A report published today has called for mental health support for the staff of local charities managing the aftermath of last summer’s riots.
Published by health equity charity People’s Health Trust, the report entitled Standing Together details the short and long-term health impacts that the riots across the UK had on marginalised people in local communities as well as the staff and volunteers working at the charities that support them.
It describes the riots as “highly damaging” to the mental and physical health of charity staff and volunteers, with many “facing a direct threat to personal security because of the services they provide”.
The report adds that the mental health of staff and volunteers of many smaller charities working with marginalised groups has been under strain “for many years” due to factors such as austerity and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Increased anxiety
Many of the charities interviewed for the report said the health of their staff and volunteers had been “directly affected” by last summer’s riots, with increased levels of anxiety, insecurity and fear.
For smaller charities working within their local communities, many staff and volunteers were recruited from the surrounding area.
One charity is quoted as saying: “Our staff and volunteer team includes many from Black and racially minoritised communities and those with personal experience of seeking asylum so this was especially hard for them.”
Several charities also noted that they were facing a “direct threat” to personal security due to the services they provided, and that they had to make changes to working patterns and service provision because of safety concerns for staff and volunteers during riots.
A small number of charities also mentioned challenges delivering their services because of people they work with expressing racist views on their premises.
One Scotland-based charity told researchers: “We serve a poor, predominantly white working class community and they have been in our services expressing racist views and when staff and volunteers challenge this they say that we are curtailing their free speech.”
Recommendations
People’s Health Trust made several recommendations to the government, funders and philanthropists to better support charities affected by the riots.
Its report calls for accessible mental health support services for charity staff who are “managing the prevention and aftermath of volatile racist, antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crime and violence”.
It also recommends that funders and philanthropists partner with People’s Health Trust to better support grassroots charities “working at the front line to address racist violence and health inequalities”.
People’s Health Trust chief executive John Hume said: “Last year’s racist riots have left a deep scar, especially in communities already facing inequality, discrimination, and disinvestment.
“We need to address the root causes of this violence which is both misinformation across the media and social media and the deepening dissatisfaction resulting from decades of austerity, poor housing and cost of living crises.
“Now is the time for meaningful coordinated action from decision-makers at a national and local level.”
