Time to move mental health up the agenda

Of course, as with any change, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why I would point people in the direction of the new guide to mental health in the workplace, specifically tailored for the social housing sector, by mental health charity Mind.

Commissioned as part of Ms Evans’ presidency, the guide contains suggestions about how to improve the culture at your own organisation. It contains six key commitments that it thinks organisations should follow, such as prioritising mental health in the workplace by developing a systematic programme of activity and providing mental health support.

As Ms Evans has done, the guide also suggests that leaders in the sector should promote employee well-being by speaking out about mental health – destigmatising the issue and helping to foster a supportive environment. Please take a look at the guide and think about how you could make your company a more supportive place to work.

While we are on the subject, I also want to point you in the direction of another article which should get people thinking this week. A few weeks ago I visited an exhibition in central London by artist Anthony Luvera. The exhibition included a piece of work called Frequently Asked Questions, in which a homeless man, Gerald Mclaverty, had written to more than 100 councils asking them some basic questions about the support and services for homeless people in their area. The mixed responses revealed a system that can often be depersonalising.

I’m delighted to run an interview with Anthony about his work in this week’s Inside Housing.

Hopefully what he found – and there was some good practice – will help to kick-start a conversation about the need to make sure the way services are delivered doesn’t add to the mental stress of individuals. I’m also delighted that Anthony will be talking further about this at next month’s Homes for Cathy conference because I think he has some important learning to share about how frontline services could be improved.

Inside Housing will continue to focus on mental health over the course of Ms Evans’ presidency. But the important conversations are in your own organisations – it’s time to get talking.

Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing