Challenging stigma around mental health

Recent surveys have shown some improvements in attitudes and awareness relating to mental health, however there is still much to do.

For many people the term mental health is:

• still linked to negative behaviours
• stigmatised both in the community and big institutions including public sector organisations and many workplaces

Our approach in South Gloucestershire aims to address these issues by

• raising mental health awareness across the general public
• working directly with key institutions to change their culture in regard to better supporting those suffering with mental health issues

Awareness raising across the whole community

We run an annual programme of awareness raising campaigns focused around the following national campaigns.

• Mental Health Awareness week in May
• World mental health day in October
• Movember (men’s mental health) in November

If you would like to find out more about what we are doing or would like to volunteer at one of our public engagement events please email mentalhealtth@southglos.gov.uk

Working with key institutions

As well as our annual campaign we have a set of resources that we are happy to take to settings or events.

Schools, colleges, universities and workplaces are key places where we hold awareness event but we also promote positive mental health at community festivals across South Gloucestershire.

If you would like us to support an event you are running either with personnel or information displays please contact mentalhealth@southglos.gov.uk.

What we are doing at South Gloucestershire Council

Time to change pledge

We have signed the ‘Time to Change’ pledge, demonstrating our commitment to raising awareness and challenging the stigma around mental health.

More than 800 employers across England have so far signed the pledge and we are working with employers locally to also sign the pledge. Find out more at the Time to Change website.

Time to Change

Mental Health Awareness Week

We support Mental Health Awareness Week (which takes place during May for a 1-week period) every year .

We support this campaign in a variety of ways, including posting messages on the South Gloucestershire Council Facebook and Twitter accounts throughout the week as well as links and useful information on the One You South Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire Council websites.

Movember 2018 campaign

For the Movember 2018 campaign, along with our partners including the South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), we joined forces with Bristol Bears, Bristol City and Bristol Rovers to raise awareness of men’s mental health.

The below video details some of the work we did during the campaign.