Mental Health Buddies
A training course designed to prepare employees for their role as mental health ‘buddies'
About two thirds of the UK workforce will at some time find themselves in distress on the inside, distress that is caused or worsened by work. Making the workplace psychologically safe has both a preventative and protective role that over time minimises the personal and professional costs of this distress. Being able to be open in a responsible way without risk of stigma, improves self-esteem and confidence, reduces isolation, increases belonging, which in turn all boost wellbeing.
A Buddy is someone with whom an employee can have an informal, egalitarian and respectful relationship whilst at work. The Buddy may or may not have personal experience of ill-health themselves, but when an employee feels in need of additional support, a Buddy can be guaranteed to offer a “safe haven”, someone with whom to go for a walk, meet for a coffee, arrange a quick chat, and, above all, to listen without judgement.
A Buddy’s main skills are empathy, presence and the ability to listen and manage their own emotional responses and wellbeing, so that conversations are based on genuineness and trust. They are not a replacement for professional support and it's important that this is clear and that Buddies are supported in the boundaries of their role by more senior staff*.
The Training
The training is designed to prepare employees for their role as mental health “buddies”.
The training can be delivered:
Virtually, over two x live interactive 2-hour sessions, scheduled ideally 2-5 days apart.
Or, in-person at your workplace as a 4.5 hour workshop (inclusive of breaks)
The training is suitable for groups of 10-16.
The training is informative, interactive and experiential and aims to help participants define their role, explain how to make it work, and looks at how the system can continue to improve.