Iranian Association

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Iranian Association
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Vision Mission

• Vision To ensure that the ethnic minorities,
  migrants and refugees get the support they need
  to improve their lives and overcome the barriers
  to interacting with the society.
• Mission Iranian association helps ethnic
  minorities, migrants, refugees and members of the
  local community to fully participate in this
  society by providing opportunities to learn, to
  receive advice, to meet with others and to
  develop themselves.

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Services
IA was established as a registered charity in
1985. Services

• Immigration and Welfare Advice
• Health promotion and counselling
• Elderly Day Centre
• Youth Club
• Education and Employment Advice
• ESOL, IT and Job Search courses
• Learndirect
• Cultural Events

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What influences the older peoples health?

• Language barrier and linguistic dependence
• Diet
• Health belief
• Culture clash
• Financial problems
• Separation from family members in home country

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Health ProjectCommunity Counselling

• Helps older and middle-aged men and women with
  mental health problems
• Counsellor shares the clients cultural
  background and identity and
• Provides counselling in clients mother tongue
  (Farsi)
• Counsellor is accredited by BACP
• Funding started in 2002 and came to an end in
  2005
• But has continued its activities for two half a
  days per week with the voluntary dedication of a
  counsellor and use of IAs reserve fund.

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Health ProjectH F Primary Care Trust

• Providing interpreting services to older and
  disabled people
• Accompanying the clients to GPs and hospitals
• Getting the clients together weekly where their
  issues concerning health and access to health
  service could be discussed and dealt with
• Helping the clients to fill in forms
• Organising events to contribute to a mentally
  healthier life
• Funding ended August 2007

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Health PtojectRefugee Womens Social and
Healthcare Project

• Providing counselling, advice and information to
  women may have been facing domestic problems and
  domestic abuse
• Organising seminars on family and mental health
  issues
• Liaising with GPs and Psychologist
• Offering translation and interpreting service
• Referral to other agencies
• Funding ended in 2006, but a few services have
  continued using IAs reserve

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New Health Project

• Helping Iranians including the older clients to
  improve their health
• Changing behaviours, which are a major cause of
  ill-health and premature death e.g. unhealthy
  eating habits, physical inactivity, smoking,
  alcohol use, unsafe sex etc.
• Setting personal goals to change behaviours
• Providing information about health issues
• Organising one-to-one or small group sessions
  with the clients as appropriate
• Providing outreach
• Funded by PCT

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Other health-related services

• Coaching and mentoring community organisers of
  groups with health problems
• Participating in steering groups of health
  related projects

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End of Presentation

• Contact Details
• Iranian Association
• Palingswick House, 241 King Street, London W6
  9LPTel 020 8741 2304, Info_at_iranianassociation.or
  g.uk
• Presentation by Kaveh Kalantari