Mental health pledge signed by council
Telford & Wrekin Council has signed the Time to Change pledge, the growing social movement run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness which supports people to open up to mental health problems.
By signing, the Council is committing to change the way we all think and act about mental health in the workplace.
The signing took place at the Council meeting on 20 July where Cllr Rae Evans, cabinet lead for Workforce and Organisation Development , Mayor Cllr Stephen Reynolds and Managing Director Richard Partington pledged the Council’s support to Time to Change with action that will help to break the silence that surrounds mental health in the workplace.
Cllr Evans said: “We want every Council employee to know that they can be open about their mental health and ask for support when they need it – we don’t want anyone to feel isolated or alone for having a mental health condition.
“We encourage other organisations and employers in the borough to follow our lead and sign the pledge to help remove the stigma of mental health in the work place”.
The Council joins more than 450 organisations that have signed the Time to Change pledge.
Jo Loughran, Interim Director of Time to Change, said: “We know it can be hard to talk about mental health, which is why we’re supporting employers to open up; to talk and to listen.
“Too many people with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless, but with the right support, those of us with mental health problems can recover and have equal opportunities in all areas of life.
“Everyone’s attitude makes a difference and it’s fantastic to see organisations like Telford & Wrekin taking the lead.”
The charity says that one in six British workers experience mental illness and is asking businesses to make a change and start creating more mentally healthy workplaces.
Time to Change
Time to Change is a campaign to change how we all think and act about mental health problems, led by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. It is funded by the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund. Set up to create a positive shift in public attitudes towards mental health problems, Time to Change supports communities, schools and workplaces to open up to mental health problems; to talk and to listen.
For more information visit the Time to Change website.
