Time to Talk about mental health

Today is Time to Talk Day – a UK-wide campaign encouraging all of us to start a conversation about mental health.

Statistically, one in four adults in the UK experience a mental health issue in a given year.

Talking about mental health can be difficult, so Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to start a conversation with a friend, relative or colleague that could change a life.

Read tips on how to talk about mental health on the Time to Talk website.

Ask twice

It is often easy to say we’re fine rather than share our worries, so asking someone twice how they are can be an effective way of helping them open up about how they are really feeling.

Tasha Easton, mental health and wellbeing channel lead in the Staff Disability+ Network, has written for our Diverse Reading blog on the importance of asking twice. In the blog she shares a recent video released by Norwich City Football Club to raise awareness of hidden mental health struggles, which went viral.

Posters on campus

Time to Talk Day is run by mental health charities around the UK, including Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, in partnership with the Co-op.

The Co-op on Whiteknights campus is displaying posters in store today to mark the day, so you can find some more information and ideas on starting conversations there.

University support

All colleagues at the University can access our wellbeing resources.

These include the Employee Assistance Programme, which offers free and independent 24/7 help, and the Wellbeing Peer Support Network, made up of trained colleagues as a first point of contact.