Major conference on mental health and wellbeing next month

Friday 18 September 2015

Spotting the signs of mental illness and creating a positive approach to mental wellbeing in the workplace will be discussed at a major conference in Jersey on Thursday 8 October.

The Jersey Employment Trust’s biennial conference, which is being held in partnership with MIND Jersey and sponsored by RBC Wealth Management, will focus on ‘Managing Wellbeing and Mental Health in the Workplace’.

The conference is being held as close as possible to World Mental Health Day, which is on 10 October every year. The day, which is overseen by the World Health Organisation, has the objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilising efforts in support of mental health. This year’s theme is ‘Dignity in mental health’.

Keynote speaker at the Hotel de France conference will be Clarke Carlisle, a former professional footballer who has fought a very public battle with depression. Mr Carlisle (35) played for a number of top-flight clubs and was chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association. Last December, he was hit by a truck on a major A-road in North Yorkshire and airlifted to hospital with serious injuries. In February this year he admitted that he had been trying to kill himself. He continues to battle with mental illness and recently told the media that the scars he still bears from his suicide attempt are a ‘constant reminder’ of his good fortune in surviving.

Other speakers at the conference include Chief Minister Ian Gorst, who will speak about the States’ approach to mental health; Emma Mamo, who is responsible for policy practice and development at MIND in the UK; MIND Jersey Ambassador Beth Moore, who will share her own story of recovery from mental illness; and representatives from RBC Wealth Management, who will outline how the organisation has strived to create an environment that supports wellbeing.

The winners of the 2015 JET Employer Awards will also be announced. Employers are not only judged on the number of people with a disability they employ but also the quality of support they provide to disabled employees, as well as their commitment to supporting the Jersey Employment Trust.

Jocelyn Butterworth, Executive Officer of the Jersey Employment Trust, said: “Supporting and promoting mental wellbeing has become an integral part of JET’s day-to-day work and has increasingly become important in the strategic planning of our service delivery.

“Last year over 40 per cent of new referrals to JET were people who had a mental health condition and people with a mental health condition now make up a quarter of JET’s active caseload.

“We were also aware that the States of Jersey were planning a review of mental health services and we knew that employment would be an important factor within the review. Work plays such a significant part in our lives and there is a lot of evidence to suggest that it contributes hugely to positive mental health. However, work can be as much part of the problem if environmental factors and workload pressures are not well managed.

“The aim of the conference is to promote a positive and balanced approach to mental health in the work place.”

James Le Feuvre, Executive Director of Mind Jersey, said: “This conference comes at a really important time as Mind Jersey continues to tackle stigma and campaign for increased awareness and improved understanding about mental health.

“The workplace is often cited as the environment that is the most stressful factor in people’s lives. The promotion of good mental health and wellbeing should, therefore, become core business for all employers. Open and supportive workplaces benefit everyone – employees, employers and also the bottom line.”

Senator Ian Gorst, Chief Minister, said: “The States of Jersey, as the Island’s largest employer, is committed to equality in employment. The public sector workforce is diverse and includes employees with varying degrees of ability and disability, and health and wellbeing are important issues for us all.

“Research is increasingly demonstrating how important mental health and wellbeing are for performance and effectiveness at work, and there are clear links between our physical and mental health. This supports the case for protecting mental health and wellbeing at work, so we can look after our people and help them do their best for the Island.”