Social Network for RSA Fellows

Employment and mental health

Hello all,

I'm senior researcher on the Social Brain project here at the RSA. Julian Thompson (director of enterprise) and I are looking into how the RSA might take a fresh look at the issues relating to mental health and employment.

Please have a look at my blog to read about some of the challenges we're interested in addressing.

We're pretty sure that with the expertise, creativity and energy of RSA fellows, we can play a role in shaping a better approach to helping people recover from mental illness through work, shifting attitudes to employing people with experience of mental illness and responding to their needs in the workplace.

Is there potential for a radically different approach to helping people with mental health problems off benefits and into work? How might the kind of changes needed in workplace culture to sustain this come about? How can personal stories of recovery be 'activated' to change the kind of perspective which results in only 40% of employers being prepared to consider taking on staff with mental health problems? Should these issues be tackled top-down or bottom-up or both, and where's the money to do it? What experience/ ideas/ skills do you have? Do you have an appetite for working with us on this?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bobby Baker on January 28, 2013 at 16:14

Hi Mark

Its' great to hear that someone from MIND is involved. This discussion has been a bit quiet of late. It would be good to hear how other projects are going. I am Artistic director of an Arts Council funded company Daily Life Ltd focusing on arts and mental health projects. Our latest touring show Mad Gyms and Kitchens was part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad last year. We had a great tour and will be in Brighton soon, and are planning a tour in the East End this summer. We are also fund raising for a 3 year digital research and arts project involving all age groups. It will be local to the East End but it would be great to hear how you are planning to run training and digital projects.

Link to Mad Gyms site including great Top Tip scrapbook of audience drawings

www.dailylifeltd.co.uk/mad-gyms-and-kitchens/

Permalink Reply by Mark Smyth on January 29, 2013 at 10:45

We are at the beginning Bobby. The film/music workshops start next Tuesday, and we're really excited. We have a great group who have come through early intervention, who are all really supportive of each other. We are working with Create Studios professional artists and accrediting the process through Green Labyrinth training. The first part is a four week (8 sessions) project, where we'd love you to see our films once they are online (website being developed)!

The second part is developing a radio station at Swindon Mind, which we'd love to connect and network people together sharing their experiences of mental health and 'normalising' the debate. We're working with Study Vox FM on this one.

We hope to build young people's confidence back and self-esteem, alongside gaining a qualification, and as we develop their skills, build a training/apprenticeship programme and create our our sustainable film/music/radio unit.

But it's early days and to follow and learn from the fantastic work you have been doing is a great influence.

Bobby Baker said:

Hi Mark

Its' great to hear that someone from MIND is involved. This discussion has been a bit quiet of late. It would be good to hear how other projects are going. I am Artistic director of an Arts Council funded company Daily Life Ltd focusing on arts and mental health projects. Our latest touring show Mad Gyms and Kitchens was part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad last year. We had a great tour and will be in Brighton soon, and are planning a tour in the East End this summer. We are also fund raising for a 3 year digital research and arts project involving all age groups. It will be local to the East End but it would be great to hear how you are planning to run training and digital projects.

Link to Mad Gyms site including great Top Tip scrapbook of audience drawings

www.dailylifeltd.co.uk/mad-gyms-and-kitchens/

Permalink Reply by Bobby Baker on January 30, 2013 at 11:01

Hi Mark

This looks brilliant. Good luck with it. I would love to see work that emerges.

An excellent organisation to check out is Outside In at Pallant House Gallery http://www.outsidein.org.uk

They focus on visual art work but the website, and way that they curate work and help people develop, is inspiring. They involve professional artists and workshop leaders. They don't do training, as such. That aspect of what you are planning is really interesting, especially for young people, and good for all ages. We are looking for partners in East End, so will let you know of anything similar we come across.