The Albion Foundation are proud to support World Mental Health Day 2024 (October 10), through a variety of initiatives for our staff and the local community.
The World Federation of Mental Health encourages everyone to come together to highlight the importance of mental health, as open conversations about mental well-being can help people better handle life's challenges.
The Albion Foundation’s Team Talk initiative is a weekly session that runs every Monday evening with the aim of supporting men’s mental health through football.
Participants will engage in a wellbeing café, a safe environment where participants can chat openly about their feelings whilst enjoying a hot drink, before heading out onto the football pitch for a small-sided match.
“It’s all about creating that environment where they feel comfortable and they feel like if they’ve got anything they need to talk about, we can support them with that,” Terrell Mullings, Team Talk Support Coach said. “I feel like once they know that familiar face, they feel like they can trust us, that's when they're open to sharing and opening up more – we can help and support with that.
“Even for myself as well, when it comes to mental health, we all know the stigma surrounding it. Especially with men’s mental health, I’ve learnt the difference myself between wellbeing and what mental health is along with self-check ins and what to look for.
“I think them getting the understanding as well is really, really important."
As for Sam, a participant, seeing friends and escaping everyday life are important factors in his weekly attendance – and he says the group has helped improve him for better.
“It's just really nice to have a new set of friends,” Sam said. “It's stopped me being so negative, I've learned to be a lot more positive about everything.
“It's just a different experience to go and get myself out of the house and do really. I've learned to be a lot more approachable, I used to be really closed off, quite scared to talk to people.
“Now I’ll happily go and talk to anyone, I don’t mind.”
This year’s theme set by the World Federation of Mental Health is workplace mental health, theme highlights the importance of addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, for the benefit of people, organisations, and communities.
15% of UK workers are estimated to have an existing mental health condition, whilst in 2022/23, 875,000 workers were suffering from work-related stress, depression and anxiety.
The Albion Foundation will be encouraging its staff to engage in a ‘Tea & Talk’, on Thursday, where they’ll take an additional half-an-hour out of their day to enjoy a hot drink and talk openly with colleagues.
This World Mental Health Day and beyond, why not check in with your friends, family, peers or colleagues? Talking about our mental health can help us cope better with life’s ups and downs.