Shift Update: February 2009
10 February 2009
Shift is an initiative to tackle stigma and
discrimination surrounding mental health issues in
England. Our aim is to create a society where people
who experience mental health problems enjoy the same
rights and opportunities as other people.
Shift will be showcasing its programme at several national conferences this year.
We are working closely with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and leading mental health charities to change the news agenda around mental illness and violence. We intend to get across the 'other side of the story', stressing that most people with mental health problems are not violent, when the media reports on homicides perpetrated by mental health patients. This collaborative project, called 'Context' is due to be up and running later this year.
We have commissioned the charity Ok2b to run a web-based 'StigmaWatch' system, enabling people to praise and complain about media coverage. It is due to launch in March 2009.
We will be publishing 'Mind over Matter III', our annual analysis of media coverage, this spring. This report will analyse coverage from March and October 2007 to see if there has been any improvement in coverage from the previous year and the Mind Over Matter II report.
To download a copy of 'Mind Over Matter II', visit: http://snipurl.com/mindovermatter2
Twelve focus groups have been held to examine the role of the media in the shaping public fears of people with mental health problems. The report into the findings, due to be published in the Spring, will consider issues like how critically people examine stories linking mental illness and violence.
Previous work includes the publication earlier this year of 'What's the story?', a guide for journalists on reporting mental illness and suicide.
To find out more about What's the Story, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/mediahandbook
Shift is continuing to operate its Speakers Bureau, a bank of 50 people with mental health problems and carers who talk to the media.
To find out more about the Shift Speakers' Bureau, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/speakersbureau
The Newcastle and Gateshead Art Studio 'Black and White' photographic exhibition is being produced by members of a community group in Newcastle. The photographs will soon be available for exhibitions and electronically via the Shift website.
Shift launched in November the award winning short film 'Open Secrets', a film about shame and mental illness in a middle class Asian family, starring Saeed Jaffrey and Valmike Rampersad. Community Development Workers are using the film with a question and answer package to explore ways of using it to maximum effect.
Community Development Workers are piloting the award winning short film 'Open Secrets' about shame and mental illness in a middle class Asian family. The film has received very positive feedback. The trailer for 'Open Secrets' is being shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National conferences around England and on the Shift website. The full film will be available to view via the website from the spring. DVDs of the film will be sent to all CDWs from March/April 2009.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust have been commissioned to do a Qualitative and Quantitative Research Project looking at the coverage of mental health stories in African Caribbean media.
Ethnic Communications have completed a Qualitative Research Project looking at the handling of mental health content in the South Asian media. We plan to make the findings of this and the other media related research projects public some time this spring.
An independent expert panel, The Shift Review Panel, has been set up to review guidance on mental health and employment and help guide employers through the wealth of existing advice. The panel, hosted by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, includes experts from academia, business and the public sector. The first reviews of materials, identified as being the most useful for employers, are now available via the Shift website at http://shift.org.uk/reviewpanel.
Three short, humorous films about managing mental health problems at work have been developed as a way of reaching out to employers and staff who have not yet engaged with the issue. The films, which can be viewed by employers and staff on the Internet, are now being disseminated with a package of awareness raising and educational tools. The Life in the Office Film trailers are being shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National Conferences in England. The films and the training package are now available on the Shift website.
To find out more about our employment work, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/employment
For more information about ‘Mad About Football’, including photos and video, visit:
http://shift.org.uk/madaboutfootball
To find out more about our sports work, visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/work/sport
a number of social networking tools. Shift has also updated the Line
Managers' Web Resource and the What's the Story media microsite.
Please be aware that these changes may mean that some old bookmarks
may no longer work. Please email shift@csip.org.uk if you need help.
See the new Shift website here:
http://www.shift.org.uk
Facebook members can follow our work here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shift/18052500287
See our bookmarks on Delicious here:
http://delicious.com/shiftstigma
Follow our Twitter feed here:
http://twitter.com/shiftstigma
The updated Line Managers' Web Resource is here:
http://www.shift.org.uk/employers
The update What's the Story microsite is here:
http://www.shift.org.uk/mediahandbook
the work that we do.
To find out more, please visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/getinvolved
Shift will be showcasing its programme at several national conferences this year.
++ Media ++
We are delivering training on reporting mental illness and suicide to trainee journalists at post-graduate and vocational journalism colleges and universities. The workshops have received very positive feedback.We are working closely with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and leading mental health charities to change the news agenda around mental illness and violence. We intend to get across the 'other side of the story', stressing that most people with mental health problems are not violent, when the media reports on homicides perpetrated by mental health patients. This collaborative project, called 'Context' is due to be up and running later this year.
