Together, stronger: a collective approach to Mental Health
Throughout the pandemic, mental health has been a key issue for our members. Whether freelance or staff, working from home or another workplace, everyone has experienced challenges to their mental health.
The NUJ has organised this virtual conference to support the mental health of all members through a mix of keynote speakers and interactive workshops on a range of topics.
Key themes include:
• taking a collective approach to looking after mental health
• how to recognise mental distress
• managing trauma
• a health and safety approach to looking after mental health for freelance workers and employees
There will be plenty for you to take away from the day, whether as an individual or a rep.
The conference will be held on Zoom. There will be regular breaks. You may attend as many sessions as you want.
Members:
Learn how to protect your mental health, look out for your colleagues and know where to go for resources and support.
Find out what your employer is legally obliged to do, and how your reps may take forward issues such as workload and workplace safety that create stress and anxiety.
Reps:
Learn from other reps and experts about new research, learnings and good practice for collective approaches to improve support for members in workplaces, including freelances.
Find out more about how you can use Health and Safety processes and the Equality Act to protect members’ rights and mental health at work.
Looking after our mental health and the mental health of others.
Session topics include a mental health toolkit and resources, desk Pilates, a panel discussion with NUJ reps. There are five breakout sessions:
• Working safely as a freelance
• Managing trauma effectively
• Health and Safety in the workplace: a collective approach to mental health
• Mindfulness
• Creative writing for mental health
The five breakout sessions take place in the morning and are repeated in the afternoon. You may choose to attend one session in the morning and another in the afternoon.
There will be plenty of opportunities to listen to the experiences and examples of good practice from others, as well as having time to share your own.
The detailed conference programme (some details tbc)
Mental Health in Journalism:
Talking about mental health – a Trade Union and collective approach
Mental Health toolkit – recognising mental distress: resources and support
Learning from other unions.(Include substance misuse and support within toolkit)
Breakout sessions 1 – 12.00 – 12.45
1. Working at home safely as a freelance – Caroline Holmes
2. Managing trauma effectively – Jo Healey
3. Health & Safety in the workplace (a collective approach to MH) – Tracy Walsh
4. Mindfulness – Padraig O’Morain
5. Creative writing for mental health – Catherine Deveney
Desk Pilates session – delivered by Practical Pilates
Breakout sessions 2 – 13.30 – 14.15
1. Working at home safely as a freelance – Caroline Holmes
2. Managing trauma effectively – Jo Healey
3. Health & Safety in the workplace (a collective approach to MH) – Tracy Walsh
4. Mindfulness – Padraig O’Morain
5. Creative writing for mental health – Catherine Deveney
Panel discussion Covering: what we have done in workplaces that has worked well. What might work look like in the future. Coming back stronger
Summary from the chair