On Thursday, 4th February, we will be marking Time to Talk day. The Time to Talk campaign, run jointly by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness has been an incredible resource and voice in the mental health arena for the past 15 years. Unfortunately, their funding has come to an end and 2021 will mark the final Time to Talk Day.
The theme this year is “The Power of Small”, highlighting that a small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference. Time to Talk Day is a day that gets the nation talking about mental health and while this year’s event might look a little different, the importance has never been greater.
Over the past 12 months and as we have moved into 2021, the phrase “The Power of Small” is also very relevant as we have seen communities pull together to support the vulnerable and in need and also support local more than ever.
The ethos behind Time to Talk day is that the more conversations we have, the more barriers we can break down, helping to end the isolation and stigma that too many people with mental health problems experience.
During a third national lockdown, many of us will be feeling the strain of not being able to work and socialise as we normally would and may have lost connection to our usual support network. It is clear to us that the last 12 months have had a detrimental effect on wellbeing of our community, from children to the elderly. Mental ill-health does not discriminate and can creep-up on us silently if we are not aware of the signs and symptoms.
We can all do something really small to make a difference – check-in with someone, ask how they are and be honest about how you are and provide a listening ear. Everyone will be reacting to the current climate in a different way and it is important not to make any assumptions about others based on our own experience.
Time to Talk Day usually sees our wellbeing centres buzzing with conversations as we bring together clients, staff, volunteers and supporters and our training team in-house at local businesses delivering mental health awareness training. This year will be supporting the campaign with a series of social media posts, showing the power of small and what it means to us as a community charity, themed sessions within our wellbeing and therapeutic groups and a day of workshops open to members of the community.
Mental Health – Let’s Talk – On 4th February we will be running three, online, interactive sessions which will look at how to start a conversation about mental health, be a better listener and support ourselves and others. The sessions will cover: what is mental health, language and stigma tools for talking, the importance of listening and support and resources. As always, these courses will be facilitated by experienced West Kent Mind staff and we will be on-hand to offer our support to anyone who needs it. The sessions cost £25/person, which is re-invested back into our vital community services. Please visit our website for more information and to register: www.westkentmind.org.uk/training/let-talk-online
For more information on West Kent Mind’s services, please visit:
- www.westkentmind.org.uk
- hello@westkentmind.org.uk (for general enquiries or support)
Upcoming Events and Training
For further details on any of our courses, please email training@westkentmind.org.uk
All of our courses are provided at subsidised rates and any profits go directly to support our work in the community. Our training includes a range of certified MHFA England courses and interactive workshops.
- Tuesday, 26th January – Understanding Stress & Anxiety (online)
- Thursday, 28th January – Understanding Depression (online)
- Monday, 1st February – Youth MHFA online (2 day equivalent course)
- Thursday, 4th February – Mental Health: Let’s Talk (10-11am, 1-2pm and 6-7pm)
- Thursday, 11th February – Understanding Stress & Anxiety (online)
- Thursday, 18th February – Understanding Depression (online)
- Monday, 22nd February – MHFA online (2 day equivalent course)
- Thursday, 25th February – Half Day Mental Health Aware (online)
