'see me' Scotland
The 'see me' campaign was launched in October 2002 to challenge
stigma and discrimination around mental ill-health in Scotland. The
campaign is run by an alliance of five Scottish mental health
organisations: Highland Users Group (HUG); National Schizophrenia
Fellowship (Scotland); Penumbra; the Royal College of Psychiatrists
(Scottish Division) and the Scottish Association for Mental
Health.
The campaign combines an award-winning national publicity
programme with local and national anti-stigma action developed in
partnership with like-minded groups and individuals across all
sectors of Scottish life. Individuals who have experienced stigma
are involved in many aspects of the campaign, and includes those
prepared to talk to the media about the impact stigma has had on
their lives.
The campaign is funded by the Scottish Executive as a key
component of its National Programme to Improve Mental Health and
Well-being. Visit the see
me website
'see me' Scotland also have an anti-stigma and
discrimination campaign aimed at young people http://www.justlikeme.org.uk
Just Listen. You Could Change A Life.
Despite 1 in 4 Scots experiencing mental
ill-health, 40% of us would find it hard, or be unsure about how,
to talk to someone about mental health problems. People can be
scared to even raise the subject.
When we asked the Scottish public why that was, they told us
that they felt nervous about saying the 'wrong thing', making
things worse or being rebuffed. They were also worried about not
having resources to fall back on and not knowing where to direct
people for further help.
'see me's Just Listen campaign aims to take the mystery
out of offering support to someone with a mental health
problem.
Find tips on:
Being able to be open about mental ill-health is good for
all of us. Good for people who can be open about mental health
problems, and good for people who want to help by starting the
conversation.
What else can I do?
• Find out more about the campaign and order 'see me'
materials for your workplace or community.
• Pledge your
support for our Just Listen campaign on our Wall of
Support
• Like us on Facebook and follow us
on Twitter.
North Lanarkshire Community Fora support
'see me' anti-stigma campaign
On 29 January 2013, three local community forums have pledged to
tackle the stigma associated with mental ill-health head on by
signing the 'see me' pledge in North Lanarkshire.
'see me', Scotland's national campaign to end the stigma and
discrimination of mental ill-health, works with groups, projects
and organisations across the whole of Scotland to promote positive
attitudes towards mental ill-health. By encouraging people to stand
up to stigma and speak openly and honestly about mental ill-health,
'see me' is committed to breaking down the barriers that people
with mental health problems face.
Alongside the formal pledge signing, each community forum agreed
an action plan with 'see me'. The action plans will ensure each
forum actively promotes the 'see me' campaign messages in North
Lanarkshire as well as provide mental health training for all their
members. Another key objective for the forums will be to encourage
local employers to sign the 'see me' pledge.
A representative from each Community Forum formally signed the
pledge alongside Suzie Vestri, Campaign Director of 'see me', at
Cumbernauld Town Hall on Tuesday 29 January. The pledge signatories
were as follows:
- Northern Corridor Community Forum - Chairperson, Marvyn
Mackay
- Cumbernauld Community Forum - Chairperson, Billy Lees
- Kilsyth and Villages Community Forum - Chairperson, Paul
Carter
Suzie Vestri, Campaign Director of 'see me', said: "We all have
a part to play in tackling the stigma and discrimination
surrounding mental ill-health and we welcome the commitment made by
the North Lanarkshire Community Forums to take positive action and
promote mental health issues in their local area.
"With two thirds of us in contact with someone who has a mental
health problem, it's important that we all stand up to stigma and
provide the outmost support for those who have been discriminated
against."
Marvyn Mackay, Chair of the Northern Corridor Community Forum,
said: "It is thanks to campaigns like 'see me' that we begin to
create a socially inclusive, healthier community. We are proud to
sign the pledge and join 'see me' in tackling the stigma of mental
ill-health in our community."