We have commissioned the charity Ok2b to run a web-based 'StigmaWatch' system, enabling people to praise and complain about media coverage. It is due to launch in March 2009.
We will be publishing 'Mind over Matter III', our annual analysis of media coverage, this spring. This report will analyse coverage from March and October 2007 to see if there has been any improvement in coverage from the previous year and the Mind Over Matter II report.
To download a copy of 'Mind Over Matter II', visit: http://snipurl.com/mindovermatter2
Twelve focus groups have been held to examine the role of the media in the shaping public fears of people with mental health problems. The report into the findings, due to be published in the Spring, will consider issues like how critically people examine stories linking mental illness and violence.
Previous work includes the publication earlier this year of 'What's the story?', a guide for journalists on reporting mental illness and suicide.
To find out more about What's the Story, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/mediahandbook
Shift is continuing to operate its Speakers Bureau, a bank of 50 people with mental health problems and carers who talk to the media.
To find out more about the Shift Speakers' Bureau, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/speakersbureau
++ Black and Minority Ethnic Communities ++
We have commissioned several organisations to undertake work on Black and Minority Ethnic issues because people with mental health problems from these communities often experience a double stigma – racial discrimination, as well as discrimination because of their mental ill-health.The Newcastle and Gateshead Art Studio 'Black and White' photographic exhibition is being produced by members of a community group in Newcastle. The photographs will soon be available for exhibitions and electronically via the Shift website.
Shift launched in November the award winning short film 'Open Secrets', a film about shame and mental illness in a middle class Asian family, starring Saeed Jaffrey and Valmike Rampersad. Community Development Workers are using the film with a question and answer package to explore ways of using it to maximum effect.
Community Development Workers are piloting the award winning short film 'Open Secrets' about shame and mental illness in a middle class Asian family. The film has received very positive feedback. The trailer for 'Open Secrets' is being shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National conferences around England and on the Shift website. The full film will be available to view via the website from the spring. DVDs of the film will be sent to all CDWs from March/April 2009.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust have been commissioned to do a Qualitative and Quantitative Research Project looking at the coverage of mental health stories in African Caribbean media.
Ethnic Communications have completed a Qualitative Research Project looking at the handling of mental health content in the South Asian media. We plan to make the findings of this and the other media related research projects public some time this spring.
++ Employment ++
Over 30,000 copies of the Shift Line Manager's Resource, guidance for line managers on handling mental health problems in the workplace, have been distributed to employers across England, particularly to ones in the public sector. Shift is promoting the resources at a wide range of national events. For free copies of the guidance, email employment@csip.org.uk or go to http://www.shift.org.uk/employersAn independent expert panel, The Shift Review Panel, has been set up to review guidance on mental health and employment and help guide employers through the wealth of existing advice. The panel, hosted by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, includes experts from academia, business and the public sector. The first reviews of materials, identified as being the most useful for employers, are now available via the Shift website at http://shift.org.uk/reviewpanel.
Three short, humorous films about managing mental health problems at work have been developed as a way of reaching out to employers and staff who have not yet engaged with the issue. The films, which can be viewed by employers and staff on the Internet, are now being disseminated with a package of awareness raising and educational tools. The Life in the Office Film trailers are being shown at Shift exhibition stands at numerous National Conferences in England. The films and the training package are now available on the Shift website.
To find out more about our employment work, visit: http://www.shift.org.uk/employment
++ Football ++
Following the Shift ‘Mad About Football’ conference in October – the first ever conference looking how football can be good for mental health - work is continuing to ensure football is used to improve the well-being of people with mental health problems and breakdown discrimination. A ‘Mental Health Advisory Group’, set-up in partnership with Shift, the FA, PFA, Premier League, Football Foundation and Sporting Chance, is taking forward this work.For more information about ‘Mad About Football’, including photos and video, visit:
http://shift.org.uk/madaboutfootball
To find out more about our sports work, visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/work/sport
++ Shift on the Web ++
Shift has launched a new version its website and is testing the use ofa number of social networking tools. Shift has also updated the Line
Managers' Web Resource and the What's the Story media microsite.
Please be aware that these changes may mean that some old bookmarks
may no longer work. Please email shift@csip.org.uk if you need help.
See the new Shift website here:
http://www.shift.org.uk
Facebook members can follow our work here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shift/18052500287
See our bookmarks on Delicious here:
http://delicious.com/shiftstigma
Follow our Twitter feed here:
http://twitter.com/shiftstigma
The updated Line Managers' Web Resource is here:
http://www.shift.org.uk/employers
The update What's the Story microsite is here:
http://www.shift.org.uk/mediahandbook
++ Get Involved ++
The Shift website lists a number of ways in which you can help us withthe work that we do.
To find out more, please visit:
http://www.shift.org.uk/getinvolved
