“Making Mental Health Your Business” returns for its second year
Following the success of 2016’s “Making Mental Health Your Business” event, Shropshire Council’s supported employment service, Enable, is hosting another free event for World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10 October 2017.
The event will be held at Shrewsbury Town Football Club from 8.30am – 10.30am. Employers from across Shropshire and the West Midlands will attend to gain information and sources of support to help them manage the mental well-being of their workforce.
An attendee from last year’s event said:
“The event contained a powerful message that we should all be looking after each other, in and out of the workplace. Mental health needs to be higher on the priority list for all. Don’t hide it, talk about it and provide help to those who need it.”
According to the Prince’s Responsible Business Network, three in four employees have experienced symptoms of poor mental health, with mental illness costing employers in the UK an estimated £30 billion a year due to losses in production and absence. It makes good business sense for employers to make adjustments in the workplace to support staff dealing with mental illness and to create a work environment that promotes the mental wellbeing of all staff.
The event will include presentations from an Enable client and an employer, as well as two short workshops in Mental Health First Aid. By offering attendees the chance to hear first-hand experiences, they will be able to improve their knowledge on what it means to hire someone with an existing mental health condition through Enable and the advantages it can bring to a company. The workshops will provide employers with an introduction to Mental Health First Aid, which is designed to provide employers with the skills to become confident with dealing with mental illness in the workplace.
Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health, adult social care and housing, said:
“Many people suffer in silence which is why it is vital that employers become more informed about mental health, allowing them to be able to spot the potential signs and symptoms. By doing this, it not only provides a positive outcome for staff but it also improves productivity; increasing revenue and reduces staff turnover; saving on training costs and time.
“I strongly encourage employers across Shropshire to come along to this event.”
Enable want to build on the success of last year’s event, of which 100% of attendees surveyed said that they would recommend the event to a friend or colleague.
One attendee said:
“It was just a brilliantly hosted event. I would certainly be interested in having someone from Enable work for me in the future, it’s just a wonderful organisation from what I can see. Well done.”
To book your place at this year’s event or to find out more information, simply email enable@shropshire.gov.uk or phone 01743 276900.
Further information
Enable is a specialist organisation that supports people with disabilities into work. Their main focus is to assist individuals with disabilities and mental health needs to find a job that suits them. Enable delivers positive, individualised support into recruitment, as well as a comprehensive package of ongoing advice, guidance and support to both the jobseeker and the employer.
Shropshire is nationally one of 17 mental health Centres of Excellence of Individual Placement Support (IPS) in mental health employment. IPS is a proven method of getting people into competitive employment first with training and support on the job. Enable is the regional lead on IPS and is extensively involved in developing and supporting IPS across the West Midlands.
