Take care: mental health promotion at the workplace

Mental health problems do not just affect the individual. They impact the entire community.

The workplace is an appropriate environment in which to educate individuals and raise their awareness about mental health difficulties and target mental health problems and prevent them from developing.

Promotion of good mental health practices can be part of human resource management policy and can play an important role in early recognition and identification of mental health difficulties in the workplace.

Though many elements of mental health may be identifiable, the term is not easy to define. The meaning of being mentally healthy is subject to many interpretations rooted in value judgements, which may vary across cultures. Mental health should not be seen as the absence of illness, but more to do with a form of subjective well-being, when individuals feel that they are coping, fairly in control of their lives, able to face challenges, and take on responsibility. Mental health is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity specific to the individual’s culture.

In fact there is a growing awareness of the social and economic costs of mental health difficulties and, in particular, of depression in many countries. Various governmental agencies, employees’ and employers’ organisations and NGOs are taking steps to address the growing needs of people experiencing mental health problems. Company policies are moving in new directions and employers are showing an interest in reducing costs related to absenteeism, improving their productivity, and fulfilling their social responsibility toward their employees. The increased concern about stress in the workplace has prompted a more open attitude towards mental health issues and the growth of preventive programmes in the workplace.

Project idea is based on the need to support the healthy workplace for youth workers, as well as interns and volunteers in NGOs, educational and social centres.

Partners interested in applying, please fill the attached PIF form and send it to eventskuro@gmail.com.

NOTE: we accept only our PIF, because it contents specific questions related to experience of partner organisations within this project concept.