Click here to read Laura May’s (Champion for BeWELL and Director, May Music Ltd.) statement
The MPA is committed to creating a working and learning environment which is inclusive of people impacted by mental health conditions and experiences. We want to ensure that our colleagues are treated with dignity and respect and are given the support they need to thrive. We want to listen to and learn from the needs, concerns and experiences of our colleagues and our members and take informed action to be more inclusive and supportive. Please also note that participating in the network does not ‘out’ someone as having a mental health condition.
To demonstrate our commitment, we are delighted to be a signatory of Mindful Employer.
Most mental health conditions are not permanent. Mental health is a spectrum people often move across during their lifetimes. It isn’t always a long-term diagnosis or identity. Also, most mental health conditions are non-visible. Symptoms do not always show up at work, especially if someone is overcompensating for how they feel. Research (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1489832/) shows the most effective ways of reducing mental health-related stigma include social contact, peer support, awareness and education. A mental health and wellbeing employee network is an ideal vehicle to promote all three within an organisation. When employees know others who have experienced a mental health condition, have a place to go for support, and are armed with knowledge, they are set-up to feel psychologically safe at work.
What is it about and who can join? The BeWELL employee network is championed by Laura May (Director of May Music Ltd) and will serve colleagues impacted by mental health, whether personally, as a caregiver, through a family member or friend, or as an ally and will also cover wellness.
Please note that any personal information discussed during the meetings is treated in the strictest confidentiality and is not minuted.
Some of the key issues to be covered by the Network will include:
The Network is open to all MPA Member employees, including those of us working at the MPA. It is also open to allies.
How is the Network hosted? The Network is hosted on Microsoft Teams, where members can have conversations on Channels, share files and resources and host meetings online. The Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Team are on hand to help, and to take forward any issues raised by the Network. The Microsoft Teams site is a private group and though there is some degree of visibility when you join (other members can see who you are), we request that members maintain strict confidentiality about its membership and contents.
This Network is supported by the MPA DEI team, but it is not our Network: it is yours. We hope that the Network will be led by you for you. We are currently gathering ideas on how members want to run the Network and what you want to get out of it. Colleagues will have the opportunity to contribute in a variety of ways: for example, through Team Meetings online, Channel discussions via Teams as well as by email or phone.
Who should I contact if I wish to join the MPA BeWELL Employee Network? Helen Choudhury Head of DEI Mental Health First Aider Champion for M3 Email: [email protected]
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