Feniks

Feniks is an Edinburgh-based charity, supporting Central European communities in the capital and further afield in Scotland. 

We have worked with the charity since 2019, growing our understanding of some of the other forms of stigma, discrimination and adversity faced by men in Polish communities in Scotland.  

A report from Feniks and NHS Scotland in 2018 found that the level of suicides among Polish men in Scotland was nearly twice as high as among white Scottish counterparts (96 per cent higher). 

Working together 

See Me and Feniks worked in partnership to dig deeper into these findings, producing Mental Health and Suicides Among Polish Men in Scotland, a report looking at what is contributing to the suicide rate, and what we can do to stop it. 

From 173 men who answered the questionnaire, 66 per cent said they had suicidal thoughts and 24 per cent had attempted suicide. 

The report found how experiences of immigration, racism, institutional barriers and toxic masculinity contributed to feelings of loneliness and homesickness, alongside difficulties in accessing appropriate services and creating meaningful friendships with other men. Internalised stigma from experiences of these systems can play a role in compounding feeling unable to reach out for support. 

To tackle some of these issues, See Me supported Feniks to create the campaign “Shed Your Armour, Show Your Scars”. Led by lived experience ambassadors from the Polish community, the campaign seeks to challenge some of the stereotypes that can lead to Polish men feeling unable to reach out, talk about how they are feeling and access help and support. The campaign won Campaign of the Year at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations' (SCVO) Scottish Charity Awards.