Throughout 2024, Common Unity and Forward For Life introduced an exciting new approach to raising awareness of The Waiting Room (TWR) by taking the service directly into the heart of communities across Birmingham and Solihull through the launch of the TWR Roadshow. This innovative community engagement initiative was designed to make mental health and wellbeing support more visible, accessible, and relatable for residents.
The TWR Roadshow created meaningful opportunities for grassroots organisations, community groups, and local residents to connect with the service in a welcoming and engaging way. By stepping outside of traditional health and wellbeing settings, the roadshow successfully reached communities and individuals who may not normally engage with support services, helping to break down barriers and encourage open conversations around wellbeing and suicide prevention.
Throughout the year, the roadshow visited a wide range of community venues, events, and local initiatives across Birmingham and Solihull, showcasing the user-friendly features of The Waiting Room platform and supporting people to explore the services available to them. One of the most popular elements was the platform’s language translation and sharing functions, which helped make information more inclusive and accessible for diverse communities. Many residents also shared how valuable it was simply knowing where and how they could access support when needed.
As part of this fresh and engaging approach, Common Unity and Forward For Life also developed a promotional film to further increased awareness and understanding of The Waiting Room service. The film provided communities with an engaging insight into how the platform works, the support available, and the positive impact the service can have on people’s wellbeing.
The TWR Roadshow proved to be a highly successful and impactful campaign, strengthening community connections, increasing awareness of wellbeing support services, and creating new opportunities for engagement across Birmingham and Solihull. The initiative demonstrated the power of taking services directly into communities and highlighted the importance of innovative, inclusive, and community-led approaches to mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
