The other week, the Made in Group hosted an employee welfare Q&A Panel discussion, which you read about here. At the event, one of the panellists, Chrissie Gale from E3 Recruitment introduced the guests to a government-funded program named, Able Futures. Today, we have a look at the service and showcase how you can utilise it.
For those of you who may not know, Able Futures supports individuals, employers and apprenticeship providers across Great Britain, providing mental health advice and information to help people have more enjoyable futures at work.
If you live with mental health difficulties, you know there are good days and bad days. You also know the bad days can affect you at work. You probably find it hard to focus or perform at your best. But in the words of Able Futures: “The goal of Able Futures is to help you enjoy more good days”
They went on to say that, “With nine months support, signposting and information from a qualified mental health professional, you could learn more about your mental health, understand how you can access treatment for any mental health problems and connect with other people and support organisations who know what it's like to live with a mental health problem.
Able Futures delivers the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. The support service is fast, flexible and, best of all, there is no charge to use this service.”
The project covers a range of support, including:
- Advice on supporting a worker with a mental health condition
- Education and a toolkit for you, your colleagues and your leadership team
- Materials for internal promotion of Able Futures, an easy-to-use service for your employees
- Opportunities to attend our Disability Confident learning events
Speaking about the services available, “You know how important people are to your business. Their performance can impact productivity and profitability, and that when people are living with a mental health problem they can experience good days and bad days. On their bad days, they can lose focus and find tasks difficult to complete. They may even need time off, which can harm their performance and your productivity.”
The group went on to say that, “The Access to Work Mental Health Support Service is a Department for Work and Pensions funded programme and is delivered by Able Futures, a specialist partnership in Great Britain set up to help people with mental health difficulties have more good days. We give employers advice and support on how you can help staff in your business cope with mental health issues and improve mental wellbeing at work.”
Able Futures delivers the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service which is available to anyone who is employed, self-employed or an apprentice, including anyone who has been furloughed, and who needs advice and guidance about anything that is affecting their mental health in these challenging times.
If you’re wondering about the cost, then don’t as the service is free. Speaking about the price, the group said: “There is no charge to you or your employees to use the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service. This includes all the calls, meetings, expert advice, guidance and promotional materials.
It does not matter what type or size your business is, or how many employees use the service. All support provided under the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.”
You can apply online or by calling 0800 321 3137 to get advice and guidance from a mental health specialist, whatever is on your mind. If you're a company, you can apply for support for your workplace via this link.