HirEd ezine April 2017 by MyKindaFuture

HIRED

EZINE

APRIL 2017

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about...

MENTAL HEALTH Help is at hand What support is available at uni?

Be mindful Top tips for boosting your wellbeing

Know your rights Get clued-up about workplace legislation

Bright Futures Awards Highlights from our end-of-year ceremony

CONTENTS Page 3

Welcome from the team

Page 4

What are the current statistics on mental health today?

Page 5

We asked you what your current perceptions on mental health in the workplace are. See what our survey results said…

Page 6

Accenture: Walking our talk on mental health

Page 7

Read Ashurst’s top 5 tips on boosting your mental wellbeing

Page 8

Get clued-up on the workplace legislation for mental health support in employment today

Page 9

How does the Civil Service provide support for those who require it?

Page 10

What mental health and emotional support is available to you whilst at university?

Page 11

Find out more about Lloyds Banking Group’s recent partnership with Mental Health UK

Page 12-13

Blast from the past: We take stock in our endof-year review

Page 14

‘The Mentally Damaging Workplace’ – an article by a final year undergraduate

NATIONAL AWARD SPONSORS Lloyds Banking Group Society of the Year [Strathclyde Bright Futures] www.lloydsbankinggrouptalent.com

HSBC Event of the Year [Southampton Bright Futures] www.hsbc.com/careers/students-and-graduates

Page 15 Page 16

See Deloitte’s latest video about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health Bank of England shares its current commitment to reduce discrimination surrounding mental health in the working environment

Page 17-19

Our Annual Awards Ceremony 2017: The highlights!

Page 20

BP’s graduate opportunities in Engineering, Science, Business and Trading

Page 21

Graduate and Placement opportunities in Business and Technology at CGI this year

Tesco President of the Year [Strathclyde Bright Futures] www.tesco-earlycareers.com

KMPG Most Inclusive/Diverse Society [Bristol Bright Futures] www.kpmgcareers.co.uk

TUI Fastest Growing Society [Southampton Bright Futures] www.tuijobsuk.co.uk

ARCADIS Newcomer of the Year [Glasgow Caledonian Bright Futures] www.arcadisukgrad.com

RPC Most Collaborative Society [Aston Bright Futures] www.rpc.co.uk/manifesto

Civil Service Fast Stream & Early Corporate Investor of the Year Civil Service Fast Stream www.gov.uk/civilservice

WELCOME

from the team Hello everyone! Welcome to our April ezine – it is our last ezine of the year before we move onto our online MKF blog, and we have a lot to share with you this month! Our topic of discussion is mental health within the workplace, which explores how mental health is perceived at present within employment, how many people suffer with psychological difficulties and how employers can support individuals who struggle. Unfortunately, there remains a stigma surrounding mental health and this ezine edition intends to explore and reduce this. Take a look at our statistics factsheet on page four, and the responses we gained from our Bright

Futures network following an anonymous survey on page 5. If you are unaware of available workplace support in times of mental difficulty, hear from our employers on how they strive to provide assistance and adjustments for employees who require it. See page 8 for the legal legislation behind what you are entitled to as an employee with regard to mental and emotional wellbeing. Page 10 provides detail on the services you have free and confidential access to whilst studying at university. And what else do we have to report on this month? Our Bright Futures Awards Ceremony! The annual event took place on 6th April at County Hall in

Central London, and as usual, it was a blast! Massive congratulations to all of our 2016/17 Award Winners – you’ve all worked exceptionally hard this year, and we hope you enjoyed the afternoon to celebrate your progress and dedication. A huge thank you also to every one of our societies who have contributed to the Bright Futures network this year, your efforts and work have been outstanding as always. Take a look at pages 17-19 for a recap of the event! Keep an eye on our blog over the next few months where we’ll be publishing our updates! Best wishes all, Hannah

MENTAL HEALTH: THE FACTS Mental health unfortunately remains rather a taboo subject in the present day. Despite an increase in awareness and recent attempts to improve understanding, stigma persists. By tackling this stigma, we are already making great steps towards being a more inclusive and considerate society. So, how common are mental health conditions? Around 20% of children and young people experience disorders in cognition, emotional wellbeing and development. 1 in 4 adults will experience a form of mental illness throughout their lives.

The leading causes of disability worldwide are mental disorders and substance abuse.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-29 year olds, and three-quarters of all suicides in the UK are males.

Anxiety and depression are the most common mental disorders in Britain.

The presence of psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health nurses is much more prominent in highincome countries in comparison to low-income countries whereby some only have 0.05 psychiatrists per 100,000 people.

Those suffering a mental illness are more likely to suffer harm than inflict harm on others. A lot of this stems from the fact that 90% of those who have a mental health diagnosis experience stigma and discrimination.

Humanitarian and natural disasters or ‘crises’ have a huge impact on mental wellbeing – the risk of disorders in psychological wellbeing doubles when an individual has experienced such trauma.

Almost 75% of young people have reported having difficulty speaking to those close to them regarding their feelings through fear of judgement.

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THIS? You can take the following steps to improve your own behaviour and attitudes towards those who need your support: • Stop the label. By labelling someone as ‘crazy’, ‘psycho’, ‘schizophrenic’ or ‘bipolar’, it can replace their entire identity and define them by their mental illness, rather than any other aspect of them. It’s also very disrespectful. • Realise the stats. Mental illness does not discriminate – it can happen to anyone regardless of race, gender, age, ability and so on. Recognise that a mental illness should not isolate the individuals it affects, and anyone who suffers is just as equal. • Inspire change. The stigma surrounding mental health will only end when it is no longer ‘whispered’ about – integrate it into your daily life. Look after your own and others’ mental health in any way you can – be the change you would like to see. • Show empathy. Listen to those around you, and offer help where you can. Someone to talk to is often one of the best medicines out there, and speaking to those who need support will offer insight into your own understanding of mental health.

MKF MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY To gain real insight into people’s perspectives of mental health difficulties within employment today, we asked our Bright Futures network and MyKindaFuture offices to anonymously complete a questionnaire aiming to gather honest and true perceptions of the topic. From the responses gathered, the following data was collected: “I would love to be able to disclose my illness to my manager or colleagues from the outset, without them feeling that it makes me less capable of fulfilling my remit. It’s difficult how people don’t talk about mental illness and most often see it as a weakness.”

22% reported having been formally diagnosed with a mental health problem, and 29% reported having experienced mental health difficulties without a formal diagnosis.

75% reported accurate perceptions of the statistical frequency of mental health difficulties, as 1 in every 4 individuals. 22% reported the statistical frequency of mental health difficulties to be 1 in every 5 individuals, and 4% reported the statistical frequency to be 1 in every 10 individuals.

“It’s like a taboo subject that no one ever mentions or talks about. Especially in a pretty much all-male environment.”

When asked about the anticipated perceptions of themselves should they decide to share any current mental health difficulties with an employer, 24% reported expecting to be viewed no differently, 64% reported expecting to be viewed a little differently and more sensitively, and 12% reported expecting to be viewed as less capable or professional within their job.

If aware a manager was suffering with anxiety, 62% reported they would not view the manager any differently, offering support where necessary, 35% reported their perceptions would not change greatly but they would be slightly wary around their manager going forward, and 3% reported viewing their manager as less professional or unfit to carry managerial status.

42% reported feeling ‘not very comfortable’ about discussing any mental health difficulties with an employer, and 8% reported feeling ‘not at all comfortable’ discussing this.

58% reported being unaware of what resources were currently available to them to support their mental health in the workplace, 31% reported having a vague idea of the resources available to them, and 6% reported being fully aware of the resources available to them.

8% reported being unaware of what resources were currently available to them to support their mental health in the workplace, 31% reported having a vague idea of the resources available to them, and 6% reported being fully aware of the resources available to them.

“This stigma can be improved by colleagues being aware of the way it can affect me, and how it can impact my way of working. Saying it has no relevance to them, the way my work is carried out, is not something they can relate to, and saying there is nothing they can do about it has given me a bad

Walking the talk on mental health “1 in 4 of us experience a mental health problem. I am one of those statistics.” Research suggests that around 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year*. Statistically speaking, in a team of 15 that’s 3/4 of our colleagues who might be struggling. In an organisation with approximately 569 UK Managing Directors, around 142 could be battling mental illness. I am one of those statistics and, as a recent graduate moving to the other side of the country on my own, settling into living in London and navigating a vast, fast-paced and constantly evolving organisation as part of a global graduate programme has been extremely challenging. However, the support that I have received from those around me since I started has been incredible, and I feel completely at home here. At Accenture, we champion openness around mental health and actively seek to break down the stigma surrounding the topic, understanding that encouraging people to be themselves and leveraging the unique strengths of individuals is what makes for exceptional and high-performing teams. Since our Mental Health Allies programme kicked-off in 2014, Accenture has trained over 900 employees to be ambassadors, advocates and trusted contact points for people seeking support or information, for themselves or a colleague around mental health. Our flexible working culture also supports employees to achieve a good work-life balance.

I never thought that I would ever get to a point where I felt comfortable to talk openly and honestly about my mental health challenges and how I really feel on a day-to-day basis, but Accenture has encouraged this and I feel fully able to bring my whole self to work. We all have mental health, just as we have our physical health. If you are struggling at the moment in whatever sense, please do reach out to someone – there is absolutely no shame in doing so, and it can be the first step to getting the support you need. And if you know someone is struggling, or sense that a friend or colleague doesn’t seem to have quite been themselves recently, why not make them a cup of tea, or ask them if they would like to go for a walk? Sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference.

Heidi Thurman, HR Graduate For information on a range of mental health conditions and advice and support for those experiencing a mental health condition themselves or supporting someone else, click here. *Mental Health Foundation (2007). The Fundamental Facts. London: Mental Health Foundation.

FIVE STEPS

TO BOOST YOUR

WELLBEING

Wellbeing at Ashurst In recent years, there has been an increasing realisation of the critical importance of supporting mental health and wellbeing as well as good physical health. Ashurst has implemented a range of initiatives to help partners and staff maintain good mental health and support those experiencing mental ill health. Our Sustainability programme, launched in February 2015, focus on three ‘pillars’ of physical, mental and nutritional health. Our programme includes the following: • raising awareness of different aspects of mental health and providing training for mental health ‘first aid’. • A Mindfulness programme – a four week programme designed to give our employees the skills needed to start a regular meditation practice.

gradrec@ashurst.com

careers.ashurst.com

Even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.

5 - Be mindful

Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?

4 - Give to others

You don’t have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.

3 - Keep learning

Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, peers, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.

2 - Be active

1 - Connect

There are a number of ways which you can boost your mental wellbeing. Below are just five steps you can take - do bear in mind however that there is no “one-size fits all” approach to wellbeing. You should therefore take steps which are realistic with your lifestyle and university schedule. Be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

• a Hydration campaign – an opportunity to learn about the impact of dehydration on cognitive functioning. • the Happy Body at Work programme – an 8 week campaign in a multimedia format with a focus on sitting, moving, stress and sleep. • the appointment and training of wellbeing officers – a list of internal contacts of all partners and staff should they need guidance or who want to have a confidential discussion about mental health concerns for either themselves or their colleagues. Information about Ashurst applications Applications open on 1 September 2016 for 2016/17 vacation schemes and 1 October 2016 for September 2019 and March 2020 training contracts. Closing dates vary so please visit our website for more information and for details about how to apply. Please do get in touch with us over email if you have any queries.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Legislation on mental health support in the workplace

What policies currently exist to protect individuals suffering a mental health difficulty from discrimination and support them? •

The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against discrimination within the workplace. This applies to individuals who are applying for a role, are employed, are dismissed or made redundant, and in some cases former employees. The legislation protects employees, apprentices and contract workers but does not apply to volunteers.

•

In accordance with the Equality Act, disability including mental health problems, is one of the nine personal characteristics that are protected by discrimination. This means that in the workplace, you cannot be legally discriminated against based on your mental health disability, by either direct discrimination, discrimination arising from disability, indirect discrimination, harassment, or victimisation.

•

Those with mental health difficulties could also be entitled to reasonable working adjustments as approved by the employer. These are adjustments to make the working environment more accessible for the individual. These can be put in place by discussing your mental health problem with your employer – in some cases you may need to show medical proof of your condition – about how it impacts your job. You don’t have to go into personal details, just relating to your employment. You can choose to either share this with your line manager or your HR department.

•

During the recruitment process, you are under no obligation to give away any details about your mental health. If you are asked any questions before the job offer is made, you do not have to answer. If you choose to answer, it is recommended you are honest. If you are questioned about your mental health during recruitment, you can report this to the Equality Advice and Support Service. Employers are however allowed to ask if you require ‘reasonable adjustments to be made’ upon interview, or for any part of the application process.

If you think you have been discriminated against based on your mental health, you can: — Raise the issues informally. You can speak to your colleagues, HR department or manager to see if a resolution can be reached without pursuing a formal complaint. — Complete a formal grievance procedure. Your employer may already have this in place. You can note the problems you are experiencing, how this is impacting you and how your employer can support you. You should gain a written reply from your employer which you should document. Following this procedure entitles you to the right to take a work colleague or trade union representative to any grievance hearing. — Complain to an employment tribunal. If the problem persists despite informal efforts or by raising a grievance, you may want to consider a complaint to the employment tribunal. It is recommended however that you research this avenue before pursuing it, as there are fees associated.

