GC Health & Wellbeing EDI Network

GC is committed to promoting good health and wellbeing by creating an open, inclusive and supportive culture. As an employer, we have a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues, but we also feel it is the right thing to do.

We want to raise more awareness that our physical health and mental health are connected and can change throughout our lives and that is why we think it’s important to continue to talk about how we feel and look out for any signs that we are unwell so the relevant support can be put in place to prevent any issues from escalating.

This network's objectives include:

Providing a colleague voice and safe space for peer-to-peer support.
Raising awareness of a range of disabilities and health conditions through sharing personal experiences in our various campaigns throughout the year.
Embedding an inclusive culture promoting accessibility and disability inclusion.
Promoting good health and wellbeing practices and signposting to further support and resources.
Removing any identified barriers by acting on feedback and analysing key trends.

Health and Wellbeing EDI Network which covers all aspects of health and wellbeing including disability, physical and mental health. We also have the following subgroups which you may be interested in joining:

Menopause Support Group via Teams
Mental Health Champion Support Group
Neurodiversity Support Group via Teams

Upcoming Campaign activity

It's World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September

Sometimes the hardest words to say are the most important.

World Suicide Prevention Day was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO). The 10th September each year aims to focus attention on the issue, reduces stigma and raises awareness among organizations, governments, and the public, giving a singular message that suicides are preventable.

A recent poll found that only 45% of people feel comfortable talking to family and friends about suicidal thoughts, compared to 74% who said they feel comfortable talking about mental health.

World Suicide Prevention Day wants to help change this. By talking more openly about suicide, we can give people the chance to express how they feel and get the support they need. It could even save a life.

At GC, we want to show all colleagues that talking about difficult feelings, including suicidal thoughts, doesn’t have to be scary.

Continuous Learning

Take a look at some of the support and resources which are available to colleagues through PAL:

Let’s Talk Suicide Bitesize course (10-minute online course)
Suicide Awareness Training (30-minute online course)
Suicide Prevention ‘Smart Safeguarding Seminar’

This is one of our new SMART20 sessions. It’s on Tuesday 10^th September between 11am-12pm.

It will look at signs and symptoms to look out for, how to discuss a disclosure of suicide ideation, where to signpost and appropriate avenues of signposting and when to escalate a concern to Ambulance or Police when working with the new RPRC Framework.

You can join this virtual session using this Teams Meeting link.

Additional support and resources

You can also check out these additional resources:

Remember that, for support you can access our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), delivered by Health Assured, who are available 24/7 to give free, confidential advice on a range of issues to you and your immediate family.

Our GC Mental Health First Aiders are also on-hand if you need them. They're practically trained to give support at a time of crisis or act as a point of contact, reassurance and guidance to any GC colleague - when it is needed. The role of a MHFA is not to give ongoing support or counselling to individuals, if you do access the MHFA service, you will be encouraged to contact professional services for any long-term needs.

If you're interested in upskilling around suicide prevention, take a look at this Awareness Training which is specifically designed to support people from the autistic community.

Join this year's Breast Cancer Now colleague information session and take part in our fundraising raffle

Above: GC ‘Wears it Pink’ for Breast Cancer Now in 2023

On Friday 18^th October 2024 we're encouraging all colleagues across GC to ‘Wear it Pink’ in the fight against Breast Cancer.

Every year around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer and that means every 10 minutes in the UK, 1 woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and, if nothing changes, this'll rise to 1 woman every 8 minutes by 2030.

Breast cancer isn’t a disease that only women fight, you might be surprised to hear that 1 man in the UK is diagnosed with breast cancer every day – so it's important that we all know what to look out for and how to get involved in fighting this disease.

GC colleague, Frank Kinrade, who's a Local Representative for Breast Cancer Now will host an awareness session on Friday 18^th October 2024 at 1pm with Anne-Marie Taylor from Breast Cancer Now's public health team, and will be joined again by our amazing colleague, Rosie Wright, who'll talk about her personal experience of fighting breast cancer.

