Mental Health First Aid England March Newsletter



In this newsletter: 


Welcome to your March Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England newsletter. As we continue to live under restrictions that impact our daily lives, I encourage you to stay connected and to support your own and others’ mental health and wellbeing.

This year we are once again focused on  My Whole Self, the campaign for workplace culture change. Although we are starting to embark on the roadmap to lifting lockdown, the nation faces a mental health crisis. More people than ever will need mental health and wellbeing support in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. My Whole Self aims to create healthier working cultures, built on respect and collaboration. Employers can help by driving a positive transformation in workplace mental health and performance through bringing together diversity and inclusion with health and wellbeing.  

We hope you will join us in supporting My Whole Self Day on 18 March by downloading, sharing, and getting involved with our latest campaign activities and resources. As many people continue to work from home, supporting human connections is more vital than ever. Whether you are working remotely or not, My Whole Self is a great way to strengthen your working relationships. 

Over the coming weeks and months, it’s important to remind ourselves that working towards a future where everyone’s mental health matters is more critical than ever. At MHFA England, we continue to move closer to our mission of training 1 in 10 people in mental health awareness and skills, with 1 in 60 adults in England now having attended an MHFA England course.

Although the current circumstances are difficult for everyone, I am optimistic about what our brilliant community will achieve this year, working together to improve the mental health of the nation.   
 
Best wishes,
Eleanor Miller 
Director of Marketing and Communications 



It has been a year since we announced the launch of our My Whole Self campaign and what a year it has been!

My Whole Self aims to create a culture where people have the safety and freedom to choose which parts of their identity they share at work, without fear of judgement. The campaign calls on all employers to create inclusive workplaces, where people feel valued and safe. Doing so enables staff to focus on the job in hand, supports mental health and wellbeing, and boosts productivity through innovation.

Please mark Thursday 18 March 2021 in your diary for this year’s My Whole Self Day. We will once again be calling on organisations to empower their employees to bring their whole selves to work, wherever that may be. 

Everything you or your organisation needs to get involved in My Whole Self can be found in our campaign toolkit, including suggested social media posts and web or newsletter copy. We would love your help to make the campaign a success.

Webinars 


To celebrate My Whole Self Day 2021, MHFA England is hosting a celebration of what it means to bring our whole self to work. Join Chief Executive Simon Blake and an expert panel to discuss the relationships between identity and mental health in the workplace, the importance of vulnerable leadership, and the power of making authentic connections at work, even in a virtual office. We’ll also reflect on the first year of My Whole Self and on the future of the campaign. You can register for the webinar here.

We also hosted a webinar on Thursday 4 March, which focused on a re-introduction to My Whole Self and mental health tips for the virtual office. If you weren’t able to attend, you can watch and share a recording of the session here.
Resources

My Whole Self MOT


Regular wellbeing catch-ups with colleagues are a vital way to support people’s mental health, especially during the pandemic. We have created the My Whole Self MOT – a simple, free guide to help check in on your own and others’ mental health and wellbeing. 
 
We encourage you to share the MOT with your colleagues. Line managers can also use the MOT as a helpful tool to talk about mental health during any one-to-one sessions with direct reports. 
 

Guidance on supporting your mental health while working from home 


As many people continue to work from home, supporting human connections is more vital than ever. We've refreshed our guidance for ways to support your mental health while working from home.  
 
This guide can be shared with employees to help with their mental health, reduce feelings of isolation and help stay connected, especially whilst working from home.  

You can also share you tips on looking after yourself while working from home using #MyWholeSelf.

Activities 

Run a My Whole Self activity 


We have created three activity ideas which help build deeper connections amongst teams – a book club, a desert island favourites challenge and a My Whole Self discussion panel. 

They are all simple to arrange and work digitally if you are working remotely. You can download all three activity sheets here. 
 

Share your #MyWholeSelfie


Share your #MyWholeSelfie on 18 March via your social media platforms of choice. Creating a My Whole Selfie is a great way to help colleagues feel connected and to show your organisation’s support for My Whole Self Day. 

It works best if senior leaders at your organisation share their own My Whole Selfie and invite the whole organisation to take part. 
Support My Whole Self on 18 March and beyond 

However you are taking part in My Whole Self, we have created a range of content for you to show your support and shout about #MyWholeSelf on social media and beyond, which you can download here. 

We hope to see lots of you getting involved with the campaign. Thank you for your support.

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