In line with Time to Talk on the 2nd of February, Wellbeing at Work would like to highlight Mental Health within our city, what businesses are doing to ensure employees mental health are supported, mental health training and much more!...

Time to Talk is the nations biggest mental health conversation. Happening every year, it is a day for friends, families, communities and workplaces to come together, talk, listen and change lives.

We know the more conversations we have, the better life is for everyone. Talking about mental health isn't always easy, but a conversation has the power to change lives. 

Make space in your day to have a conversation about mental health, this Time to Talk Day!
 

Plymouth Options are relaunching their workshops to local businesses, schools, healthcare and care and support staff to give insight into common mental health difficulties and to provide some strategies to help prevent, alleviate and manager them. 

Workshops are free, they are delivered via msTeams and last around 1 hour - workshops can be arranged to fit into your team's schedule!

We recently caught up with Jemma Bell, Wellbeing & Engagement Co-ordinator from Plymouth City Council about her recent achievements on a Wellbeing Champion Buddy Scheme.

Plymouth City Council's Wellbeing Champion Buddy scheme, a great success which has been reducing workplace absenteeism, improving employees mood and ensuring Wellbeing Champions have a more proactive role within the organisation! 

To find out more about the scheme, how it's implemented, click the link below!

Our Awards Conference in coming up in April and now is the time to nominate your Champion of the Year and your Champion Team of the Year! 

Our Wellbeing at Work Annual Awards Conference is a time to celebrate Businesses and Champions and all the great work that you have been doing! 

We love the Champion Awards as it shows the amazing work that is being done in businesses and communities across Plymouth!

If you have an individual Wellbeing Champion in mind or Wellbeing Champion Team, please click on the links below to fill out your nomination - please share amongst your teams, we want to ensure that we have as many nominations as possible to make sure everyone has a chance of winning this PRIZE! 

Get your nominations in by Tuesday 28th of February 2023, in time for our Wellbeing at Work Awards Conference on Wednesday 26th of April 2023!

Start nominating now! 

In line with Time to Talk we want to highlight to you our new and improved Mental Health First Aid Course (MHFAiders®)! 

Train your people as Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders®) and they will obtain the very best evidence-based training, grounded in research and developed by clinical practitioners. It is proven that those trained to be a MHFAiders®, will have the confidence and feel empowered to supporting people with mental health issues. Once trained support doesn't end there, MHFAiders® will be provided 3 years of support and exclusive benefits! 

Don't miss out on our COMPETITIVE PRICES and book onto our course for 4th of May 2023... Because good mental health means good work! 

Charley and Shawnie would like to thank the Wellbeing Champions, who attended our very own 'Brew Monday' in support of Samaritans, to remove the myth of 'Blue Monday' - because we don't have a particular day to be low, we all have our good days and bad!  

It was so great catching up with you all! We both loved hearing the projects that you have been doing as a champions, your successes within your workplace and the plans that you are going to be doing throughout 2023!

We hope you have all found this meeting insightful and we also hope that it has given you some ideas on what you can do in your own workplace! 

Due to the success, we will be doing these on a quarterly basis, with different themes for each meeting! So champions, watch this space on our FB group or your emails! 

Time to talk is vital to help create supportive communities through conversations, which empower us to seek help when we need it.

However, it is just as important to build our emotional resilience to cope with those conversations and situations, so we are looking after ourselves, which helps us to be able to listen and support others in difficult situations. Self-care is so important as it helps us to ensure we can deal with stress, cope with difficult issues and be our best selves!

Our Wellbeing Training Team provide FREE training in emotional resilience! Designed to increase your ability to cope with the emotional distress we all can experience during our daily lives. You will explore how to improve your own wellbeing and how to manage your emotions. You will develop a general understanding of wellbeing and resilience and will be supported to develop your own personal wellbeing plan.

We heard from one of our Wellbeing Champions, Theo, who works in Plymouth City Council and he shared with us, what he does for wellbeing within his team! 

"My name is Theo, I’m a Natural Infrastructure Officer in the Green Estates team working on the Plymouth Natural Grid project.

Our team often work in the outdoors and enjoy the wonderful wildlife and habitats we have in the city, which majorly contributes to staying happy & healthy!

We take the time to catch up with each other throughout the week, particularly on our Wellbeing Wednesdays, where we down tools for around fifteen minutes, have some coffee & cake and have a strict no work-talk policy.

Lastly, we have a good laugh, both out the office when we meet up for social soirees, and in the office when we’re juggling the various day-to-day meetings and deadlines to work towards helping enhance and protect Plymouth’s natural environment"

We've had a brilliant response to our 'Walk your Dog' Competition in support of 'Walk your Dog' month, with many champions getting involved! It's been amazing to see all your pooches and all the lovely areas you go walking in!

Wellbeing Champions! You still have until the 31st January to send in your photos! Once the month is over, we will pick the winners at random and get in touch with you for your prizes! 

Wellbeing at Work and the Co-op are attending SOM Webinar discussing MSK: Key actions for employees and employers to support Musculoskeletal Health!