Billy Lees, Chair of the Cumbernauld Community Forum, said:
"Cumbernauld Community Forum is delighted to sign the 'see me'
pledge and is committed to removing the stigma associated with
mental ill-health which sadly still exists in our society
today."
Paul Carter, Chair of the Kilsyth & Villages Community
Forum, said: "The Forum would like to take this opportunity to
confirm our ethos: we are open to all and everyone is treated
equally in the projects we are involved with. That's why we are
proud to sign the 'see me' pledge as confirmation of our positive
message."
For more information on signing the 'see me' pledge visit:www.seemescotland.org
Three Lanarkshire McDonald's restaurants pledge to
tackle stigma with 'see me'
Two McDonald's restaurants in East Kilbride and McDonald's
Castlemilk have publicly pledged their commitment to work with 'see
me',Scotland's national campaign to end the stigma and
discrimination surrounding mental ill-health.
Please click here for Press Release
G4S BECOMES
500TH PLEDGE SIGNATORY TO JOIN 'SEE ME' TO TACKLE
STIGMA
G4S has become the 500th organisation and the
first security solutions company inScotland to publicly pledge its
commitment to work with 'see me' to tackle the stigma and
discrimination surrounding mental ill-health.
'see me', Scotland's national campaign to end the stigma of
mental ill-health, works in partnership with local businesses,
organisations and public bodies across Scotland to highlight the
importance of positive mental health and well-being, both in the
workplace and beyond. 'see me' is committed to empowering people to
speak openly and confidently about mental ill-health to break down
the associated barriers.
G4S is the largest security solutions company in
theUKandIreland, with over 40,000 employees. InScotland, G4S
employs over 4,000 employees who deliver a range of services to the
business community and public sector organisations. Through
delivery of these services, G4S employees come into contact with
large numbers of the general public, the business community and
many people within the criminal justice system.
Representatives from G4S Secure Solutions Scotland and G4S Care
and Justice divisions signed the pledge with Suzie Vestri, 'see
me's Campaign Director.
As part of their pledge commitment, G4S agreed action plans to
join with 'see me' to tackle the stigma and discrimination around
mental ill-health by taking action as employers, service providers
and community stakeholders.
As part of the pledge, the company will introduce more training
on mental health as part of their employee induction programmes and
support employees to better understand and to respond appropriately
to any mental health problems experienced by themselves, their
colleagues or people in their care.
Suzie Vestri, 'see me' Campaign Director, said: "Mental
ill-health can affect all of us at some point in our lives. For
people experiencing a mental health problem, the reaction and
support of family, friends and colleagues can make a huge
difference to recovery.
"We welcome the commitment made by G4S to become the
500th organisation to unite with 'see me' in our
aim to remove the barrier that stands in the way of people talking
about mental ill-health. Everyone has a role to play in tackling
the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health. Simply being
there for someone and offering support can make all the
difference."
Kevin O'Neill, Chair of the Lanarkshire Mental Health
Improvement Partnership Group, said: "On behalf of the Lanarkshire
partners I would like to express my appreciation to G4S for joining
forces with 'see me' and ourselves in the promotion of mental
health and well-being, stigma reduction and suicide prevention. We
are delighted to see the discussions, which began in G4S's
Lanarkshire offices, grow into aScotlandwide commitment. G4S are
demonstrating that mental health and well-being is everyone's
business and we all have an important contribution to make."
Douglas Greenwell, Strategy and Development Director of G4S,
said: "We are proud to pledge our support to the 'see me' campaign.
Our employees are our biggest asset and better awareness of mental
health issues will help them to support the people in our care more
effectively as well as improving their understanding of how to cope
with any issues they experience in their own personal lives."
