This 1 February is Time To Talk Day, an annual, UK-wide event run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in partnership with Co-Op. Launched in 2014 by Time to Change, next month marks ten years of “the nation’s biggest mental health conversation” in a campaign to end the stigma and get people talking.
As research conducted by Mind has shown, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. With the current cost of living crisis, and the remaining emotional and physical effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that we encourage open conversation to combat feelings of anxiety, isolation, and depression.
One of Mind’s key findings stressed the role of supportive communities and hubs for improving individuals' mental wellbeing. Churches were identified, among other key hubs, as greatly beneficial to members’ mental health through the experience of shared faith and the sense of collective identity encountered through prayer.
For children and young people, schools can be an ideal environment to speak openly about mental health with friends and with teachers. Across the Diocese, many schools have prioritised students’ wellbeing as part of the curriculum, such as St Paul’s CofE Primary School in Addlestone. Their ‘Wellbeing Tree’ illustrates six different areas of wellbeing – physical & sensory, social, mental & emotional, environmental, economic, and spiritual – and is used in each classroom for pupils to become more familiar with the language surrounding wellbeing.
From organising activities within your local community to having a coffee with a friend or colleague, there are so many ways that you can participate this February. Mind has put together an excellent list of different ways to take part and top tips for starting conversations. By signing up to their newsletter, you can also receive updates and more information on how to get involved.
Conversations in The Community is a free, 90-minute online training course designed to build confidence in those active in their community to encourage others to talk and find the most appropriate support. There are also free resource packs to download which facilitate discussions around mental health and include social media kits plus other promotional material for your workplace.
This #TimeToTalkDay, how can you participate in the conversation on mental health?