Resources for people in Northern Ireland, Scotland and
Wales
Most of the resources that have been included in this site are
relevant for people living and working in Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales. Many of the mental health
organisations have branches or affiliate organisations providing
services in each nation. We have also included links to some
of the key mental health and work resources in each
country.
Wales
Hafal
Hafal (meaning equal) is the leading charity
for people with serious mental illness and their carers in
Wales. It is a membership led organisation which provides
services via 22 local networks covering each local authority in the
country. Hafal’s recovery
programme underpins its services and ‘Work and
occupation’ is a key part of the ‘whole person’ approach of the
programme.
Mental Health
Wales: promoting choice in mental health is a website
which is managed by Hafal. The website includes a section on
Employment.
This has links to information on finance and benefits, a
factsheet on volunteering and also government employment programmes
such as Jobcentre Plus.
Northern Ireland
Equality
Commission for Northern Ireland provides
information, support and training on all aspects of equality and
discrimination. Mental health is included in their work on
disability.
Health and Safety Executive for Northern
Ireland (HSENI) is the lead body responsible for
the promotion and enforcement of health and safety at work
standards in Northern Ireland. Information and guidance on
mental wellbeing in the workplace setting is included in the HSENI
work on stress.
The Work
Positive Project is a joint cross border
initiative to reduce work related stress. The project
resource pack includes an audit tool designed to help organisations
in meeting the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive’s
(HSE UK) Management Standards.
Mental Wellbeing is a guide for employers on
creating a working environment that encourages mental
wellbeing. There are sections specifically for line managers
as well as Board members and senior managers. The guide was
developed in partnership with mental health voluntary
organisations, Chartered Institute for Personnel Development,
Labour Relations Agency and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Labour Relations
Agency
The Agency provides an impartial and
confidential employment relations service to those engaged in
industry, commerce and the public services. Its services include
the provision of advice on good employment practices and assistance
with the development and implementation of employment policies and
procedures. The Agency is also active in resolving disputes through
its conciliation, mediation and arbitration services.
Northern Ireland
Association for Mental Health (NIAMH) Niamh was
established in 1959 and comprises three elements:
Beacon provides a
range of person-centred social care services including day support,
home support and supported housing schemes throughout Northern
Ireland.
Carecall mental
wellbeing at work offers services for employees and
employers.
Services for employees
include one to one confidential support and counselling, training
courses and coaching programmes designed to help individuals within
an organisation either maintain their own or promote others’
positive mental wellbeing in the workplace and workplace conflict
resolution.
Services for
employers include different options to help promote
positive wellbeing at work while addressing legal obligations in
the context of mental health at work. The Carecall
Employee Assistance Programme counselling
support to employees facing difficult work or diverse personal
challenges. The Programme for employee support
(Progres) provides
practical, hands-on support to managers in promoting mental health
in their work place. The resources are designed for human
resource managers in large organisations and owner managers of
small and medium sized organisations.
Compass is the
Niamh centre for mental health research and policy. Research
is focused on health promotion, epidemiology, evaluation of service
delivery and the development of health and social care
interventions.
MindWise is an
independent charity formed from the Northern Ireland branch of
Rethink (National Schizophrenia Fellowship). It works to
support those at risk of, and affected by, severe mental illness
and mental health difficulties. Services are wide ranging
including MindWise Employment and Training Services which aims to
help individuals access employment, retain their jobs and regain
their self-confidence and independence by offering and supporting
training in; personal management, communicating, job seeking and
specific work skills. It also provides carer support services which
include: home visits, assistance in accessing Carer Assessments, a
carer support network, local carer support groups, advice and
information for carers and education and training packages.
Disability
Action is a campaigning body representing the
views of 180 member groups, working to bring about positive change
to the social, economic and cultural life of people with
disabilities in Northern Ireland. The services offered
include: information and advice (including benefits and financial
help), Employment and Training Support, and Training on Disability
& Diversity Issues.
Workable (NI) is a Department for Employment and
Learning programme operated by Disability Action providing flexible
and individual support to meet the needs of disabled employees and
their employers in a wide variety of jobs. The programme can
help employers recruit or retain disabled staff and can support
disabled jobseekers to be successful in employment through
providing practical support in the workplace.
Aware Defeat Depression
Aware Defeat Depression provides support for
all those in Northern Ireland affected by depression or bipolar
disorder (manic depression). They also welcome and support carers.
Aware has established a network of over twenty support groups in
rural and urban areas across the country, which are run by trained
volunteers. In addition Aware offers training courses in
Mental Health First Aid and Overcoming Depression
Workshops.
Action Mental
Health works with people with mental health needs
or a learning disability. A keyworker provides support for
each client to develop a personal action plan including accredited
vocational training and preparation for employment. AMH also
works with employers as part of the Work Preparation Programme, New
Deal for Disabled People and Workable (NI).
Scotland
Scottish Association for Mental Health
(SAMH) is Scotland’s leading mental health
charity which works to raise awareness of positive mental health
through its policy and campaign programmes. It offers
support, training and recovery for people experiencing mental
health problems, addictions, homelessness and other forms of social
exclusion across Scotland.
SAMH
information services provide resources (e.g.
factsheets and sources of further information) on a range of topics
including Employment and
Benefits. The ‘Help Moving Towards Work’ part of
the employment and benefits section has links to government schemes
aimed at helping people return to work or stay in
employment.
Scottish
Development Centre for Mental Health (SDC) is
part of the Mental Health Foundation and aims to achieve enhanced
mental health and wellbeing for people in Scotland and
beyond. It has expertise in policy and strategy development,
research and evaluation as well as service redesign and
improvement. SDC provides Employability
and workplace training. It has also worked with
the Mental Health and Employment Network to produce leaflets
for:
* Employers on promoting
wellbeing at work,
* Individuals to provide
information and contacts for people who have experienced mental
health problems and want to work.
* Health professionals assist
them in getting the right adjustments in the work environment or
occupational health services for their patients.
Employability
in Scotland is a website designed as a practical guide
for anyone involved in employability, meaning “all the
things that enable people to increase their chances of getting a
job, staying in, and progressing further in
work”. The website includes a section on
Health and Employability with links to information on
topics including vocational rehabilitation, Fit for Work services
and the Fit note. The working
with clients with mental health problems section
includes examples of ways to support clients effectively into
employment as well as detailed case studies.
Well
Scotland is a website for professionals working
in the field of mental health improvement. The mentally
healthy employment and working life includes summaries
and links to policy, guidance on promoting mental wellbeing at work
and case studies drawn from the Scottish Centre for
Healthy Working Lives website Information for the
general public on mental health is included in the Your mental health
section
Scottish Centre for
Healthy Working Lives is a website for employers,
employees and partner agencies which aims to create a much
healthier and more motivated workforce. To do this, the
organisation offers free, confidential workplace visits, practical
information and advice, including advice on
mental health
Health
Scotland is a website provided by NHS Health
Scotland with information and resources to support health
improvement practitioners and organisations working to improve
Scotland's health and reduce inequalities. The mental health
improvement pages include links to mental health
indicators, research evidence on health improvement and promotion
initiatives as well as mental health training
programmes
The Scottish Government Mental Health in
Scotland website includes links to government
policy and action plans, mental health services, and mental health
law.
NHS
Fife
Evaluation of a Job Retention and Vocational Rehabilitation Pilot
in Fife
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