For more information on signing the 'see me' pledge,
visit: www.seemescotland.org
For more information on G4S, visit www.g4s.com/uk
For more information or images please contactJenny Stewart
orShaun Bellat Stripe Communications on (0131) 561 8628, or e-mail
seeme@stripecom.co.uk
Notes to Editors
- 'see me' is Scotland's national campaign to end the stigma
and discrimination of mental ill-health. The 'see me'
anti-stigma campaign is owned and run by an alliance of five
Scottish mental health organisations: Highland Users Group (HUG),
Penumbra, Royal College of Psychiatrists (Scottish Division),
Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH)
and Support in MindScotland.
- 'see me' is fully funded by the Scottish Government
- The 'see me' campaign features a programme of events and local
and national initiatives to reduce the stigma faced by people with
mental health problems throughoutScotland.
- The 'see me' website www.seemescotland.org acts
as a signpost site for those seeking information on stigma, mental
health problems and support services in Scotland.
DIVERSE FAITH COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER AND
PLEDGE TO TACKLE STIGMA
Eleven Lanarkshire faith communities have become the first in
the country to unite together and publicly pledge their commitment
to work with 'see me',Scotland's national campaign to tackle the
stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health.
The 'see me' campaign aims to form partnerships with companies
and organisations acrossScotlandto take positive mental health
messages into local communities. 'see me' is committed to
empowering people to speak openly and confidently about mental
ill-health, to break down the associated barriers.
Representatives from eleven faith communities publicly signed
the pledge and agreed action plans to join with 'see me' to tackle
the stigma and discrimination around mental health problems by
taking action as community stakeholders. The faith communities
participating in the pledge signings include:
•Baptist Churches of North andSouth Lanarkshire
•HamiltonPresbytery of the Church of Scotland
•Lanark Presbytery of the Church of Scotland
•Lanarkshire Hindu Welfare Association
•Islamic Education Trust Cumbernauld
•Central Mosque Lanarkshire, Mossend
•Lanarkshire Circuit of theMethodistChurchinScotland
•Roman Catholic Diocese of Motherwell
•Lanarkshire Regional Council of the Scottish Episcopal
Church
•The United Reformed Church in Lanarkshire
•North Lanarkshire Muslim Women's Association
Suzie Vestri, 'see me' Campaign Director, said: "We welcome the
commitment of Lanarkshire faith organisations and look forward to
working with them to break down the barrier that stands in the way
of people talking about mental ill-health. Mental health problems
can and do affect people from all walks of life. It's the reaction
and support of family, friends and colleagues that can make a huge
difference to recovery. We hope that the support pledged here will
encourage more people across Lanarkshire to take positive action by
joining 'see me' in tackling stigma and discrimination."
Kevin O'Neill, Chair of the Lanarkshire Mental Health
Improvement Partnership Group said, "We wish to see a Lanarkshire
where we all understand how to look after our mental health, how to
support others mental health and well-being and what support is
available. By working with faith communities we are able to support
faith leaders and promote positive mental health messages to faith
communities and congregations. We are delighted that Lanarkshire is
the place where the first faith communities in Scotland are signing
the 'see me' pledge and joining over 170 organisations in
Lanarkshire who have already signed the 'see me' pledge and who are
making a contribution to the well-being of our communities."
Rev Graham Austin Convener of Church and Society Committee of
Hamilton Presbytery said: "Mental health is an issue that affects
almost every family to one degree or another and yet it is brushed
under the carpet. What this campaign does is to highlight the
issue, give people permission to talk about mental health and
offers to provide help and support. This can only be a good thing
and Hamilton Presbytery is happy to support the 'see me'
campaign."
Rev Sarah Ross of the Church of Scotland Presbytery of Lanark
said: "With help from 'see me' we have developed an action plan
from which we will inform and resource congregations in ways they
can support and encourage people with mental health issues.
It is the hope of Lanark Presbytery that by encouraging
congregations to talk openly about mental health issues including
stigma and discrimination we will be able to provide warm,
welcoming and appropriate spaces and services."
Mrs Asha Mallik of the Lanarkshire Hindu Welfare Association
said: "As Hindus we welcome the opportunity to sign