Frank also returns with his‘Wear it Pink’ raffle, for every £1 donated, colleagues will be entered to win prizes including a top hotel overnight stay, dinner for 2 at Sweet Mandarin, afternoon tea for 2 at Hotel Football, a £50 holiday voucher and much more.

Frank got involved as a Local Representative for Breast Cancer Now after losing his auntie and grandmother to the disease, and his cousin is currently in treatment – to hopefully be told she is cancer free in the coming weeks. He wanted to give back to a charity who helps raise awareness, researches new treatments whilst supporting those fighting and their families throughout their treatment.

Breast Cancer is just one of the many cancers which will affect our colleagues, our families, and friends, so let’s be aware, question and if in doubt visit your doctor.

We hope you can also join us on Friday 18^th October at 1pm to learn more about breast cancer and more importantly to win some raffle prizes whilst raising money! Look out for the calendar invite.

Remember that, for every pound donated, you’ll be entered into the raffle, which will be drawn on Friday 31^st October – to donate/enter please click here. Last year we raised £576.79 and it would be great to build on that this year.

If you'd like to do some local activities to support fundraising, check out some of Breast Cancer Now's resources Handy guide to hosting a fabulous wear it pink day at work.

Recent Campaign activity

Helping to break down barriers and promote men's mental fitness

ANDYSMANCLUB, are a men’s suicide prevention charity, and offer free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. They've been kind enough to come to our Barnsley office earlier this month, where Jacob, one of their facilitators, delivered an information session to our GC Employment team's participants, and colleagues who wished to stay and listen, to talk about their provision and how it came about.

Read the article to find out more.

Overview of our Employee Assistance Programme: 'Wisdom Health Assured' portal and app

During this bitesize virtual session held on Tuesday 11th July, our Health & wellbeing EDI Network will provide an overview of the free and confidential support you can access through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which is delivered by Health Assured.

We heard more about their service overview as they explained what our EAP colleague benefit includes, and the range of free wellbeing tools that you have access to – including structured counselling.
We had an overview of the online Wisdom Health Assured portal – which you can either access via the Wisdom App, or on your desktop using our company code MHA045923. Here’s an overview of the app and step-by-step guidance how to register. You can also click on the link below to download the app and read the FAQs here.

You can watch the recording of the session by clicking here or on the image below, and the the slides are here. You can find out more about our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) here on Our Working Way.

Mental Health Awareness Week

About the theme: Moving more for our mental health

Being active is important for our mental fitness, but we can often struggle to get enough exercise.

We know there are many different reasons for this, so this Mental Health Awareness Week (13^th – 19^th May), we wantned to help colleagues to find moments for movement in their daily routines. Going for a walk in your neighbourhood, putting on your favourite music and dancing around the living room, chair exercises when you’re watching television – it all counts!

Why GC are taking part

Moments of movement can break up the day, help to alleviate stress, and ensure you are getting some form of exercise and mental health wellbeing. We’re hoping that you’ll see the benefits from moving more, and even carry on with it once the week is over.

In support of the Mental Health Foundation, and organised by the Health and Wellbeing EDI Network, our activities throughout the week highlighted the support the network and its mental health champions can provide.

Movement and mental fitness – with Chris Jones

Chris Jones, Executive Director – Centre for Assessment and SMT Sponsor for our Health & Wellbeing EDI network, explains his passion for exercise and movement – and the role it plays in protecting his mental fitness.

Virtual Bolly-fit Bitesize session

Format: Zoom Meeting

We kicked-off Mental Health Awareness Week with our first-ever Bolly-fit session!

Bolly-fit comes from the term ‘Bollywood’, which is a unique blend of traditional music and culture with Western musical styles and storytelling techniques. It originated from the Indian film industry. It was hosted by our GC colleagues Anushka, who is a Bollywood dancer and teacher, and Jyoti who has a love for Bollywood dancing.