Musculoskeletal problems such as back pain, arthritis, sprains and strains are the most common problem in the workplace, and one of the greatest causes of absence from work.
An MSK healthy workplace enables people to be healthy, fit and stay in work!
Are you MSK aware? Do you know how to be proactive and take actions to promote MSK health, to prevent MSK problems arising in the workplace? Join us now to find out more! 

Wellbeing at work offers a wide range of professional and accredited wellbeing training programmes to help support businesses in delivering a healthier and happier workforce.

Training is easily accessible with the majority being free - virtual or face to face. 
Bespoke packages are also being offered, please get in touch with us at livewell.training@nhs.net.

We have spaces left on our 4MH: Community Suicide Awareness

"4MH courses have evidenced-based principles and provide a wide range of knowledge and expertise, to ensure that you have the tools to look after yourself and provide support to others"

4MH Community Suicide Awareness is designed for anyone who works or volunteers within their community or organisation who think learning about Suicide Awareness is beneficial. The workshop explores the myths and stigma around suicide and the barriers faced. It also explores prevention of suicide, the importance of compassion, how to talk to someone in distress and how to develop a safety plan.

Now is your time to book onto our Connect 5: Session 2 and 3! 

Continue with your journey through Connect 5, and complete your learning to ensure your conversations about health and wellbeing are routine practice. You will learn to establish positive and effective changes, to support people to manage their mental health, improve resilience and mental wellbeing.

SafeTALK is a half-day alertness training that prepares anyone over the age of 16, regardless of prior experience or training...

During the training session you will obtain the confidence to notice and respond to situations where suicide thoughts may appear, you will feel empowered to recognise and apply steps to help someone and reduce further risk. 

Just don't hear it from us, read our feedback to find out more!... 

"A very difficult and stigmatised subject, made easier to know how to approach it" 
"Group participation helped get my mind into how to recognise the signs and how to start the important conversation"
"very informative and empowering to start your knowledge in suicide interventions!"

ASIST is a 2 day interactive course that enables participants to become more confident and able to identify risk and intervene to prevent immediate risk of suicide!

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills is intended as “suicide first aid” training. It is an evidence-based and cost effective intervention that can be delivered in a wide range of settings. During our session you will be supported by two of our trainers Nita Dodd and Mandy Chapman who use sensitive teaching skills to build your knowledge and confidence around suicide. 

PLEASE NOTE: This course does include role-play activities so may be distressing for delegates.

Read the latest feedback for more!... 

"I now feel much more confident around suicide awareness and helping others"

Upcoming Campaigns
Download our Wellbeing at Work Events Calendar here and use it for planning your healthy lifestyle events and ideas for your Wellbeing Champion role! For a printed version check out our 12- month calendar here, to put in your workplace
Also, keep an eye out on our social media for further details of each!

1st - 28th February - LGBT History Month -  A month long campaign spreading awareness of LGBT History. To find out more, click here.

1st - 28th February - Raynaud's Awareness Month -  A month long campaign spreading awareness of Raynaud's, the symptoms and how it affects individuals To find out more, click here.

2nd February - Time to Talk - The day is about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends and work colleagues about mental health. To find out more, click here.

2nd February - World Wetlands Day -  A day to spread awareness and tackle climate change by improving our Wetlands. To find out more, click here.

2nd February - Wear Red Day - To raise awareness and help eradicate heart disease and stroke. To find out more, click here.

5th February - World Nutella Day - A day to celebrate everyone's love of chocolate and Nutella! To find out more and some recipes, click here. 

6th - 12th February - Children's Mental Health Week - With this years theme being 'lets connect' take part in Children's Mental Health Week and help make a difference to the lives of children and young people in the UK. To find out more, click here. 

6th - 12th February - Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Week - The UK’s national week to raise awareness of sexual abuse and violence and to provide an opportunity for any organisation or individual to engage in dialogue. To find out more, click here. 

7th February - Safer Internet Day - A day to celebrate and learn based around the theme ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’. To find out more, click here. 

9th February - National Pizza Day - celebrating the nations favourite meal! Whether it is thin crust, Chicago-style, deep dish, or anything in between, pizza is a UK favourite! To find out more, click here.

11th February - International Day of Women and Girls in Science -  A day to celebrate women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers! To find out more, click here.

13th February - International Epilepsy Day -  A day which focuses on the stigma people living with epilepsy face around the world. To find out more, click here.

14th February - International Book Giving Day -  A day all about getting books into the hands of many children (and adults!) as much as possible! To find out more, click here.

20th February - National Love your Pet Day -  A day to encourage you to show affection to your pet and provide a day of activities! To find out more, click here.

21st February - Shrove Tuesday -  Get your flip on and make some pancakes! To find out about the history behind it, click here.

24th February - Emotional Health Day -
Today is the day to spread awareness to the importance of looking after ourselves, managing ourselves in difficult situations and sustaining healthy relationships. To find out more, click here.

27th Feb - 5th March - Eating Disorders Week -
A week to help spread awareness and show that no one should battle an eating disorder alone. To find out more, click here.