Helping you reach your full potential on the Fast Stream Scheme

As an accredited ‘Two Ticks’/’Disability Confident’ employer, the Fast Stream provides reasonable adjustments and a positively conducive support system for candidates who require such support. Fast Stream, Early Diversity and Summer Diversity Internship candidates are provided with the following disability support during the sifting stages of the application processes: • Candidates can state on-line that they have a disability and that they want to apply under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. • Candidates are given the opportunity to offer details of their disability and the adjustments they require on the Fast Stream website. • Disabled candidates have the option to bypass the Behavioural (Competency) Questionnaire it is, however, mandatory for them to undertake the Situational Judgment Questionnaire and e-Tray.

Fast Stream, Early Diversity and Summer Diversity Internship candidates are provided with the following disability support during the assessment centre stage of the application processes: • If candidates are successful at the initial stages, they are invited to an ‘Orientation Session’ at the FSAC a few weeks before they attend their assessment centre – providing a chance to visit the facility, ask questions and discuss reasonable adjustments. • Disabled candidates are looked after by a reasonable adjustments support officer as they carry out their tests in a different room from the mainstream candidates due to their adjustments. • Support provided by the Fast Stream has proven fruitful as the success rates for Fast Stream candidates with a disability are positive – exceeding non-disabled candidates.

Fast Stream, Early Diversity and Summer Diversity Internship candidates are provided with the following disability support in post (when successfully completing the application process): • All Fast Streamers on joining the programme will receive a ‘Disability Fact Sheet’ which sets out what support is available and how to access it. For example, the ‘Welfare Officer’ contact and the reasonable adjustments passport and how it works. • Activity Manager conferences will include upskilling Activity Managers on working with Disabled Fast Streamers. • The Civil Service Fast Stream has conducted a review of the reasonable adjustments passport process and are working on new guidance to ensure it works as effectively as possible.

Insight into a current Senior Civil Servant’s journey: Read CSHR’s Chief People Officer Rupert McNeil’s blog entry on mental illness and despite this how he’s been able to excel in his career in the Civil Service. Find out about the Summer Diversity Internship Programme Find out about the Early Diversity Internship Programme Find out about the Fast Stream Graduate Scheme

EMOTIONAL WELLBEING at university Exams, moving home, social pressure... University can be an overwhelming experience at times. But what support is out there when things get tough?

Use student support

Speak to a tutor

Extenuating circumstances

Every university offers access to a support service to assist students with their emotional wellbeing, whether it be personal, academic, financial or other reasons. It is estimated between 5-10% of students per university use the counselling services on offer. Walk-in sessions, face-toface or telephone professional counselling, or referrals to extended services are available, all of which are free and confidential.

It is very common for mental health difficulties to intrude on academic progress whilst at university. If you are experiencing struggle, talk to your Student Support team and speak to your academics, explaining your absence from class or if would like to apply for extenuating circumstances on assignments. This will make them aware of your circumstances at present.

You may want to submit an Extenuating Circumstances form – this makes allowances for students who have illness or circumstances that impact the student’s ability to perform to the best of their ability in their assignments or exams. You can usually obtain this form from your Student Services centre but may require medical confirmation from your GP.

Talk to others

Look after yourself

Have confidence

Although they may not be trained professionals, close friends and family can sometimes be the best aid to emotional wellbeing. Putting on a brave face and battling things alone isn’t always the best idea, and letting those around you know how you feel provides the opportunity for them to support you where necessary.

The stereotype of uni is a student surviving on Pot Noodle and alcohol whilst sleeping all day. This is clearly not the case for all students, but university can encourage a lack of structure in your daily life. By eating healthy and regular meals, developing a structured routine and sleeping well, your physical wellbeing can contribute to better emotional functioning.

Not feeling 100% all the time is perfectly okay – it’s human. So, if you’re feeling emotionally unstable or down, just remember you are not alone — almost everyone experiences mental health difficulties in their life. Don’t push yourself if you’re having a bad day — another party or day out will come around and, with the right support, you will feel healthier.

partner with Mental Health UK for 2017 and 2018

Abi is a recent Insurance graduate for Lloyds Banking Group and currently training for a relay race from Paignton to Manchester to raise money for Save the Children. You can read more about Abi’s story here

Lloyds Banking Group have officially partnered with Mental Health UK. Lloyds Banking Group is passionate about providing sufficient mental health support to both their customers and colleagues as well as contributing to helping Charities and Communities across the UK as part of their commitment to Helping Britain Prosper. Lloyds Banking Group already supports a network of charitable Foundations who have collectively invested almost £600 million into thousands of local charities over the last 30 years. Most recently, Lloyds Banking Group have partnered with Mental Health UK to promote awareness of the link between money problems and mental health difficulty, encouraging discussion between both colleagues and customers. The aim is to raise £2 million per year across offices and branches across the country to create Mental Health and Money Support service for those who have experienced, or are experiencing, poor mental wellbeing in relation to financial struggle. Both Lloyds Banking Group and Mental Health UK believe this issue is one that increasingly needs to be addressed,

which is part of a wider goal to tackle social and economic issues that individuals face every day. The Director of External Affairs at Rethink Mental Illness, Brian Dow, has said, “We are incredibly excited about what this partnership between Mental Health UK and Lloyds Banking Group can achieve. It’s the coming together of an organisation that really understands money, and charities that really understand mental health, and those two things belong together. Having the support of such a large banking group will enable us to make a huge difference supporting the four million people affected by both mental health and financial challenges in the UK.”

Click here to find out more about Lloyds Banking Group’s new Charity Partner with Mental Health UK. Click here to discover more about the career opportunities available at Lloyds Banking Group.

END OF YEAR

REVIEW The 2016–17 academic year has been another fantastic year for our network of Bright Futures societies. With over 40 societies and 20 leading employers working together, we saw over 150 events take place across the network – that’s a lot of planning! Throughout the year, we have seen our student leaders grow in their skills and confidence whilst they developed their CVs by working directly with companies to organise events and activities to help fellow students connect with the world of work. We saw the fruits of their labour at our Annual Awards on the 6th April in London! You can find out more about the award winners and the ceremony on pages 17-19. We have seen such a wide range of creative and interesting events from negotiation competitions, personal development workshops, fun networking to interactive trading games. Over the year, our Bright Futures societies have reached over 4,000 university students directly via events and oncampus activities – amazing! A massive thank you to our Bright Futures committee members and to our network of dedicated employers who travel the country delivering great events. We are so excited for 2017-18 and look forward to welcoming a brand-new group of students into the Bright Futures network!

If you would like to be part of the Bright Futures network next year, either attending one of our events or taking a leading role and joining a committee, then please contact society@mykindafuture.com and we will point you in the direction of your university’s society.

THE MENTALLY DAMAGING WORKPLACE? Student Amrit Bains gives his take on mental health in the working world UK employers pay £2.8bn a year in work-related injuries claims. At the same time, £30bn a year is wasted on lost production, recruitment and absence due to mental health issues. Health and safety inductions are a bore for many of us, not to mention the endless “no win, no fee” injury adverts on daytime television reminding everyone that there is a voice for that pesky physical injury in the workplace. But one in four people will suffer mental health problems during their lives, and yet the voice for mental ‘injury’ in the workplace is somewhat muted. The reason? Twofold. The apparent unwanted stigma attached to the issue is certainly a leading factor. Also, employers may not see this as a serious cause for concern and employees may feel it is a sign of weakness. In fact, 16% of people believe that poor mental health is related to a lack of self-discipline. But the ultimate truth is more obvious and slightly dark: people do not know they are suffering from it. Anxiety and stress may very well appear to be part and parcel of the job, but both are forms of mental illness. Notoriously stressful jobs, from teaching and investment banking to piloting and consulting, may indeed expose more individuals to mental health problems more than some other roles on the whole. But a task within any working environment that gives the individual more pressure than they can humanly cope with is asking for trouble.

“Employers need to be more vigorous in their efforts to promote the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace” The Most Dangerous Sectors The financial services industry is perhaps one of the hardest hit, with a third of workers experiencing mental health issues at some point in their career. While the majority of those pursuing these jobs are well aware that they are not the traditional 9-5, they are still eager to be part of the ‘big boys’, from analyst to executive level. Whether this is for the attractive monetary reward or because of a genuine passion for

global markets (or indeed both) depends entirely on the individual. But surely the risk of having a lifestyle where the individual is trapped battling with their own brain should be addressed more sincerely? Keeping work and personal life separate is often not feasible – yet it is another one of the working world’s unspoken truths. The prevailing influence of capitalism should not be imposing on people’s health, but it does. So if the employee doesn’t acknowledge a mental health problem unravelling, who should? Should HR departments incorporate some mental healthcare initiatives? Should the corporate values place more emphasis on employee wellbeing? Or, at the very least, should managers be using their position to protect those who work for them? Communication is a basic tool for effective management, and a pretty paycheck isn’t the be-all-and-end-all to staff retention – showing an interest in your colleagues may prove to be more intrinsically satisfying than one may think.

