"we are all worthy"
our social change campaign to co-create stigma-free workplaces offers
an alternative stigma-free story with an empathy plot.
A STORY WHERE WE ALL FEEL SEEN, HEARD and worthy.
a story of hope. a book we want our children to read.
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Mental health stigma festering in our workplaces is keeping far too many suffering in silence and in shame and far too many from reaching out for needed support. And, when those who summon up the courage to reach out, despite stigma, for mental health support at work, are their pleas being answered? Or, are they getting laid off or fired? Or leaving voluntarily because they don't feel supported?
According to 2021 Harvard Business Review article, 89% of workers report a decline in their well-being since beginning of the pandemic; and, 39% of U.S. employees agreed their mental health is worse today than in January 2020. Yet almost three-quarters (74%) of over 4,300 respondents across 50 States in a recent survey said their companies have not invested in their mental health needs since the onset of the pandemic. Hopelessness is the leading predictor of suicide. Are our workplaces helping to shift people from a state of hopelessness to a state of hopefulness, and offering hope? The Great Resignation, coupled with increasing suicide rates, clearly suggests the answer is a resounding no. Something has to be done. We must eradicate stigma in our workplaces, rebuild corporate cultures on a foundation of empathy and provide needed mental health programs and supports. We simply have to provide our employees with hope. That is where our grassroots WE ARE ALL WORTHY social change campaign comes in. This campaign however is not about building on the business case for change. It's about presenting the human case for doing so and about calling on you to help do so. This is where our Founder's personal story also comes in: they other 'why" behind this campaign. personal NOTE FROM OUR founder ABOUT WHY SHE STARTED this MOVEMENT: her workplace experience
WE'RE presenting the human case. BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE. WE NEED YOUR HELP.We are now moving to galvanize mental advocates and concerned citizens to show Corporate America and workplaces across the world, we have had enough. The wall of stigma must come down. We must have empathy, kindness, compassion and caring in our workplaces. We must offer our employees the needed mental health programs and supports. Not only does it make business sense, it makes common sense.
If those who are concerned, particularly those with lived experience who have suffered stigma or been fired or laid off because of mental health discrimination, stand together and collaborate, we can interweave a more inclusive story both persuasive enough to change society and powerful enough to shine a light on what the future should look like. A future of no stigma. A future with where we lose fewer precious souls far too soon. A future of mental wellness. A future of hope. A future where we all can flourish. Let's work together to create stigma-free workplaces, rebuilt on a foundation of empathy and caring, by sharing our lived experiences. A key to ending stigma (please read systemic discrimination) is to humanize it with storytelling. Per Patrick Kennedy's insight regarding suicide, we don't need to intellectualize stigma, we need to humanize it. We need to do the same with mental health stigma in our workplaces. about our social change campaignThis is a grassroots cause-advocacy campaign now underway, and officially launching with a press release and corporate sponsor in January 2023. In preparation, we are galvanizing mental health advocates and concerned citizens from around the globe to show the world we support stigma-free support workplaces through sharing of selfies and stories.
Given our unique lens, we can shift workplace cultures and change the workplace in ways other stakeholders simply can not. Our voices of insight, pain and suffering can influence and shape understanding on a truly deep and human level. How can you help? 3 simple Ways to support
This is a rallying cry to advocates and concerned citizens to come together. To share our selfies and our stories in a collaborative and coordinated campaign to accelerate social change on behalf of those who are suffering in silence and shame. With must step up and speak out, a calling more salient in light of the Great Resignation.
Whilst it is easy to build a business case for workplaces to integrate mental health access and programming as a benefit, let's come together to do the hard work. Let's build a human case for rebuilding our workplaces on a foundation of empathy and caring. If you are a mental health advocate or concerned citizen of the world, please consider joining us and raising your voice. Let's all stand up and be heard. And together, be so loud that eventually they must not only listen but TAKE A PLEDGE to either acknowledge the importance of this initiative or take concrete steps to create a stigma-free workplace with appropriate mental health programming and supports for employees. |
kerry martin
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