Mental Health in focus
Stagecoach’s ‘Pledge to help’…
Stagecoach has launched a new initiative to provide further support for bus passengers and staff with mental health conditions across the UK. The operator’s ‘Pledge to help’ scheme aims to improve the experiences of employees and customers with mental health problems, including enhanced training and awareness programmes and additional support for employees. The company says its pledge has been welcomed by the Mental Health Action Group and Anxiety UK and has the full support of Transport Minister, Andrew Jones MP. The pledge follows the company’s recent attendance at the Mental Health and Transport Summit in London (covered in B&CB 1368, 4 March 2016).
The Stagecoach pledge focuses on increasing the assurance of people with mental health conditions so they can use the bus without issue. It commits to training managers to be caring in their approach towards managing staff and to promote a culture of empathy throughout the company. An anonymous support line for staff will also be provided. The pledge coincides with the start of Mental Health Awareness Week.
…and Bus Users ‘Time to Change Pledge’
Bus Users has taken the Time to Change Pledge in an effort to end what it describes as the stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental health problems. Chief Executive of Bus Users, Claire Walters, has long been an advocate of mental health issues and also participated in the recent Summit. As well as pledging to provide a safe environment for people to be open about their mental health needs, Bus Users has committed to ensure that its staff are supported within the workplace, that anyone who comes into contact with the organisation is treated with courtesy and respect, regardless of their physical or mental health, and that Bus Users will have at least two Time to Change (www.time-to-change.org.uk)Champions on hand within the organisation at all times to provide support and ensure wellbeing in the workplace.