Health, happiness and your future: using a “men’s group” format to work with homeless men in London
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1747-9894
Article publication date: 27 October 2017
Issue publication date: 5 December 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe an intervention with a group of homeless men from the Horn of Africa, service users of the Horn of Africa Health and Wellbeing Project in London. The group was conceived by the second author who noted the presence of significant psychosocial issues for her clients, but equally their reluctance to access mainstream mental health or social care services.
Design/methodology/approach
Designing the group and introducing it to the men involved threw up some challenges which are explored, and the impact of the group on participants is evaluated.
Findings
Overall both the participants and the facilitators evaluated the group positively and it appeared to have led to lasting change for some of the group members, and this is described. The authors argue that this sort of group may be a more acceptable way to work on psychosocial issues than something more directly focused on mental health intervention. The group protocol is outlined along with suggestions for future work in this area.
Originality/value
This intervention represents a creative alternative to more mainstream psychological interventions for homeless or exiled men.
Keywords
Citation
Thompson, K., Brown, P. and Vieira, S. (2017), "Health, happiness and your future: using a “men’s group” format to work with homeless men in London", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 403-418. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-07-2016-0025
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited