Shift Update: June 2009
25 June 2009
Shift is an initiative to tackle stigma and
discrimination surrounding mental health issues in
England. Our aim is to create a society where people
who experience mental health problems enjoy the same
rights and opportunities as other people. Shift
will run until March 31st 2011.
We are delivering training on reporting mental illness and suicide to trainee journalists at post-graduate and vocational journalism colleges and universities. The workshops have received very positive feedback.
We are working closely with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and leading mental health charities to change the news agenda around mental illness and violence. We are working to get across the 'other side of the story', stressing that most people with mental health problems are not violent, when the media reports on homicides perpetrated by mental health patients.
We have commissioned the charity Ok2b to run a web-based 'Stigma Watch' system, enabling people to praise and complain about media coverage. It is due to launch in the summer 2009.
We will be publishing a package of research about the media this autumn. It will include 'Mind over Matter III', our annual analysis of media coverage. This report analyses coverage from March and October 2007 to see if there has been any improvement in coverage compared to the previous two years. To download a copy of the last report, visit:
http://snipurl.com/mindovermatter2
The research will also include the findings of focus groups, held to examine the role of the media in the shaping public fears of people with mental health problems, as well as a survey of how well newspaper readers think their paper covers mental health.
Previous work includes the publication earlier this year of 'What's the Story?', a guide for journalists on reporting mental illness and suicide. To find out more about What's the Story, visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/mediahandbook
Shift is continuing to operate its Speakers Bureau, a bank of 50 people with mental health problems and carers who talk to the media. To find out more about the Shift Speakers' Bureau, visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/speakersbureau
Shift has commissioned several organisations to undertake work on Black and Minority Ethnic issues because people with mental health problems from these communities often experience a double stigma - racial discrimination, as well as discrimination because of their mental ill-health.
The Newcastle and Gateshead Art Studio 'Black and White' photographic exhibition has been produced by members of a community group in Newcastle. The photographs have been exhibited in North East England. The photos are available via the Shift website:
http://shift.org.uk/work/bme/blackwhite
Community Development Workers are piloting the Award winning Short Film 'Open Secrets' about shame and mental illness in a middle class Asian family. The film was publicly launched at the Fourth Annual Delivering Race Equality conference on 12 March 2009 and has received very positive feedback. DVDs of the film are now being sent to all Community Development Workers. The trailer for 'Open Secrets' is being shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National conferences around England and on the website:
http://shift.org.uk/work/bme
The full film will be available to view via the website for CDWs from the spring. Interested parties should contact their Community Development Worker to view the film.
The findings from the two media research projects undertaken last year are being incorporated into a comprehensive review of mental health and the media (see Media section above).
Shift is continuing to work with the Department of Health and the Delivering Race Equality team to develop additional media materials. Shift and DRE are also planning a series of events around the country for the second-half of 09-10 to promote 'Open Secrets' alongside other resources.
Over 40,000 copies of the Shift Line Manager's Resource have been distributed to employers across England, focussing on the public sector. The resource is a practical guide to managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace. A new revised edition is currently being drafted and will be available from early August 2009. Shift is promoting the resources at a wide range of national events. For free copies of the guidance, email employment@nmhdu.org.uk or go to http://shift.org.uk/employers
An independent expert panel, The Shift Review Panel, was set up last year to review guidance on mental health and employment to help guide employers through the wealth of existing advice. The panel, hosted by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, includes experts from academia, business and the public sector. These 'quality checked' materials are now available via the Shift website at http://shift.org.uk/reviewpanel
One of the most recently reviewed resources has been 'Mental Health at
Work', by Durham Dales PCT, now part of County Durham PCT which the
review panel has described as; 'An excellent on-line resource - free,
comprehensive, providing information to line managers on how to
support staff with a mental health problem. The resource is
interactive which encourages managers to consider what they would do
in different situations, before providing best practice guidelines.'
The scenario-based exercises are on: managing absence and return to
work, recruitment and dealing with a distressed member of staff.
Three short, humorous films called 'Life in the Office' have been
produced to raise awareness of mental health problems at work to help
reach out to employers and staff who have not yet engaged with the
issue. The films, which can be viewed by employers and staff on the
Internet, can be used as part of training or promotional activity and
are now being disseminated with a package of awareness raising and
educational tools. The Life in the Office Film trailers are being
shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National Conferences in
England. The films and the training package are now available on the
Shift website at www.shift.org.uk. The films are also available on DVD
which you can also order for Free
To find out more about our employment work, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/work/employment
Work is continuing to ensure football is used to improve the well-
being of people with mental health problems and breakdown
discrimination.
A 'Mental Health Advisory Group', set-up in partnership with Shift,
the Football Association (FA), Professional Footballers Association
(PFA), Premier League, Football Foundation and Sporting Chance (SC),
is taking forward this work. The group still plans to hold a national
conference and tournament event although this may now be put back
until early 2010.
Shift are meeting with the PFA and SC and the League Football
Education (LFE) to consider producing a handbook for players about
mental health.
For more information about the 'Mad About Football' event, including
photos and video, visit:http://shift.org.uk/madaboutfootball
To find out more about our sports work, visit:http://www.shift.org.uk/
work/sport
Visit Shift website here: http://www.shift.org.uk
Facebook members can follow our work here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shift/18052500287
See our bookmarks on Delicious here: http://delicious.com/shiftstigma
Follow our Twitter feed here: http://twitter.com/shiftstigma
Find out about the other social networks that we use:
http://shift.org.uk/getinvolved/files/socialnetworks.html
The Shift website lists a number of ways in which you can help us with
the work that we do.
To find out more, please visit:http://www.shift.org.uk/getinvolved
Media
We are delivering training on reporting mental illness and suicide to trainee journalists at post-graduate and vocational journalism colleges and universities. The workshops have received very positive feedback.
We are working closely with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and leading mental health charities to change the news agenda around mental illness and violence. We are working to get across the 'other side of the story', stressing that most people with mental health problems are not violent, when the media reports on homicides perpetrated by mental health patients.
We have commissioned the charity Ok2b to run a web-based 'Stigma Watch' system, enabling people to praise and complain about media coverage. It is due to launch in the summer 2009.
We will be publishing a package of research about the media this autumn. It will include 'Mind over Matter III', our annual analysis of media coverage. This report analyses coverage from March and October 2007 to see if there has been any improvement in coverage compared to the previous two years. To download a copy of the last report, visit:
http://snipurl.com/mindovermatter2
The research will also include the findings of focus groups, held to examine the role of the media in the shaping public fears of people with mental health problems, as well as a survey of how well newspaper readers think their paper covers mental health.
Previous work includes the publication earlier this year of 'What's the Story?', a guide for journalists on reporting mental illness and suicide. To find out more about What's the Story, visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/mediahandbook
Shift is continuing to operate its Speakers Bureau, a bank of 50 people with mental health problems and carers who talk to the media. To find out more about the Shift Speakers' Bureau, visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/speakersbureau
Black and Minority Ethnic Communities
Shift has commissioned several organisations to undertake work on Black and Minority Ethnic issues because people with mental health problems from these communities often experience a double stigma - racial discrimination, as well as discrimination because of their mental ill-health.
The Newcastle and Gateshead Art Studio 'Black and White' photographic exhibition has been produced by members of a community group in Newcastle. The photographs have been exhibited in North East England. The photos are available via the Shift website:
http://shift.org.uk/work/bme/blackwhite
Community Development Workers are piloting the Award winning Short Film 'Open Secrets' about shame and mental illness in a middle class Asian family. The film was publicly launched at the Fourth Annual Delivering Race Equality conference on 12 March 2009 and has received very positive feedback. DVDs of the film are now being sent to all Community Development Workers. The trailer for 'Open Secrets' is being shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National conferences around England and on the website:
http://shift.org.uk/work/bme
The full film will be available to view via the website for CDWs from the spring. Interested parties should contact their Community Development Worker to view the film.
The findings from the two media research projects undertaken last year are being incorporated into a comprehensive review of mental health and the media (see Media section above).
Shift is continuing to work with the Department of Health and the Delivering Race Equality team to develop additional media materials. Shift and DRE are also planning a series of events around the country for the second-half of 09-10 to promote 'Open Secrets' alongside other resources.
Employment
Over 40,000 copies of the Shift Line Manager's Resource have been distributed to employers across England, focussing on the public sector. The resource is a practical guide to managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace. A new revised edition is currently being drafted and will be available from early August 2009. Shift is promoting the resources at a wide range of national events. For free copies of the guidance, email employment@nmhdu.org.uk or go to http://shift.org.uk/employers
An independent expert panel, The Shift Review Panel, was set up last year to review guidance on mental health and employment to help guide employers through the wealth of existing advice. The panel, hosted by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, includes experts from academia, business and the public sector. These 'quality checked' materials are now available via the Shift website at http://shift.org.uk/reviewpanel
One of the most recently reviewed resources has been 'Mental Health at
Work', by Durham Dales PCT, now part of County Durham PCT which the
review panel has described as; 'An excellent on-line resource - free,
comprehensive, providing information to line managers on how to
support staff with a mental health problem. The resource is
interactive which encourages managers to consider what they would do
in different situations, before providing best practice guidelines.'
The scenario-based exercises are on: managing absence and return to
work, recruitment and dealing with a distressed member of staff.
Three short, humorous films called 'Life in the Office' have been
produced to raise awareness of mental health problems at work to help
reach out to employers and staff who have not yet engaged with the
issue. The films, which can be viewed by employers and staff on the
Internet, can be used as part of training or promotional activity and
are now being disseminated with a package of awareness raising and
educational tools. The Life in the Office Film trailers are being
shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National Conferences in
England. The films and the training package are now available on the
Shift website at www.shift.org.uk. The films are also available on DVD
which you can also order for Free
To find out more about our employment work, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/work/employment
Football
Work is continuing to ensure football is used to improve the well-
being of people with mental health problems and breakdown
discrimination.
A 'Mental Health Advisory Group', set-up in partnership with Shift,
the Football Association (FA), Professional Footballers Association
(PFA), Premier League, Football Foundation and Sporting Chance (SC),
is taking forward this work. The group still plans to hold a national
conference and tournament event although this may now be put back
until early 2010.
Shift are meeting with the PFA and SC and the League Football
Education (LFE) to consider producing a handbook for players about
mental health.
For more information about the 'Mad About Football' event, including
photos and video, visit:http://shift.org.uk/madaboutfootball
To find out more about our sports work, visit:http://www.shift.org.uk/
work/sport
Shift on the Web
Visit Shift website here: http://www.shift.org.uk
Facebook members can follow our work here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shift/18052500287
See our bookmarks on Delicious here: http://delicious.com/shiftstigma
Follow our Twitter feed here: http://twitter.com/shiftstigma
Find out about the other social networks that we use:
http://shift.org.uk/getinvolved/files/socialnetworks.html
Get Involved
The Shift website lists a number of ways in which you can help us with
the work that we do.
To find out more, please visit:http://www.shift.org.uk/getinvolved
