Pledge your support for mental health in the workplace
We are so excited to announce our latest partnership with British Association Landscape Industries (BALI) in their pledge to support mental health in the landscaping and horticulture industries.
We love seeing workplaces and large organisations make these commitments and hope it inspires others to do the same. Caring for your employees is a necessity and your workplace will be much more attractive place to work when you show you care. Let’s plant seeds of hope and help fight the stigma.
EXTRACT FROM THE BALI WEBSITE:
This World Mental Health Day, we’re asking you, our members, to pledge your support for improving mental health in the workplace.
We’ve partnered with EDP Training’s Bianca Jones, a qualified MHFA England Instructor and a member of the MHFA cooperate and communities’ team, to launch a series of bespoke Mental Health First Aid courses for members. It’s our aim to support every member so they can count at least one Mental Health First Aider in their teams by 2023. These courses will be delivered at a heavily discounted rate to help all our members afford this vital training.
Pledge your support – download the social media toolkit
Key facts about mental health in the workplace
- 18 people are lost to suicide every day in the UK
- Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45
- Male site workers are three times more likely to die by suicide than the average
- 69% of UK line managers say supporting employee wellbeing is a core skill, but only 13% have received training
Will you join us on this journey to support each other? Make your pledge to support mental health in the workplace by visiting the link before and posting your pledge on your social media channels, then sign up to one of our mental health first aid courses.
The importance of supporting mental health
With the growing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, mental health support has never been more important. One in four people experience mental health issues every year, with men between 40-49 years old at the biggest risk of experiencing a mental health crisis – demographics enormously represented in our sector.
One in six workers will experience depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress over the course of their lifetimes. With poor mental health costing businesses £1,300 per employee every year, there are key business incentives to improve pastoral care.
If Association members lost 18 people per day from our paying membership, then it would only take roughly 5 days for every paying member to lose a member of their team. By coming together, we can work towards prevention by supporting each other – both in our industry and beyond.
What is the role of a Mental Health First Aider?
Trained Mental Health First Aiders will be able to recognise the early signs and symptoms of common workplace mental health illnesses and have the necessary skills to have a supportive, non-judgmental conversation with those who need it. They will have the knowledge and confidence to guide colleagues to the appropriate professional support if they require it as well as promoting greater awareness of mental health in the workplace to reduce stigma.
Mental Health First Aid training
We recognise the need for regular First Aid training and the empowerment it can offer to alter a life changing situation into one with a more positive outcome. Mental First Aid training is the next and logical step in that training. Situations may not evolve at the speed of an on-site accident; but being able to identify a potential poor mental health situation and supporting that person back to health is enormously important for both the individual and the industry.
About the trainer, Bianca Jones, MHFA England
The British Association of Landscape Industries has partnered with Bianca Jones, a qualified MHFA England Instructor and a member of the MHFA cooperate and communities’ team to deliver bespoke Mental Health First Aid training for Association members.
Bianca is passionate about adult learning and utilising accelerated learning techniques to aid training. Bianca’s own lived experience of depression and anxiety helps her to deliver authentic training which she is passionate about, and it also highlights the importance of prevention, self-help, and empowering people to take control of their own wellbeing.
Emily Catling, from Accredited Contractor member The Landscaping Consultants shared the following feedback from a recent Mental Health First Aid course:
The course was a real eye-opener. It has highlighted how important this is and how much goes unrecognised due to heavy stigma attached to mental health issues. In a predominantly male industry, I feel it is beneficial for everyone to raise awareness and understanding, working to remove that stigma and providing a first point of call to anyone in need. Bianca was a fantastic coach and I am so grateful for the opportunity to take part. Thank you!
About the Mental Health First Aider course
The Mental Health First Aider course will be delivered remotely over two days, with at least one course hosted per month. Each course will welcome between 12 and 16 delegates at a subsidised cost of £150 per person which will include course materials and certificate. A financial donation will be made by the Association on behalf of each participant to Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture, and their families, when times get tough.
