Shirin Teifouri

My name is Shirin Teifouri and I was involved with Sheffield Flourish as a member of the steering group in September 2015.

In 2016, I designed Rotherham Flourish, an art-based project that aimed to build a creative community, solidarity, and a sense of belonging and flourishing for people from different backgrounds in Rotherham. The idea of this project stemmed from my own personal experience of living with mental health distress and my academic interest in the role of stories and literature (specifically poetry) in non-academic settings. Following its success, this project was developed into an enterprise called Connected Worlds with the hope that similar courses could help people in Sheffield.

I felt privileged when I was invited to join the board in June 2017, because I shared the same values and realistic views about social justice, inclusion, and flourishing.

Working with Sheffield Flourish has been inspiring and life-changing for me. Coming from a different background, I enjoy working with lovely people who value my perspectives (and differences), and help me contribute to the community.