Nancy – Self Referral
Nancy referred herself to Linking Leeds due to loneliness and stress. She said “I didn’t know who I was anymore and wanted to find my identity”. Na...
Z is an Iranian refugee and travelled to the UK with her 15-year-old daughter and husband. She had already accessed mental health support but felt that she needed additional emotional support Z had experienced trauma, including conflicts with authorities and policing agencies in Iran.
She had a recent car crash which seriously injured her and her daughter. As a result, she experiences a lot of panic, heart palpitations, and was afraid of leaving the house without her husband. These symptoms also impacted her sleep significantly, combined with the issue that her home is next to an ambulance dispatch, so she struggles to get restful sleep and wakes regularly by a sound which triggers memories of her trauma in Iran.
Z and family were living in private rented accommodation but were struggling to afford this and were having some issues with their landlord. The WBC referred the family to a Housing organisation for support.
The WBC wrote a letter of support to the Job Centre detailing the work Z was undertaking and the state of her mental health, and how it impacts her day-to-day. Z’s Job Coach agreed to do telephone appointments instead of face to face.
Z informed her WBC that her daughter was a professional-level athlete in Iran for Sprint Kayak and was hugely passionate about pursuing this sport in England, but not knowing the area, the family were struggling to find somewhere for her to train. The WBC sent Z a link about the Leeds Waterfront Festival. Z told me that they attended as a family and enjoyed seeing their daughter on the water again. Z said it made her feel whole, and peaceful, and “nothing could stop her from seeing her daughter thrive on the water.” Z told her WBC that “being able to see her daughter at her most joyful is a gift she never imagined.
Z was encouraged by her daughter’s commitment to continue with her Kayaking, and they took a “whole family approach” to looking for something outside of the normal route. With the hope that this would encourage Z to keep leaving the house and reduce her agoraphobia. The WBC and Z looked at a variety of local clubs but the closest professional training centre was in Manchester.
The WBC contacted a coordinator for the British Canoeing #ShePaddles campaign, who informed them than an informal group of high-level racing kayakers was setting up regular training sessions along the Leeds-Liverpool canal. The Co-ordinator reported that he was “100% supportive of the developments here and was genuinely excited to see that a high-level training group has emerged from nowhere. If sustained, this could be a breakthrough for kayak racing in the North of England!”
At each meeting Z informed the WBC on how her daughter’s training was going. Z relayed that when she was having a poor mental health day, or was feeling particularly panicked, she saw that watching her daughter train was soothing and calming. The family were overjoyed and felt they were settling into their new lives.
Z was referred to Solace a support specific for refugees, migrants & asylum-seekers and was supported by a Farsi speaking female psychotherapists.
Z wanted to acknowledge all the support she received from her WBC “Thank you for all your efforts, you have helped me so much, much more than anyone else has, you always have time for me, and I just want you to know it means everything to me and my family. We feel peace here and you help this.” “I am so thankful. Every week you would call me, it was something to look forward to, something happening this day, you give me so much strength”