09 May 2022 09:07 am

Mental Health Awareness week

Mental Health Awareness Week (May 9-15) was started by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) to highlight opportunities for the UK to focus on achieving good mental health.

The theme for 2022 is ‘Loneliness’ – which has impact many people physically and mentally over the last couple of years due to the pandemic. MHF believes having connections with other people and our communities is fundamental in protecting our mental health, and that steps should be found to tackle loneliness during the ongoing epidemic.

More information about MHF, including how to get involved can be found here.

Here at Beds we have a range of activities planned to help support the mental health of our staff and students. You can find a full list of whats planned in the attachment below. 

 

If you are in need of mental health support the university also has a range of support available to staff: 

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). 

If you need mental health support or someone to talk to, we have the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which is provided by an independent company Wellbeing Solutions Management.

Colleagues have access to a 24/7 helpline that provides confidential counselling and advice on matters related to personal and professional health and wellbeing.

Staff can access emotional help with bereavement through counselling from Employee Assistance using the freephone helpline number 0800 328 1437, or online at www.employeeassistance.org.uk using the access code ‘UOB’.

Find out more about EAP here.

Train your mental fitness with Fika

Fika is a Mental Fitness app that offers a range of different courses that helps to improve and maintain several areas of your mental health, including: positivity, stress, confidence, focus, meaning and motivation – alongside developing tools to take charge of your life to improve and build up connections with others.

You can improve your self-efficacy, life satisfaction and help build real and lasting mental change by working on these areas for five minutes every day.

You can download the Fika: Mental Fitness app in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Support

Our Support page also contains a variety of resources available to any colleague that needs them, you can find the support page here.

Training Sessions

18th May 2022 - Supporting your Team's Wellbeing (Luton Campus)

This training will develop your knowledge and understanding of mental health in the workplace and how to support your team.

• Manage mental health concerns in your team
• Offering support to employees 
• Essential communication skills for difficult conversation

19^th May 2022 - Leading Difficult Conversations (Luton Campus)

In this session you will gain the skills needed to lead difficult conversations in the workplace.

 

23^rd May 2022 - Happiness Conversations for Leaders (Luton Campus)

This session will explore how to navigate conversations as a leader in the workplace to develop your communications skills. 

 

08^th June 2022 - Nurturing a culture of Trust  (Luton Campus)

In this workshop, you will be able to discuss belonging and psychological safety. Managers and leaders will explore how they can create an environment where staff, regardless of their diverse characteristics and background, feel safe to be themselves and know that they are an integral part of the group.

 

05^th July 2022 - Mental Health Skills for Managers  (Luton Campus)

This course is ideal for people managers. This course builds skills in your leaders to feel confident to have a mental health conversation as part of their everyday management. 

Learning outcomes:  

• Identify if an employee may be experiencing mental health issues  
• Feel confident and know how to open conversations about mental health at work  
• Appropriately signpost to available support and know where to go for support and guidance for yourself