ABSTRACT
The chapter explores the challenges of establishing a culturally specific project within the UK mental health system in a medium-secure forensic unit. The Elders Project aims to connect male forensic mental health inpatients to members of the African-Caribbean community. Both groups are brought together to exchange lived experiences and maintain connections between inpatient care and the community. The authors share the story of the Elders Project in a way that embodies the values of the project and the importance of the oral tradition within the Black African-Caribbean community. As with all stories, there are many orators and experiences, we hope this chapter brings these together coherently, supported by theoretical literature. We describe the challenges and rewards of establishing a culturally informed project that brings members of the public into a secure environment, the training involved, and organisational dynamics at play over its conception and first five weeks of implementation.
