Free mental health champion training for local businesses is being supported and funded by Westbury Area Board.
The Time to Change Employers’ Pledge Information, July 2016 said, “Mental ill-health is the leading cause of sickness absence in the UK, costing an average of £1,035 per employee per year, and can very easily foster long-term mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
“95% of employees who called in sick with stress gave a different reason for their absence first.”
Wiltshire Council says, “There is a growing body of evidence about the benefits to the workforce (and thus the employer and ultimately customers) when an employer implements programmes which help to improve the overall wellbeing, both emotional and physical, of their staff.
“The average British adult spends most of their week at work, spending around 48 hours at work a week. Making sure people’s mental wellbeing is supported while they are present at work can make a huge difference to their everyday quality of life.
“To support employers in this challenge, the Public Health team at Wiltshire Council has developed a ‘Mental Health Champions’ programme. Our offer to employers in the county is to provide them the opportunity to nominate mental health champions for their workplace.
“Funding from Westbury Health and Wellbeing group will provide the following: a one-day training course for volunteer mental health champions to be held in an accessible location within our community area; a ‘toolkit’ to provide tips and resources which can be used back in their own workplaces to promote mental health awareness and improve emotional wellbeing ongoing support in the role of mental health champion; the opportunity to join a ‘virtual network’ of mental health champions across Wiltshire.”
For further information and to express an interest, please contact Liam Cripps Westbury community engagement manager liam.cripps@wiltshire.gov.uk