A Good Investment The Centre for Mental Health estimates that employers should be able to cut the cost of mental health (in lost production and replacing staff) by about a third by improving their management of mental health at work. Successful implementation will certainly lead to prosperous returns. Health journals worldwide express concern for this area and have suggested a solution that the healthy human being should probably be incorporating into their lifestyle anyway – aerobic exercise. Jogging, swimming, cycling or even walking have been shown to reduce anxiety and depression. How hard is it to actively promote that reduced gym package they already offer to employees? The purpose of this article is not to earn a few brownie points for medical research, but more so a plea for employers and employees alike to be more vigorous in their efforts to promote the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace. Productivity levels may rise, absences may decrease, but above all, a mind could be unshackled from itself. The process of ignoring mental illness could almost be depicted as leaving an infected wound untreated: the results could be far more traumatic to one’s colleagues and business.

axb496@student.bham.ac.uk

Netball champion, world traveller, father, successful manager. Everyone has a story, and sometimes mental illness is part of that. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never the whole story. At Deloitte, we have a long-standing commitment to mental health, and have been working to create a culture that allows people to talk openly about their mental health concerns. We created this video to help break down stigma, in particular that which can surround depression and anxiety. Sharing it within our firm generated an overwhelmingly positive response, with some people feeling able to seek help for the first time because they were so inspired by the courage of our film participants. We are now sharing it more widely in the hope that it might inspire more people to start conversations about mental health.

Discover more about careers at Deloitte.co.uk/graduates

Our staff speak out to help end the stigma around mental health

We are proud to show our support for World Mental Health Day with the release of a short film featuring staff sharing their mental health lived experiences. The film forms part of the Bank’s commitment to the new City-wide Lord Mayor’s Appeal initiative, ‘This is Me in the City’ which aims to reduce stigma and discrimination towards mental health in the workplace and to raise awareness of wellbeing. To mark World Mental Health Day we will also be running a number of seminars and workshops for staff in the coming days on topics related to mental wellbeing. We signalled our commitment to helping combat the stigma associated with mental ill health by signing the Time to Change pledge in October 2013.

“Those featured in this film have shown great courage by sharing their stories” The Bank offers a range of services to promote mental wellbeing, including in-house staff counsellors. In addition the Mental Health Network, one of our employee-led diversity and inclusion networks, works with Human Resources and the staff counsellors to raise awareness and improve understanding around

mental health conditions, and highlights the support available to staff. We have contributed to case studies for the City Mental Health Alliance, World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Mental Health and the recent Mental Health at Work Report. They highlight a number of developments, including implementing mental health training for over 200 line managers. This year we were also shortlisted for the BUPA Wellbeing at Work Award. Commenting on the release of the film Chris Salmon, Executive Director for Markets and Executive sponsor of our Mental Health Network, said: “I am really pleased that the Bank is one of the first organisations to produce and release a ‘This is Me in the City’ film, which aims to contribute to the wider changes required in society to end the stigma around mental health. Those featured in this film have shown great courage by sharing their stories, and we hope this encourages colleagues and others around the City to feel comfortable about seeking support and help when they experience a mental health problem.”

Click here to watch our short film.

Bright Futures Annual Achievement Awards 2017

Bright Futures is a network of 40 studentled employability societies supported by MyKindaFuture. Throughout the academic year, the societies work with top employers to run events and activities.

To celebrate their successes, MyKindaFuture hold an annual achievement awards to recognise the societies and award them. To receive an award, we asked all of our Bright Futures societies to submit a report which highlights their hard work. We then reviewed the reports and selected our top nominees and winners for each award. The reports included so much creativity and really portrayed the societiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; achievements. With so many amazing reports, the team had a tough time picking nominees and winners from such a high standard.

We are delighted to announce our nominees and award winners from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event: Bright Futures Annual Award Winners 2017 Society of the Year

Event of the Year

President of the Year

Most Collaborative Society of the Year

Lancaster Bright Futures

Strathclyde Bright Futures

Glasgow Bright Futures