Research for good

The ICG's Chris Brookes has recently shared a 'feel good' research experience.  A time when research is really making a clear and positive contribution to society – and the cherry on the cake is that the client used the ICG website to find Chris.  Here is her story…

Earlier this year, I got involved in one of those projects that make you really pleased that you can use your professional skills to help a good cause (and get paid a modest amount in return).  It was for the Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre based in Archway, London.  Nafsiyat offers short-term intercultural therapy to people from diverse backgrounds in 24 languages. Their mission is to see all mental health services being sensitive to, and appropriate for, the diverse cultural, racial, ethnic populations who live in the United Kingdom.

Nafsiyat's MD found me on the ICG website, and I asked another ICG-er, Martin Stoll, to work with me on the project.  The centre has always provided free-at-point-of-delivery services, and has essentially been NHS-funded, but in these days of funding cuts, needed to investigate the feasibility of a paid-for service.  We delivered the results of the research in the summer – basically a yes – and I've just heard that the charity trustees have given the go-head to pilot a paid-for service.

Nafsiyat have just produced this short film which they've asked me to help publicise:

 <https://youtu.be/svy73xbm5NY> https://youtu.be/svy73xbm5NY

I know lots of ICG-ers have non-research hinterlands, some of which might be relevant to this cause, so if you could help it reach a wider audience – by forwarding this email, sharing on social media, including it in a newsletter, whatever – that would be really great.