SACS - Scottish Asian Counselling Services

21/08/2026

Scottish Asian Counselling Services (SACS) has been shortlisted for the Community Impact Award (Small/Medium) at The Herald Scottish Impact Awards 2026.

Our entry: “Breaking Barriers: Transforming Access to Culturally Responsive Mental Health Support Across Scotland” is exactly why SACS exists.

Impact, for us, means nobody feeling their culture, identity or background stands between them and the support they deserve.
This recognition belongs to our whole community; our team, trustees, partners, funders and everyone who’s trusted us with their care.

Looking forward to the awards evening on 1 October.

20/08/2026

Two women. Deep roots across mental health, education and social work.
One mission that’s changing the shape of mental health care for South Asian communities in Scotland.

Meet Raj & Asma; the founders of Scottish Asian Counselling Services.
They didn’t just build a counselling service.
They built a space where culture and faith aren’t left at the door and where healing doesn’t ask you to leave part of yourself behind.
This is what happens when clinical excellence meets lived experience.

Got a question for us?
Drop it below or send us a DM; we’re always happy to talk. 📩

10/08/2026

Breaking Barriers brought together 20+ organisations working on mental health and wellbeing in South Asian and minority communities across Scotland.

We asked attendees and stallholders what they thought and it's clear the day worked.
People felt seen, welcomed and genuinely connected to services they hadn't come across before.

It's not always obvious but events like this only work when people are honest with us too, including where we can do better. We're already taking that feedback on board for next time.

Need support or want to partner with us on future events? Send us a message.

07/08/2026

28/07/2026

🎉 Just 2 Weeks to Go! 🎉

There's still time to secure your place on our COSCA Counselling Skills Certificate (SCQF Level 😎 course!

💬 Gain valuable counselling skills, enhance your personal and professional development, and begin your counselling journey with us.

📅 Tuesday, 11th August 2026 - 20th July 2027
🕕 6:00pm – 9:00pm
💻 Delivered online via Zoom

📖 Find out more and view our prospectus:
➡ https://simplebooklet.com/actcoscaprospectus2026

📧 Ready to apply? Email
[email protected] to request an application form.

28/07/2026

Some patterns aren’t ours to begin with, they’re inherited.

The way we love, the way we cope, the way we stay quiet when it’s hardest to speak.
Often, it started long before us.

Join Suriya Arshad for this month’s Spill the Cha: It Didn’t Start With Me; A space to explore the family patterns you’ve inherited and what you want to carry forward.

🗓 Mon 3 August · 7pm · Online
Free to join: Register at [email protected]

Bring your cha. Come as you are.

26/07/2026

Two weeks on, and we’re still making headlines!

Breaking Barriers: Roots & Resilience in Mental Health featured in this week’s Nawai Jang (15 July 2026).
Proud to see this work reaching even more of our community.

21/07/2026

We asked people; young & old from our community what kindness, safety, community and pride mean to them.

Their answers came down to four things: showing up for each other, feeling safe with the people around you, standing together and helping others.

Youth mental health has never been worse on record, which is exactly why these voices matter.
Their experiences can help adults understand what young people are really going through and what they need.

19/07/2026

A proud moment for Scottish Asian Counselling Services.
We are delighted to celebrate receiving National Lottery Awards for All Scotland funding to mark the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games through our event, Breaking Barriers: Roots & Resilience in Mental Health.

Sir Chris Hoy joined The National Lottery Community Fund in Glasgow to help announce the grants and celebrate the incredible difference National Lottery funding continues to make across the city.

Thanks to National Lottery players, we were able to bring communities, mental health organisations, young people, performers and partners together at Glasgow City Chambers to:
✨ challenge mental health stigma
✨ celebrate culture, identity and diversity
✨ connect communities with vital support
✨ amplify voices that are too often unheard
✨ promote culturally responsive mental health care
Breaking Barriers was more than an event.
It created a powerful space where people could feel represented, heard, connected and hopeful.
We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund, National Lottery players and everyone who helped make this vision a reality.

, we are breaking barriers and building a more inclusive mental health legacy for Glasgow and beyond.

19/07/2026

Success is always sweeter when it’s shared.

Breaking Barriers wasn’t one person’s work; it was our host, speakers, stallholders, volunteers, and families, all showing up for the same thing.
This is the SACS family.

People often talk about what South Asian culture expects of us. Less is said about what it gives us; like an instinct to think “we” before “I,” to show up without being asked twice.

That’s exactly what this was.
Not one person’s success: Ours.

Thank you to everyone in this picture and everyone behind it. 🤍