaced Ukrainians arriving to the UK. We worked with the partners to translate existing mental health and wellbeing resources into Ukrainian and commissioned the delivery of trauma-informed practice in humanitarian crisis training.

Our ‘Help with your concerns or worries‘ wellbeing guide for displaced people (available in English and Ukrainian) was utilised by London boroughs and other London partners, as well as being listed across the government’s website and numerous local authorities beyond Greater London.

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Afghan Refugees

London is home to the UK’s largest community of Afghans. 7 in every 10 Afghan citizens in the UK reside in the Greater London area.

The humanitarian crisis caused by the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) at the end of 2021 had an impact on the mental health of not only those directly caught up in the crisis but equally for the Afghan community already settled in London.

We joined up with various community and health partners who work closely with the Afghan community to rapidly bring together a set of resources to support the mental health and wellbeing of the Afghan community and those professionals supporting them.