A pioneering initiative designed to support individuals facing depression, loneliness, or anxiety is making its way to Sussex. The Friendship Bench, a concept gaining momentum globally, aims to provide free, easily accessible mental health support in public spaces.
The scheme involves placing wooden benches in accessible locations, where individuals can sit and speak with trained lay counsellors, referred to as “grandmothers” and “grandfathers.” These volunteers, who receive just two weeks of training, offer a listening ear to anyone in need of support.
Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown the effectiveness of the Friendship Bench model, reporting an 80% reduction in depression and suicidal ideation, alongside a 60% improvement in clients’ quality of life. After six months, 80% of individuals who engaged with a lay counsellor remained symptom-free.
Founded in Zimbabwe by Professor Dixon Chibanda in 2006, the model has expanded internationally, reaching cities like New York, Washington, and countries such as Qatar and Jordan. Over the past three years, with backing from the World Health Organization, the scheme has reached over half a million individuals.
Now, Dr. Nina Lockwood, a research fellow at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, is introducing the program to Sussex.
“It’s fascinating to see a model created in Africa being adopted in the West. However, like many countries, the UK faces a shortage of investment in mental health services, which isn’t enough to meet the growing demand,” Dr. Lockwood said. “We need to adopt innovative, flexible approaches to address this crisis.”
In response to the often unpredictable British weather, Sussex’s Friendship Benches will be placed indoors, in locations such as libraries, church halls, and community centers, as opposed to the outdoor settings in Zimbabwe. People in the area can make appointments to discuss their challenges, work through potential solutions, and revisit their progress after trying them out.
The pilot program in Sussex will employ 10 lay mental health workers who will hold sessions for six to eight weeks.
Mebrak Ghebreweldi, a co-founder of Diversity Resource International, an organization that supports ethnically diverse and migrant communities in Sussex, has been trained as one of the first “grandmothers” for the project. She emphasized the value of long conversations in identifying underlying issues.
“If someone approaches us with stress, we take the time to understand their situation. Sometimes, we learn that their real issue is housing, such as living in a small space with multiple children. Other times, it might be unemployment, which is the root cause of their depression,” Ghebreweldi explained. “GPs don’t have the time for such in-depth conversations and might simply prescribe medication, which often doesn’t address the underlying cause and can make the person feel disempowered.”
Professor Chibanda, who created the model, said that he developed the Friendship Bench program after recognizing that solutions to the global mental health crisis do not necessarily lie in diagnoses or medication.
“While the mental health epidemic continues to devastate people worldwide, I realized that not everyone can access a mental health professional,” Chibanda said. “However, most people have access to a valuable, often untapped resource: the care, compassion, and wisdom of grandmothers.”
The importance of mental health care is reflected in the statistics, with one in six adults in the UK experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms in 2022. The Mental Health Foundation estimates that up to 10% of people in England will face depression at some point in their lives. Furthermore, research shows that the cost of mental ill-health in England reached £300bn in 2022, with individuals suffering from depression at higher risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The stigma surrounding mental health can delay individuals in seeking help, and even once they do, the wait time for NHS services can be up to 18 weeks or longer. The Friendship Bench aims to bridge this gap, offering immediate, compassionate support to those who need it most.
