About Bal & Taj (the Founders of Changing Suits)
Changing Suits is a community based organisation that aims to break through cultural barriers and get the South Asian community to engage with support services.
The organisation was founded by sisters Bal and Taj, after they realised socio-cultural issues which they were struggling with, and discussing between themselves, were similar to those being faced by their friends and family. However, similarly no one in the community was openly discussing these problems due to the cultural pressures of worrying about what the community would say. Throughout the generations South Asian individuals have long seen the importance of upholding family reputation and social status, and have therefore been prevented from speaking out about problem. Taboo topics have often resulted in creating a culture of oppression and gender inequality.
Bal and Taj are second generation British South Asians from a traditional Punjabi family, living in East London. Having grown up in an extended family within a tight-knit community, they experienced regular comments on their families “unfortunate” position of having 3 daughters, as well as other socio-cultural issue within their wider family, such as divorce, health problems etc. The status quo of not discussing problems outside of a family continues the cycle of isolation, which is a cause of the 2 out of 3 British South Asians suffering mental health issues.
Bal and Taj realised that there was a need for more open dialogue about taboo topics within their community, which led them to start Changing Suits.
Taj has worked within mental health services for over 20 years, with training in Mental Health First Aid, Domestic Abuse and Suicide Awareness training. Moreover, she has experience in setting up networking events for local entrepreneurs and wellbeing workshops. She uses her experience to work within the community to raise awareness of the cultural barriers within the South Asian community.
Bal is a qualified personal coach with a degree in Neuroscience, thus using her research background to delve deeper into the social aspect of the South Asian culture. Her experience as councillor and cabinet member in local government, allowed her to connect with various community groups and understand their specific needs. These positions also allowed her to work more strategically to implement lasting change.
Changing Suits began with the Changing Suits Podcast, where Bal and Taj were able to discuss their personal experiences. They regularly have specialists and professionals within their field to discuss the causes and impact of their subject areas. Service providers regularly approached the growing Changing Suits team to understand the cultural nuances which have long prevented the South Asian community using their much needed services.
The organisation grown to continue to help the community break the taboos and also support service providers to reach the community.
Our Journey So Far…
July 2021 Changing Suits founded by Bal and Taj
Aug 2021 First release of the Changing Suits Podcast
Dec 2021 First podcast with a guest speaker
Mar 2022 First podcast with a local organisation
Apr 2022 First podcast with a national organisation
Oct 2022 Breast Cancer Awareness in the South Asian community event
Dec 2022 Monthly Online Support Groups launched
Feb 2023 Monthly Wellbeing Workshops launched
In partnership with:
