Every year the World Foundation of Mental Health celebrate World Mental Health Day. The day aims to raise awareness of mental health and drive positive change for everyone’s mental health. ‘It’s also a chance to talk about mental health, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to get help if you are struggling.’

This year, it is taking place on Tuesday 10 October, the theme is ‘Mental health is a universal human right’ and we are encouraging our Supporters to start the conversation within their own organisations and across their networks. 

Why is World Mental Health Day important?

We know that in 2021/22[1]:

• There were 914,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
• Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 51% of all work-related ill-health cases and 55% of all working days lost due to work-related ill-health.
• The main work factors cited as causing work-related stress, depression or anxiety include the demands of the job, lack of control, lack of information and support, work relationships, and roles and responsibilities.

Employers have a legal duty of care to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees, including mental health/stress. Mental wellbeing also benefits the business, for example, increased productivity, a reduction in sickness and staff turnover, and it demonstrates that the organisation is a good, safe, and supportive place to work. Research has found that, on average, businesses achieve a £5 return for every £1 spent on wellbeing support[2].

Mental wellbeing in the workplace is also good for the employee, for example, improving confidence, purpose, achievement, positive relationships, and inclusion.

Resources

At Mates in Mind, we work with organisations to improve the mental health of their workforce by providing the skills, clarity, and confidence to employers on how to raise awareness, improve understanding and address the stigma that surrounds mental health.

This is why we have created a suite of resources to support organisations not only on World Mental Health Day, but also to create a holistic and ongoing programme of support.

Please click on the link below to download a free A3 poster. You can personalise it by adding the relevant details of your Mental Health First Aiders, HR team, Employee Assistance Programme and so on, in the white box. Please then share it across your organisation.

If you are a Supporter, please see the link further down this page.

We have additional materials available for our Supporters:

• A Toolkit Talk with ideas on how to start the conversation within your organisation, how to support a colleague who is showing signs of mental ill-health, and how to raise awareness of the issues with your networks.
• Access to Mental Health Awareness Week resources.

To access these materials please log in to the Supporter portal, and access your resources:

Log in

If you are not a Supporter but would like to find out more about our Programme please read on.

How we can support you

Mates in Mind can support your organisation to build a mental health plan and to create a culture of prevention.

Our dedicated team of Support Managers work with organisations of any size to develop a tailored action plan, evaluating your organisation's priorities and gaps, and providing the tools and support you need.

This plan includes ongoing support with communication and delivery of your plan, as well as training opportunities, promotional materials, and a suite of tools (including World Mental Health Day and World Suicide Prevention Day packs) to enable you to drive long-lasting and meaningful change.

Find out more about how we can help your organisation build a culture of prevention when you become a Supporter by:

• Visiting our Become a Supporter page.
• Calling: 020 3510 5018.
• Using this contact form.

If you would like to know when we publish new resources, please complete the newsletter sign up at the bottom of this page.

References:

[1] Health and safety statistics (hse.gov.uk)

[2] Mental health and employers: the case for investment - pandemic and beyond | Deloitte UK