Who We Are

The Wisdom Principle operates in the southeast of England, with a focus on Milton Keynes and its surrounding area. This region has been identified in the Denny review (2023) as a region with ongoing health inequalities amongst ethnic groups and thus, presenting a significant challenge for mental healthcare providers. The need for relevant mental health resources and support for ethnic minority groups has motivated our work here.

We work at the intersection of faith, culture and mental health; partnering closely with our partners, including the Mental Health Alliance and national health service providers. We take time to listen to the experience of communities specifically from ethnic backgrounds and relationship building is at the heart of our work. 

As a result of community conversations, we bring to the table a wide range of research, tools, and resources that will equip communities with a better understanding of mental health, solutions to navigate challenging conversations around mental health-related topics and overall, improve our understanding of wellbeing. 

The wisdom principles strategy is built on our unique model: 

  • Connect 

  • Understand 

  • Grow 

With the connect, understand and grow’ model, the Wisdom Principle organises and facilitates a series of workshops, seminars and training programs contextualised to the needs of Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups.


MENTAL HEALTH ALLIANCE 2022 TWP

The NHS together with major partners in the voluntary sector has been innovating to meet the needs of those they serve better. We have been part of this work under the Mental Health Alliance in MK, funded to engage with the ethnic minority groups in MK. The insights we've got over the last 2 years are shaping an understanding of how minority groups negotiate mental health including barriers to access, challenges in the Experience when in services and impact on mental health Outcomes. Thanks to all who've already engaged with us and we look forward to getting to know those communities we are yet to work with. Themes so far: There are adults or senior figures in the family who do not acknowledge mental health, making it harder for other family members to be open about this issue. Communities have shared expressions for 'something not being quite right' however may not equate this with the Western and medicalised understanding of Mental Health. We've met women who sought out health professionals but only shared physical problems, not emotional or psychological problems. These women also have multiple social and relational issues that are not known about by health professionals. Taboo for males to express emotional or psychological distress remains really high, making it hard to spot symptoms common for other groups. TWP continues to raise awareness at the intersection of faith culture as this work saves lives.