An IP Inclusive/Jonathan’s Voice/CIPA webinar to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2019
12.30 – 1.30 pm
According to the report “Thriving at Work: The Stevenson/Farmer review of mental health and employers” (UK Government, 2018), around 15% of those employed in the UK have symptoms of a mental health condition. The 2018 IP Inclusive and CIPA survey provided evidence that there is a significant need to address mental health issues in the IP professions. More and more workplaces are encouraging discussions around mental health and trying to reduce the stigma associated with depression, anxiety and other conditions. Talking is a great first step – but employers need to act as well as encourage their staff to talk.
In this webinar we heard from Graham McCartney of the charity Jonathan’s Voice, which works to promote mental wellbeing in the workplace. Graham used personal stories and compelling statistics to highlight the importance of individuals becoming more aware of their own mental health and more mindful of how their colleagues might be feeling. Organisations need to put mental wellbeing on a par with physical wellbeing, and to help them do this the webinar explored the value of training mental health “first aiders” as an initial step to minimising mental ill health in the workplace. With input from Vanessa Stainthorpe of HGF and Avril Martindale of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer – both IP professionals who have undertaken the training for themselves – we provided personal perspectives on mental health first aid training and its impact, as well as on follow-up measures to maximise its value.
Thanks to the generosity of CIPA, who hosted the webinar for us, it was free of charge to IP Inclusive supporters. Many joined one of our regional meetings to listen to the webinar with other IP professionals in their area, with a chance to network and share experiences afterwards. Again, we are hugely grateful to the organisations who hosted those meetings:
Bath event (hosted by Abel & Imray; Westpoint Building, James Street West, Bath BA1 2DA).
Birmingham event (Marks & Clerk; Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street Queensway, Birmingham B1 1TT).
Cambridge event (Avidity IP; Broers Building, Hauser Forum, 21 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA).
Cardiff event (Abel & Imray; 3 Assembly Square, Britannia Quay, Cardiff CF10 4PL).
Leeds event (HGF; 1 City Walk, Leeds LS11 9DX).
London event (Abel & Imray; 20 St. Andrew Street, London EC4A 3AG).
London event (Kilburn & Strode; Lacon London, 84 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8NL).
Nottingham event (Potter Clarkson; The Belgrave Centre, Talbot Street, Nottingham NG1 5GG).
Stratford-upon-Avon event (Pure Ideas Ltd; 25 Meer Street, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6QB).
In case you missed the live event, a recording is available here, with the slides – and you can read a report from one of the viewing meetings here. Recordings of other IP Inclusive webinars can be accessed via our resources page.