MHF Social InclusionProject
Mental Health Friendly (MHF) was a project launched in 2014 to improve access to quality English Language training for people recovering from serious mental health problems.
The initiative was originally launched by myself, Andrew Dodd, and another teacher (former psychiatric nurse) Fiona Oates. Our idea was to involve various institutions and people in a project to improve access to English courses for people recovering from serious mental health problems; and to raise awareness of mental health issues inside the classroom as a way of both reducing stigma and facilitating improved access. We were conscious of the positive role English language learning, like many other forms of training, could play in a person's recovery programme. Moreover, there were certain aspects of English training (the cognitive and social aspects) which we felt were particularly well-suited to the concept of "recovery" as opposed to more narrow therapeutic goals of only managing clinical symptoms. All English courses are, after all, about working towards some future goal (speaking better English, improving job prospects, starting out again with learning, etc) and not just getting through the day and the particular challenges which each day presents. By 2015 we could already count on the support of such institutions as Pi i Molist, Hospital Sant Pau (Barcelona) Oxford House, Barcelona, Macmillan Education, Barcelona, and, most importantly, La Federació de Salut Mental de Catalunya.
Since that time, we (and I am including here La Federació, who were taking on increasing protagonism in the initiative) have held a roundtable to discuss the issues, launched a Catalonia-wide lesson plan competition (with the support of Hoteles Catalonia), supported a scholarship for a student (previously a student at our workshop at Pi i Molist) to Study at Oxford House, held an outstanding Benefit night to raise funds, and attended a number of international conferences for English teachers. It was also through this initiative that the idea of the Maletin Pedagócico was born.
It should also be noted that the initiative has inspired other teachers to participate. In 2017 Myles Klynhout did a charity bike ride to raise funds for the initiative and local teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer Shay Coyne is also running her own successful workshop at a Social Club in the Gracia District of Barcelona.
As far as we know MHF was the first initiative of its kind and it is sincerely hoped that others will follow and improve upon what has been achieved to date.
If you want more details or are teacher in Barcelona / Catalonia who wants to get involved (give support), please contact this blog or La Federació de Salut Mental de Catalunya.