Aspectus signs the Time to Change Pledge on Mental Health

Written by Amy Morley  

One in four of us will be experiencing a mental health problem at any one time. Even more saddening is the statistic that nine in ten people who have experienced a mental health problem have faced negative treatment from others as a result.

To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week at our company day today, our CEO Ali Turner signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. This officially cements our commitment to help break the silence and end the stigma around mental health, and commit to a positive and supportive attitude to mental health at every level of this organisation.

Time to Change is England’s biggest programme to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination and is run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. In order to sign the Pledge we have submitted an action plan detailing what we will do, including initiatives such as professionally led guided meditation sessions for all UK employees, a mental health learners lunch and mental health first aid training. We hope that this will help to create an environment where employees feel much more comfortable speaking up about their own experiences with mental health and ensure that those that need it are given the support they require.

As Aspectus’s mental health champion, I’ll be working hard to ensure our mental health plan is followed through and that mental health becomes a normal topic of conversation throughout the office, dispelling myths and making it easier for people to seek support. No one at Aspectus should ever fear negative treatment as a result of a mental health problem.