The formidable barriers of stigma and misunderstanding stops individuals, particularly from ethnic minority backgrounds, in seeking help for their mental health issues. Research underscores that confronting these stereotypes necessitates direct interactions with individuals who have faced mental health challenges. The Mental Health Awareness and Stigma Reduction initiative (MASRI) emerged to address these issues, especially among young people, fostering attitudinal shifts towards mental illness. We seek funding to sustain our efforts in Aberdeen, particularly for disadvantaged and ethnic minority communities, through initiatives like monthly seminars and Mental Health CAFE. Information access is pivotal for effective mental illness management and suicide prevention. Our endeavour will augment mental health awareness, symptom management, and quality of life while reducing hospitalisations and unscheduled healthcare visits, fostering resilience and confidence in seeking assistance. This aligns with our vision of making Aberdeen a thriving place. The workshops' insights can inform future research to predict long-term mental health issues in young people, emphasising the imperative of candid mental health conversations, symptom recognition, and timely help-seeking.
