Two of the U.K.’s most venerable screen industry organizations have teamed up to launch a mental health training guide for employers.
ScreenSkills and The Film and TV Charity have partnered on a framework to support those responsible for mental health training in the U.K.’s film and TV sectors.
“Mental Health Training: Guidance for Employers”It contains resources, links, and considerations that can help employers (including freelancers), provide mental health training and related services. Anyone with line management responsibilities should use it.
The guidance, which was created following independent research for The Film and TV Charity that showed gaps in mental health and wellbeing training provision, can be accessed via ScreenSkills’ website.
It has been developed as part of the Film and TV Charity’s Training+ project.
The guidance should go beyond just providing direction. “one-off”Instead, training is offered as a way to offer more support and education.
“We are proud to be partnering with ScreenSkills to deliver this important new guidance for employers,”Alex Pumfrey (CEO at The Film and TV Charity), released a statement. “Our research shows that we need to reassess how we think and talk about mental health and wellbeing in film, TV and cinema, and the recent launch of our Let’s Reset behaviour change campaign demonstrated that leaders from across the industry agree with that stance and are committed to taking the steps necessary to do so.”
“The new guidance, adopted and developed by ScreenSkills following the charity’s Training+ project they were central to, is a perfect example of how, through partnership and collaboration, we can bring about lasting improvements to mental health and wellbeing,”Pumfrey was also added. “The framework the guidance puts in place will enable employers to equip managers and staff with the right knowledge and understanding and can act as an important step towards ensuring our working culture becomes something to be proud of.”
Seetha Kumar, CEO at ScreenSkills, added: “The work that has been underway to identify and share best practice in supporting good mental health and wellbeing in the screen industries is an important step forward in making our sector a better place to work.”
“Thank you to The Film and TV Charity and to everyone in industry who has contributed to developing the guidance and to identifying useful resources and quality training that will enable everyone to play a part in addressing problems that have bedevilled film and TV for too long.”