This week the Mental Health Foundation
and organisations across the globe are recognising Mental Health Awareness Week.?
Now in its twenty-first year, Mental Health Awareness Week provides an annual opportunity for us all to focus on achieving good mental health – and this year’s theme is loneliness.?
Here at RIBA we’re running a number of activities and events for our staff, with loneliness in mind. We want to bring colleagues together and connect through:???
- A Q&A series, for RIBA staff to get to know our team of Mental Health First Aiders better. ?
- Encouraging colleagues to take some time out of their schedule to meet with each other for a catch up – e.g. a morning coffee or lunch.?
- A breathing exercise workshop with a certified Yoga instructor, designed to reduce stress, anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improve focus and concentration. ?
- An art club session where participants will get creative and make a special memory token.?
- A talk with guest speaker, Robin Hewings (Programme Director at the Campaign to End Loneliness) on ‘How to combat loneliness: supporting yourself and your colleagues’. The talk will cover: the meaning of loneliness, the impact it has on health and mental wellbeing, how we can tackle loneliness, and support ourselves and colleagues.??
We also want to encourage our members to invest in their mental health and wellbeing – both for their own benefit and the spaces they design. Here are a few useful resources:??
