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Krysia Canvin and Jorun Rugkasa
DIPEx

A bit about us & DIPEx

We're both experienced researchers who are conducting two studies for a charity called DIPEx that produces an award winning website (www.dipex.org) where you can watch video clips, listen to the voices or read the accounts of people's experiences of illness and wellbeing. Krysia is based at the University of Oxford and Jorun is based at the University of Westminster

What are we trying to do and why?

We want to collect stories from volunteers from Black and Minority ethnic backgrounds who:

1. Have personal experience of mental health problems

2. Look after someone with mental health problems

People from different cultures may have different experiences of what it is like to have a mental health problem or to look after someone with a mental health problem. Too often, their voices and stories are not heard – this can mean that their suggestions for improvements or solutions are not taken into account by health professionals. It may be difficult for people experiencing mental health problems to break through the isolation and seek support from other people with similar experiences. Family and friends often feel isolated too. Listening to the stories of others can give hope, a sense of not being alone, helpful advice, and put people in touch with groups such as the National Perceptions Forum. Our findings will be placed on the DIPEx website (www.dipex.org) where people have 24 hour access to emotional and practical support. Our research is used extensively for training health and other professionals, helping them to understand the issues that matter for people with specific health conditions.

DIPEx researchers are trained to support people to tell their stories in their own words. Taking part is not the same as counselling, but previous participants have told DIPEx researchers that they found it therapeutic to tell their story to someone who has the time to listen and wants to hear what they have to say. Interviews are like guided conversations, and usually take place in people's own homes, when convenient. Some people think the DIPEx interview experience is a bit like donating blood – or in this case, donating their story – to help others.

Taking part

We're hoping to talk to people from different backgrounds, including African, Asian, Irish, Eastern European, and others. Taking part in the project would involve telling your story to a DIPEx researcher in an interview and talking about what happened to you, your thoughts and feelings, how you got information, how you made decisions, your experiences of care, what helped and your ideas about how to improve services for other people. Volunteers can chose to have a video, audio or written version of their story on the website, may use a false name, or be played by an actor! They can also be interviewed in a language other than English.

If you want to take part, think you can help us contact people who want to take part, or want more information about the study or DIPEx, please contact:

Krysia Canvin WRITE TO DIPEx, Dept of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford, Old Road, Oxford OX3 7LF; CALL 01865 289306 or 226672; TEXT 07805 828792; EMAIL Krysia Canvin's address within dphpc.ox.ac.uk

Jorun Rugkasa WRITE TO School of Integrated Health, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW; CALL 020 79115000 extension 3919; TEXT 07805 828792; EMAIL Jorun Rugkasa's address within westminster.ac.uk