Supporting Survivors of Hate Crime
The Anthony Walker Foundation (AWF) was established to promote racial harmony and support victims of hate crimes following the racially motivated murder of Anthony Walker in 2005.
In late 2024, AWF identified a continued need for specialised, trauma-informed support for individuals who had survived racially or religiously motivated hate incidents. These survivors often face significant emotional tolls, isolation, and a lack of safe spaces to process their experiences.
Having built a relationship with AWF with a number of projects in the past, SO Health was commissioned to deliver a series of workshops focused on holistic recovery and collective strength.
Creating a Holistic Recovery Framework
The objective was to design and deliver the “Activate Wellbeing” programme; a series of free sessions at our facility in Liverpool city centre.
The primary goals were to:
- Provide a safe, confidential environment for survivors to connect with others who share similar lived experiences.
- Introduce physical and mindfulness-based coping mechanisms to help participants process trauma.
- Improve the overall health and wellbeing of participants through expert-led activities.
- Empower individuals to move from a state of surviving to one of active wellbeing.
Facilitated Connection and Diverse Wellbeing Practices
SO Health implemented a two-tiered approach for each session. Every workshop combined peer support with practical activity:
- Facilitated Discussion: Each session began with a group discussion led by Saeed Olayiwola and Alan Crawford. This provided a space for reflection, guidance, and the validation of experiences among peers.
- Multidisciplinary Workshops: Following the discussions, SO Health brought in specialist practitioners to introduce different therapeutic tools:
- Yoga (Nu Caratella): Focused on somatic release and mindfulness.
- Capoeira (Akil Morgan): Combining movement and cultural expression.
- African Song and Dance (Ithalia Johnson): Utilising rhythm and collective joy for healing.
- Sound Bath (Catherine Odita): Providing deep relaxation and auditory therapy.
Enhanced Wellbeing and Community Connection
The programme yielded high engagement and measurable improvements in participant outlook, as evidenced by the post-session data:
- Increased Purpose & Engagement: 94% of Sound Bath participants and 80% of Yoga participants felt more engaged and interested in their daily lives. 90% of those in the African Song and Dance session felt it helped them lead a purposeful life.
- Skill Awareness: There was a marked increase in participant awareness of how these activities serve as tools for health and wellbeing, with many intending to continue the practices independently.
- Emotional Validation: Qualitative feedback highlighted the profound impact of the “safe space.” One participant shared that learning others had similar experiences helped them realize they weren’t “imagining it” or “being unreasonable.”
- Social Impact: The sessions successfully fostered a sense of “uplifting community,” reducing the isolation often felt by hate crime survivors and providing them with a renewed sense of collective strength.
