Celebrating 9 Years of Roshani

Illuminating Mental Health in Ethnic Communities

For nine years, Roshani, meaning "Light" in Urdu, has shone brightly as a beacon of hope and support for individuals navigating mental health challenges in ethnic communities, working with the Asian community in particular.

​As we commemorate nearly a decade of the service, we want to reflect on the profound impact Roshani has had on the lives it has touched.

Empowering Through Education:

Roshani is a testament to the power of culturally sensitive mental health education, breaking barriers, and challenging stigma within diverse ethnic backgrounds. Over the years, its commitment to increasing awareness and fostering understanding has transformed countless lives.

The statistics show how effective Roshani has been in fostering holistic wellbeing. According to our 2023 survey, here are the percentages answering "much / somewhat better" on the wellbeing measures:

• Coping with life's ups and downs: 100%
• Feeling connected and supported/less isolated: 100%
• Having opportunities and choices in life: 87%
• Self-worth: 100%
• Confidence: 100%
• Setting and achieving goals: 100%
• Feeling content: 87%
• Understanding own mental health needs: 100%

The responses demonstrated a remarkable 97% of individuals who reported improvements across all wellbeing measures, with the remaining 3% expressing stability—no deterioration in their condition, a testament to Roshani's consistent support.

Testimonials Speak Volumes:

The heartfelt testimonials from beneficiaries underscore the profound impact of Roshani's support:

"I have been a committed user of Roshani for many years. As I can communicate in Punjabi I am able to benefit from peer-led support groups in my language. This is something that has helped me maintain good mental health and my health and wellbeing are better with this support."

"I came into contact with the Roshani project at a workshop last year - I wish I had come into contact with the service sooner! The one-to-one telephone service has helped me through some hard times. I will continue to use the service as and when I feel the need."

"Roshani has been a good fit for my mental health - it's a safe place for me to talk about private issues without worrying about confidentiality."

"I was happy to get some help and guidance about benefits and PIP."

"Roshani has been a great help to me when my mental health has dipped - the support always makes me feel better about myself and I cope better with my issues."

"I am a long-term user of Roshani and find that engaging with the service is easy to access for me - no referral system which reduces waiting list times."

"The Roshani drop-in sessions helped me talk about my mental health issues - It's not something I feel comfortable with but I felt safe in the sessions."


Looking ahead:

As we reflect on nine years of Roshani, we are thrilled to announce a new chapter ahead. We have recently secured funding for 3 more years!  We’re excited to renew our commitment to serving our communities with compassion, empathy, and expertise as we continue to advocate for better mental health.