About Us

Besstel Foundation (UK)

Besstel Child and Adult Psychiatric Foundation International (BCAPF) is a Mental Health Charity registered in both the United Kingdom and in Ghana. Key interventions include monthly support sessions for people with mental health challenges, their families and carers. The sessions include information sharing, advice, guidance and signposting to clinical and social services. We also undertake community outreach programmes to encourage clients to engage.
Besstel also runs a telephone helpline to provide support to people who may need emergency assistance.

Besstel Foundation (UK)

Besstel UK’s central vision is to support the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community in the UK from Black African descent with mental and emotional health difficulties or at risk of escalating conditions. A significant proportion of the BAME community suffer from or at risk of mental and emotional health conditions as a result of pronounced social and economic pressures such as unemployment, poor housing, dysfunctional family situations or drug and substance misuse problems. Depression, anxieties, self-harm, irritable or aggressive behaviours, panic attacks and suicidal ideation are common mental and emotional health issues.

Besstel provides appropriate and early interventionist support using a community-approach service model that is non-clinical and has a strong focus on utilising the strength of social and community networks. The key networks employed are churches, social and community associations, social housing tenant associations. Local radio and TV networks are also important institutions in penetrating local communities.The community networks are used principally as support anchors in the delivery of education, information and guidance, particularly in the de-escalation of negative cultural stereotypes, discrimination and stigmitisation of people who suffer from mental and emotional health problems.

Key delivery tools of our community-based service delivery model also include the use of shared experiences in support groups, counseling and advocacy work.

Besstel aims to deliver the following outcomes at the end of its three year funding cycle:

Reduce the level of mental and emotional health inequalities within the BAME community in South London through improved access to non-clinical support
Improve awareness of mental and emotional health including causes, coping mechanisms and access to support services through intensive education
Reduce levels of negative socio-cultural stereotypes
Enhance community cohesion through the active engagement of key community networks
Develop a framework for partnership working across peer community organisations in the Greater London region.

DONATIONS

+ 0

Besstel is largely supported through a grant funding scheme by The National Lotteries Community Fund’s Connecting Communities programme.

Our Mission

1

MISSION UK

Besstel foundation aims to improve the level of awareness around mental and emotional health issues through a programme of sensitisation and education aimed at reducing the intensity of stigmatisation, social and economic exclusion.