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The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has launched a guide to help housing organisations improve their approach to mental health.
The guide, developed with charity Mind, sets out six things organisations can do to make everyone who works in housing more aware and supportive of other people’s mental health issues – and better supported to look after their own.
It gives advice on how to prioritise mental health in the workplace by developing and delivering a systematic programme of activity, as well as working to ensure that organisational culture and work drive positive mental health outcomes.
The CIH also wants organisations to promote an open culture around mental health, increase organisational confidence and capability, and provide mental health tools and support.
Finally, it suggests increasing transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting.
The initiative, called Shine a Light, has been spearheaded by CIH president Aileen Evans, who said her decision to focus on mental health and wellbeing during her presidency was an opportunity “to give something back to the profession and the people that supported me in my career”.
“As housing professionals, we need to equip ourselves to be mental-health aware, because if we are unwell - if we can’t bring compassion into what we do - then we can risk failing people from whom everyone else may have already walked away,” she said.
In a recent interview with Inside Housing, Ms Evans said she wants to use her presidency to leave a legacy on mental health in the sector and ensure people open up about their mental health.
Poor mental health affects one in four people in any given year, and two men working in construction and maintenance take their own lives every day.
Gavin Smart, chief executive of the CIH, said: “As housing professionals and as organisations we can all do more to support our own and others’ mental well-being. There are some great examples of innovative good practice already in the sector, and I hope Aileen’s campaign and this guide will inspire us all to do more.”
Picture: Getty
Commitment one: Prioritise mental health in the workplace by developing and delivering a systematic programme of activity
Commitment two: Proactively ensure work design and organisational culture drive positive mental health outcomes
Commitment three: Promote an open culture around mental health
Commitment four: Increase organisational confidence and capability
Commitment five: Provide mental health tools and support
Commitment six: Increase transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting
Source: Mind report for the Chartered Institute of Housing (published on the evening of 5 February)