Podiatrist virtual session

Format: Teams Meeting

To increase awareness on the importance of movement and the impact this has on our mental fitness, the Health and Wellbeing EDI Network invited an experienced Musculoskeletal Podiatrist to facilitate a bitesize session.

Podiatrists (sometimes called chiropodists), help people deal with a range of mobility issues, relieve pain and treat infections of the feet and lower legs.

During this bitesize session, we covered the following key topics:

Why regular movement is so important
What happens when we stop moving
The key barriers to movement and when to seek professional support
Top tips on how to prevent injury and maintain movement

'Let’s Talk Andysmanclub and Men’s Mental Fitness virtual' bitesize session

We highlighted to all colleagues the support available through Andysmanclub – a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online.

The session covered:

End the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation.
Help colleagues make the time to educate themselves and make informed choices about what they can do to make changes in their lives – both at work and at home to support and protect their mental fitness.
Chris Jones, Executive Director for Centre for Assessment, and our SMT Sponsor for the Health & Wellbeing EDI Network, will be opening-up the session, and handing over to a representative from Andysmanclub who’ll will be running the main part of the session. Chris will also take part in the Q&A at the end of the session and share his reflections.

Read this colleague blog on the importance of movement

Click here to read a blog post by Emma Connolly, Health & Wellbeing Specialist – Business Growth Hub who encourages everyone to find a way to move for both their body and mind, in a way that suits them to benefit their mental health.

Here are some suggested walks from a few of our key offices provided by our Mental Health Champion – Mike Carroll-Owen:

Doncaster – Lakeside (suggested walk approximately 30/40 mins)

Rotherham – Clifton Park (suggested walk approximately 30-45 mins)

Sheffield Weston Park - (suggested walk approximately 20/30 mins)

Leeds – Wellbeing Walk (Canal) A4WALKwebdownld-LEEDS copy (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

Bradford – We have the Lister park Circular (The park is 5/10 minutes car journey from the city centre near Manningham) Lister Park Circular, West Yorkshire, England - 46 Reviews, Map | AllTrails

Barnsley – there are not really any central walks, but there are a number to choose from around the outskirts of the town - 10 Best Trails, Walks, and Paths in Barnsley | AllTrails.

Manchester – Here’s a link to a suggested walk to the Manchester Viaduct from Lee House: Castlefield Viaduct | Manchester | National Trust the website details further information in relation to visiting.

Mersyside –10 best Trails, Walks and Paths in Merseyside: 10 Best Trails, Walks, and Paths in Merseyside | AllTrails

Share your photos

As always, we’d love to see your photos and video clips from how you’ve celebrated and took part in Mental Health Awareness week. Please share them at HealthandWellbeingNetwork@growthco.uk

Some additional resources

31 days of Movement challenge
Mental Health Awareness Week - Colouring Page
Action for Happiness: Meaningful May calendar for daily inspiration
#ActiveSoles and #ActiveSouls – A new cultural norm is born | Greater Manchester Moving
Forget Exercise, Focus on Movement Poster
Family Walking Top Tips by Little Adventures North West
How to get started with Couch to 5K
Mental Health Foundation UK are running a virtual ‘Around the World’ challenge on Strava, if you’d like to get involved, you can find out more here
Details of GC Mental Health First Aiders

National walking routes:
Find a walking route - Ramblers
UK footpaths, bridleways and byways online map | FootPathMap.co.uk
Walking Route Planner - plotaroute.com
Find a walk near you | The Wildlife Trusts
Find your perfect trail, and discover the land of myths and legend - National Trails
The Free Mindfulness Project - Free Resources
Yoga with Adrienne includes a range of videos for all abilities

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (18th - 24th March) is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences.

It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organisations with the opportunity to recognise the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.

There are a number of free resources and live events to access that week and it would be great for colleagues to promote these further.

There's also additional social media information if you want to show support externally on our socials channels too.

