Mental Health Awareness Week 2021
Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 takes place 10-16 May 2021. This page will be updated daily throughout the week in a blog style.
The World Health Organisation defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
Mental Health is the emotional and spiritual resilience which allows us to enjoy life and survive pain, disappointment and sadness. It is a positive sense of well-being and an underlying belief in our own, and others, dignity and worth.
Mental Health influences how we think and feel about ourselves and others and how we interpret events. It affects our capacity to learn, to communicate, and to form, sustain and end relationships. It also influences our ability to cope with change, transition, and life events: having a baby, moving house, bereavement.
- The total cost of mental ill health in England is estimated at £105 bn per year.
- Suicide rates have increased recently following a long term decrease.
- Rates are higher in men and peak in middle age.
- According to WHO, between 35 and 50% of people with severe mental problems are in developed countries.
Friday 14th May
Are you aware of your legal responsibilities regarding Mental Health as an Employer?
Employers have a duty of care. This means they must do all they reasonably can to support their employees’ health, safety and wellbeing. A mental health issue can be considered a disability under the law.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, every employer has a duty to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees are protected. Employers must conduct a risk assessment to identify the measures necessary to comply with the act and other regulations. This assessment must also cover mental health, including workplace stress.
Everymind at Work have created this free Workplace Mental Wellbeing Risk Assessment Template. It is designed to be a business wide assessment (as opposed to on an individual basis) however should any new risks be identified at an individual level this form can also be used to cross reference the agreed actions, to ensure they are still effective and supporting the individual in question.
Thursday 13th May (Mental Health Awareness Week 2021)
Introduction to ManGang and Mental Health Awareness courses for NAS Members
NAS is connected to various organisations offering support in the field of mental health. Today we want to introduce ManGang. The ManGang is based on the simple concept that #itsnotweaktospeak.
ManGang holds weekly sessions, bringing together men from all professions, age groups and backgrounds. The ManGang help put men who might be struggling in touch with those who have been where they are. The aim is to offer an outlet to men of all ages and backgrounds, ManGang brings together people to show them they’re not alone.
Find out more about ManGang on their LinkedIn page.
NAS Members can access preferential rates on the following online training. Both courses are eligible for CITB grant, more information about each course can be found on MHFA website.
- 1 x half day: Mental Health Awareness
- 4 x half day: Mental Health First Aid
Wednesday 12th May (Mental Health Awareness Week 2021)
Lighthouse Club Construction Industry Charity
Lighthouse Club – The Construction Industry Charity is a organisation with a mission statement: “No construction worker or their family should be alone in a crisis”.
They are the only charity that provide emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families. Lighthouse Club provides a free, confidential and available 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline for the construction workforce and their families (0345 605 1956). Find out more about the helpline from the following video. Lighthouse Club also provides a helpline app which supports mental state assessment and enables wellbeing tracking.
Tuesday 11th May (Mental Health Awareness Week 2021)
Mental Health Conditions
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a mental health condition you may be looking for guidance.
Mental Health UK provides more information about symptoms and treatment. Mental Health UK published a helpful document “How does it really feel?” assisting with recognition of common mental health issues like anxiety or bipolar disorder.
In addition, a helpful tool for self-assessment is also provided by the NHS. It aims to help identify depression and anxiety symptoms via quizz style questionnarie for anyone over 16. This tool is not meant to replace professional help.
Monday 10th May (Mental Health Awareness Week 2021)
Recover with Nature
Every working day, in the UK and Ireland two construction workers end their life by suicide. The NAS invites you to join us in Mental Health Awareness Week. It exists to banish stigma and to continue the conversation around mental health both in and out of the workplace.
The theme for this year is Nature – something fitting, after a year where we’ve seen more of our four walls in our homes than the four seasons. As we enter spring and the nation eases out of lockdown, we’re inviting you to reconnect with nature and the environment. However, we’re mindful that everyone will be in a different place of comfort, so we’re asking you to do this in a way that works for you. With nature in mind, welcome to the MHFA Recovery Tree.
It demonstrates that HOPE is central to recovery, like the firm trunk of a tree from which all else grows, then we can see how Mental Health First Aid can become the soil from which we can cultivate hope for better Mental Health. Our roots are based around resilience and support. With the right elements your tree can and will flourish.
The NAS is proud to provide our Members with:
- Helpful Tools and Resources
- Access to free 24/7 confidential support and advice line offering counselling, medical and legal advice, financial help and management support
- Access to NAS Mental Health First Aider, who can also offer preferential rates on Mental Health related training
- The knowledge that the NAS have signed the Building Mental Health Charter, to adopt and commit to its core principles. Why not do the same?
