Mental health conference

Together, stronger: a collective approach to mental health.

Together, stronger: a collective approach to mental health.

Throughout the pandemic, mental health has been a key issue for our members. Whether freelance or staff, working from home or another workplace, everyone has experienced challenges to their mental health. The NUJ's  virtual conference on Saturday 7 May 2022, aims to support the mental health of members.

The conference will be followed by a series of workshops over the next fortnight, with opportunities to listen to the experiences and examples of good practice from others, as well as having time to share your own.

Key conference themes include:

  • Taking a collective approach to looking after mental health
  • How to recognise mental distress
  • Managing trauma
  • A health and safety approach to looking after mental health for freelance workers and employees

There will be plenty for you to take away from the day, whether as an individual or a rep. The conference will be held on Zoom with regular breaks.

Members:

  • Learn how to protect your mental health, look out for your colleagues and know where to go for resources and support
  • Find out what your employer is legally obliged to do, and how your reps may take forward issues such as workload and workplace safety that create stress and anxiety

Reps:

  • Learn from other reps and experts about new research, learnings and good practice for collective approaches to improve support for members in workplaces, including freelances
  • Find out more about how you can use Health and Safety processes and the Equality Act to protect members’ rights and mental health at work
  • Looking after our mental health and the mental health of others

Conference programme

  • Mental Health in Journalism
  • Talking about mental health – a trade union and collective approach
  • Mental Health toolkit – recognising mental distress: resources and support
  • Desk pilates session
  • Learning from other unions

Panel discussion

  • What we have done in workplaces that has worked well
  • What might work look like in the future
  • Coming back stronger

Summary from the chair

Workshops 

1. Working at home safely as a freelance - Caroline Holmes. 16 May Register for the session. 

2. Managing trauma effectively - Jo Healey. 18 May Register for the session.

3. Health & Safety in the workplace - Tracy Walsh. 10 May  Find out more and register.

4. Mindfulness - Padraig O' Morain. 17 May Find out more and register.

5. Creative writing for mental health - Catherine Deveney. 11 May Register for the session.

6. Desk Pilates session - delivered by Practical Pilates on 12 May. Register for the session.

7. Headlines Network - a community for those who care about improving mental health in the media. 23 May. Find out more and register

You may attend as many sessions as you wish.