Black Swan is a pilot initiative founded by Andrea Wright that embodies indigenous approaches to disrupt dominant narratives towards health and wellbeing. In response to the current widening health inequalities Black Swan’s focus for 2021 is to deliver a Wellness to Work project that addresses the challenges facing Black people living with long term conditions in the London Borough of Lambeth, barriers to employment and structural racism.
Black Swan Wellness to Work is unique as it aims to work in a participatory way with individuals with lived experience and their carer’s to centre their voices in the work. They are empowered to identify the issues and discover the solutions to address their situation. Their understanding will be expanded by creating a conversation around the direct and indirect impact structural systems of oppression such as racism play in their overall health and wellbeing.
Participants will gain the confidence and develop the skills they have as individuals and collectively that are needed to enter the workforce and/or remain in work in a sustainable manner.
Black Swan is funded by Black Thrive an employment project in partnership with Guys & St Thomas’ Charity arm, Impact on Urban Health to address the health disparities that impact the black community in this area.
You can read about the Black Thrive employment project here and the other 8 awardees to which Black Swan is one.
If you have or you know anybody Living in Lambeth who has a long-term health condition, had support from a carer and is seeking work or having issues staying in work, then do get in touch here, we’d love to hear from you.
Black Swan is committed to enable collective empowerment to improve life expectancy and wellbeing.