The Shift Programme - Early October 2007 Update
sh...@csip.org.uk
stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental health
problems.
+++ World Mental Health Day
1. Shift is due to publish a new Line Managers' Resource, a
handbook for managers about managing mental health problems among
staff. The booklet will be published on World Mental Health Day,
October 10.
2. Shift will also be producing a CV/Poster with basic information
about mental health and employment for the day.
3. We will also be announcing the set-up of the Shift 'Review Panel
managed by the Sainsbury's Centre for Mental Health.
4. Shift will also be operating stands in a number of Government
departments to promote the handbook and raise awareness of 'Action on
Stigma' in the public sector first.
+++ Employment
1. 'Action on Stigma' is an initiative is to help private and
public sector employers reduce the impact of mental illness by
changing the way they respond to the issue and making a positive
commitment to:
* Helping employees maintain their mental wellbeing
* Supporting employees if they develop a problem
* Making sure their employees understand mental health
issues
* Not discriminating against an employee or customer because
they have a mental health problem.
2. Shift's 'Action on Stigma' Action plan, detailing what other
resources will be made available by Shift is due before the end of
October.
3. Shift has helped to set-up a Cross-Government Strategy Group for
Mental Health and Employment. The group includes colleagues from,
Departments of Health, Work and Pensions, Children, Education and
Skills, Buisness, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Communities and
Local Government. The Health and Safety executive, Health Work and
Well-Being, National Social Inclusion Programme and the Office for
Disability Issues, are also represented. The group has produced a core-
script for use across these departments and is undertaking a scoping/
mapping exercise to bring together all of the work undertaken by these
organizations that has a significant effect on the number of people
with mental health problems at work.
Find out more about Action on Stigma here: http://shift.org.uk/employment
+++ Media
Shift is working to improve media reporting of mental illness.
1. The contract for running the Shift Speakers Bureau - a bank of
people willing to talk to the media or at public events about mental
health issues - has been extended. More speakers from a BME background
are now being recruited.
2. A handbook for the reporting of mental illness will be published
at the end of November.
3. Money and support is being made available for the Shift Regional
Media teams to help improve media reporting of mental health in the
regions.
4. Mind Over Matter II, analysis of media reporting of mental
health in 2006, is due to be published this Autumn.
5. Shift has engaged Forsters Agency to do some PR work with the
media in relation to the reporting of mental health and suicide - this
involves promoting the handbook and tackling the issues of violence
and suicide.
6. Shift is in the process of commissioning two new projects: one
looking at media research around the coverage of people from BME
communities; and another using the arts to promote understanding of
mental health issues within BME communities.
Find out more about our work with the media here: http://shift.org.uk/media
+++ Get Involved
The Shift website lists a number of ways in which you can help us with
the work that we do.
To find out more, please visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/getinvolved
+++ Contact Shift
If you want to get in touch with Shift, you can email us at
sh...@csip.org.uk or call us on 0845 223 5447