In particular, it made me reflect on the potential for Mental Health Champions to help foster that sense of community within their teams and their wider organisations. As the Mental Health Foundation reminds us:
“We thrive when we have strong connections with other people and supportive communities that remind us we are not alone.”
I have observed that one of the most effective tools for nurturing communities within the workplace – when given suitable guidance and encouragement - is its network of volunteer Mental Health Champions. These are sometimes called Mental Health Advocates, Wellbeing Champions, or Mental Health First Aiders. And while the title and exact brief of the role may vary, it is clear that a network Champions – where organisations are able to fully harness their volunteers’ passion and enthusiasm - do make a big contribution towards creating safe, supportive cultures where people and business can thrive.
Our Mental Health Champions course was the most sought-after training programme requested in 2024, and demand has remained strong into this year. I believe trend reflects a growing recognition among businesses of the pivotal role Mental Health Champions play in driving meaningful change and fostering positive wellbeing cultures within the workplace.
However, we know it is not as simple as training up your Champions and setting them free to work! In order to leverage the full potential of your Champions, you need to ensure you are recruiting the right people and that they remain engaged, supported and given clear boundaries. To help steer you through this potential minefield, read our free guide on How to: recruit, engage and support global networks of Mental Health Champions.
How do Mental Health Champions make a difference?
- By creating safe spaces for real conversations: many people may not feel comfortable turning to a manager, HR or a therapist when they’re struggling initially. Mental Health Champions create space for important conversations by giving their colleagues an approachable, trained peer who listens, empathises and provides support.
- By supporting early intervention: Champions provide a preventative approach by spotting early signs of distress and confidently stepping in to check in and signposting to support
- By driving cultural change: Champions work alongside business leaders and HR teams to shift culture by challenging mental health stigma, modelling empathy and fostering connection through, for example, wellbeing events.
- By creating a feedback loop: Champions can give HR and leaders honest, on-the-ground feedback on what’s working and what’s needed, shaping more responsive, effective wellbeing strategies.
Mental Health Champions are, of course, just one element to creating and sustaining a mentally healthy workplace. They can't do it all. But when embedded into a wider commitment to wellbeing – led by leadership, enabled by healthy ways of working, and with appropriate wellbeing support on offer – these volunteer Champions can play a transformative role.
If you’d like to have a conversation about how to start to roll out a Champion community within your business, please get in touch.
Need help developing your organisational wellbeing strategy? Unsure which approaches and initiatives will actually work? Our, free evidence-based Thriving at Work Framework will help your business to answer this critical question.