Ascensos has teamed up with the Isle of Wight College to deliver a full-day First Aid course focused on mental health in the workplace.
Employees learned how to spot the signs of mental distress in themselves and fellow colleagues and were directed to a range of resources designed to provide support.
Attendees received a certificate confirming their new status as ‘Mental Health First Aid Champions’ after completing the course, provided by Mental Health First Aid England in conjunction with the Isle of Wight College.
According to the Mental Health Foundation more than 1 in 6 of us suffer from mental health issues in the workplace at some point in our lives and evidence suggests that 12.7% of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions. Ascensos is keen to ensure employees have the knowledge and resources they need to maintain a healthy and productive relationship with work.
Claire Sixsmith, Head of Operations at Ascensos said:
“We recently invited the Isle of Wight college into Ascensos to support our community with a Mental Health at Work first aid course. We feel it is important, particularly in the workplace, that our colleagues feel confident to talk openly about their mental well-being. This course has helped our colleagues identify stress factors and to notice if individuals may be experiencing mental health challenges. More importantly it has encouraged discussions about mental health.
“We all have mental health, just as we have physical health, but it can sometimes seem more difficult to spot the signs of mental ill health. At Ascensos, we understand the importance of spotting these signs and creating an environment with positive well-being.”
Janet Stevens, Head of Strategic Marketing at the Isle of Wight College, commented:
“We are really pleased to work with Ascensos on this extremely important issue. By working together, we can help support a healthy workforce and look forward to developing more training together in the future.”
The Mental Health First Aid course complements the Ascensos Personal Development sessions which are offered each month to employees as part of its Talent SPA Learning and Development programme. The sessions range from financial management, nutrition advice and yoga sessions.