Reminder that we have our GC Neurodiversity Teams Support group for peer-to-peer support for those with lived experience, and we also have Neurodiversity Champions and additional resources and tools on the Neurodiversity page on Our Working Way.

'Let’s Talk Wellbeing and Resilience' – virtual keynote speaker session (PART 2)

We've also organised a follow-up colleague session on Wednesday 14^th February (1-2 pm) as an opportunity to reflect and share experiences of the 21-day Habit Tracker challenge with other colleagues. It’ll include a deep dive into the habit formation framework, so that you can continue to take action with the new positive habit.

'Let’s Talk Wellbeing and Resilience' – virtual keynote speaker session (PART 1)

We ran a Virtual Wellbeing and Resilience Keynote Speaker session on Wednesday 17th January with Kat Thorne from The Morning Game Changer, to increase your self-awareness and enable you to establish one small change that will mentally and physically prepare you for the day.

The aim of the session was to increase your self-awareness and enable you to establish one small change that’ll mentally and physically prepare you for the day and accept the ‘21-day Habit Tracker challenge’ to take action following the session.

Thank you so much Kat Thorne for facilitating the interactive session… we had over 200 colleagues join and it was amazing to see such positive feedback.

Here are links to the slides/content from the session:
Feedback Slides - Growth Company 17th January 2024
What do you think the impact will be once you have made this positive change
Which one habit would you like to improve

Here's the link to subscribe to the 21-day email challenge if you wish to take part:www.yournextstep.uk. Alternatively, you can access your digital 21-day challenge toolkit directly here.

Let's Talk Neurodiversity and How to Support Others in the Workplace

This virtual bitesize session helps to increase awareness of neurodiversity and how you can support others in the workplace here at GC.

A big thank you to our Neurodiversity Champions who presented and shared their lived experience.

Here a recording of the session to watch base in case you missed it:

Here are the slides which were presented during the session.

Here's a Neurodiversity Hub page if you'd like to access resources, become a Neurodiversity Champion or join the team's support group.

'International Day of Persons with Disabilities' - Sunday 3rd December

It promotes the rights and wellbeing of disabled people in all parts of society and increases awareness of the situation in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

As part of GC's commitment to being a 'Disability Confident Leader', and to promote our inclusive practices, we've developed workshops for people managers to increase their confidence with enabling conversations, particularly around reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

READ MORE

Celebrating International Men's Day - colleague stories

Sunday 19th November 2023 was International Men’s Day. We more information about men's mental fitness in the November edition of Wellbeing Wednesday.

Some of our colleagues have kindly shared their personal experience with mental health and what they do to maintain their mental fitness. Please take the time to read their stories.

READ MORE

GC Virtual Menopause Cafe

To mark and raise awareness of World Menopause Day on 18th October 2023, we held our third 'GC Virtual Menopause Cafe' where colleagues shared lived experiences, practical tips for managing symptoms and provided peer to peer support. Watch the recording of the session below. You can also access the slides from the session here.

World Mental Health Day: 10th October 2023

Theme this year was 'Mental health is a universal human right'. It was set by the World Federation for Mental Health. At GC, we encouraged local teams and our Mental Health Champions to organise a 'Tea & Talk' event to help raise awareness of mental health and use this as an opportunity to connect with colleagues.

We also shared a Conversation Guide: Talking to someone about mental health and our 5 Ways to wellbeing Toolkit which provide practical ideas and suggestions to support your mental health which you may find useful. Our October Wellbeing Wednesday email focused on the topic of mental health and we reminded colleagues of the additional support available.

Breast Cancer Awareness Bitesize Session

In September 2023, GC colleague, Frank Kinrade hosted an amazing session helping colleagues learn about breast cancer, alongside Nikki Bednall from Breast Cancer Now and Rosie Wright who talked about her personal experience of fighting breast cancer.

You can watch the video of the event here and read what colleagues said about the session.

More information

To find out more about the Health and Wellbeing EDI Network, or to join as a member, email healthandwellbeingnetwork@growthco.uk