Raisa Kumaga

Raisa Kumaga was appointed as an Educational Strategy Associate for the London Union Society. Raisa is currently enrolled as a Doctoral candidate, studying a PhD in the Counselling-Psychology programme, University of East London. After she graduated from the University of Cambridge with an MPhil in Psychology and Education, she wanted to pursue a diverse psycho-social agenda. Her specialisms include psychological interventions for various mental health difficulties; expertise in conducting rigorous qualitative and quantitative research studies on racial and ethnic identity; the black mental health experience; forced migration experiences and the phenomenology of mental health in the United Kingdom, as well as in the Netherlands and the United States.

Raisa is passionate about inclusivity and accessibility of mental health services. She is an advocate for raising awareness on the importance of mental health policies being incorporated into governmental agendas, various stakeholder emanations and non-governmental organisations. A core principle of the Union is sharing knowledge and expertise, as a lecturer at the University of Essex, Raisa was able to encourage an agenda on various NHS mental health services for adults, children and young adults, as well as mental health services in the Netherlands.

She has interests in broadening public awareness on mental health services with open availability and accessibility. Engaging protocols on relatable experiences, knowledge and education that is Non-Eurocentric and fluid in time, space and location. The London Union allows for these discourse discussions and Raisa is excited to embark with members on this journey of discovery and co-constructions.