More than ten Blackpool businesses are helping over 8,000 people across the Fylde Coast workforce through a mental health pledge.

Companies have signed up to the pioneering initiative backed by the Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network to ensure the area’s employees are fully supported with their mental health.

With charities and other organisations continuing to report increases in mental health issues across society, the network is also providing practical support to employers and employees by offering a free mental health webinar next month.

A Business in the Community study of Mental Health at Work in 2020, revealed 41 per cent of employees experience poor work-related mental health, with excessive pressure, workload and long hours the main causes.

Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network has responded by launching a range of initiatives and interventions to support businesses and their employees across the area.

Victrex, Addison Group, Atos, BAE Systems, Blackpool Transport, Code Galaxy, ICG Brandbuilders, Blackpool Sixth Form College, Empowerment, Choice Hotels, Unique Training and 32West are among the businesses who have already signed up to the network’s mental health pledge.

The network is hoping these businesses, which cover a full range of sizes and sectors, from SMEs to nationwide organisations, across engineering, hospitality, leisure, tourism, education and professional services, will provide inspiration to others across Blackpool and Fylde to come forward and sign up to the mental health pledge.

Andy Anderson, head of R&D at Victrex, said: “We would encourage businesses of all shapes and sizes in any sector to join others in the network and sign up to the pledge.

“We need to ensure mental health is given the same time and focus that physical health is already given. By signing your organisation up to the pledge, you’re declaring publicly that mental health at work is a priority for you and you’re joining a growing movement of like-minded employers, businesses and organisations across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast.”

Among the pledges businesses make are a commitment to prioritise mental health in the workplace, promote an open culture around mental health, and provide mental health support.

The Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network is also offering a free ‘Mind that Gap’ training session on Thursday, June 9, 9.30am-1pm, at Blackpool Unlimited, Enterprise Centre, Lytham Rd, Blackpool.

Neil Sladen, who hosts the session which explores Brain and Stress, Thinking Habits, and Coping Tips, is a fully qualified counsellor and registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

The session is applicable to individuals who feel they would benefit from understanding more about levels of personal resilience and psychological well-being. 

Andy Anderson said: “The Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network is delighted that Neil is continuing to provide this excellent, free training session to the Fylde Coast workforce. I’d encourage employers and employees alike to take up this great offer.” 

Places on this free ‘Mind that Gap’ training session are limited. To register your place visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mind-that-gap-session-tickets-336470742047 

Businesses keen to support the Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network’s mental health pledge are invited to email Laura.James@bitc.org.uk and detail what initiatives are underway to support mental health in your business or organisation.

For further information about the Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network contact Michelle Walker Michelle.walker@bitc.org.uk, or Laura James

The Fylde Coast RBN has been asked to support in finding some volunteers for a Primary School programme. Funded by the Blackpool Opportunity Area, Inspiring Blackpool connects volunteers from the world of work with primary schools to tackle gender stereotypes and broaden horizons. The initiative is run by Inspiring the Future.

We were delighted to have lots of offers of help for that activity but there is a range of virtual sessions happening this summer term and beyond that need volunteers just like you. To get involved with Inspiring Blackpool you can sign up to volunteer with Inspiring the Future which connects you directly with schools via their online match-making system. Signing up takes no more than 15 minutes and you’re required to give as little as an hour a year.

How does it work?

• When you sign up you create a short profile that will be visible to teachers who are also signed up!
• Schools use ‘Inspiring the Future’ to search for volunteers who can support their career-related learning activity. They may have a set theme such as ‘Science Week’ or ‘Gender Stereotypes’ or ‘occupations children may never have heard of.’
• Schools will search the database for volunteers that fit their activity criteria and send them an invite.
• If selected by a school to join an activity, you will receive an email invitation with dates and further details.
• All you need to do is accept or decline the invitation which you can do directly via the email you receive. If you accept the teacher will be notified and reach out!
• If you’re keen to support lots of activities, there is also the option for you to search the database of upcoming opportunities and express interest.

Register Now
Registering to be a volunteer with Inspiring the Future means you can share your own unique career story directly with local primary schools, secondary schools, and colleges. You get access to support, training and resources with Inspiring the Future too!

• To register you will need to set up your Inspiring the Future profile which will enable you to be visible to local schools coordinating activities.
• You can set geographical parameters of where you want to volunteer so you can keep this as a local opportunity if you wish.
• There is also the option for virtual volunteering which gives you the chance to connect nationally with children and young people.

The volunteering is designed to fit your schedule. Volunteers are asked to give an hour a year and can simply accept or decline invitations depending on your availability.

To register please click here

Upcoming Activities

Below are a list of upcoming virtual activities that would be a great introduction to the work we do and the vast impact it can have. Not just for the children of Blackpool but also for the positive benefits it could have for your staff. If you would like to get involved with any of the below please register here.

Date & time	School	Where	About the activity
Monday 13th June Time TBC	Bispham Endowed Primary	TBC	Virtual ‘What’s My Line?’ with a literacy theme   Would like volunteers to focus on the importance of literacy within their jobs – can be from any sector.
Tuesday 14th June 9:30 – 10:30 am	St Nicholas Primary School	Zoom	Virtual ‘What’s My Line?’ with Y5/Y6, 120 students   Gender stereotypes theme – the school would like 1 male in a traditionally female role, one female in a traditionally male role, and one volunteer from a role/sector the children won’t have heard of before.
Thursday 16th June 10.45 – 11.30 am	Kincraig Primary School	Zoom	Virtual ‘What’s My Line?’ with Years 1-6, 180 students   General aspirations theme showcasing a range of volunteers. Want to show jobs that are a bit ‘different’ and unknown to the children. Interested in having one volunteer from a ‘creative’ sector/role.
Tuesday 21st June Time TBC	Marton Primary and Nursery	Zoom	Virtual ‘What’s My Line?’ with Years 5/6, 120 students   The school would like specific jobs that link to topics in school but are open to one volunteer from any sector that is local.
Thursday 23rd June 9:15 – 10:15 am	Stanley Primary	Zoom	Virtual ‘What’s My Line?’ with gender stereotypes theme, with Year 6, 90 students   A panel with at least two volunteers that challenge gender stereotypes in their role, preferably at least one male and one female.
Monday 27th June 2 – 2.45 pm	Thames Primary Academy	Google Meets	Virtual Classroom Chats with Year 2 – 6, 300 students   Volunteers in health care setting but in roles that the children won’t have traditionally heard of – moving away from the traditional roles such as doctors and more allied health professionals or other.
Wednesday 29th June 1:15 – 2:15 pm	Blackpool Gateway Academy	Microsoft Teams	Virtual ‘What’s My Line?’ with Year 6, 60 students   General aspirations with a gender stereotypes tilt would like two volunteers that challenge gender stereotypes in their role. Open to whoever as the third volunteer.
Monday 4th July 9:30 – 10:15 am	Hawes Side Academy	Zoom	Virtual ‘What’s My Line?’ with Year 5, 90 students   Would like volunteers with roles that the children won’t have heard of. At least one volunteer that works in technology/computing.

 

 

At the instigation of 10 Downing Street and Sir Andrew and Lady Parmley, Cyber Girls First has organised three events in Lancashire.  The latest one was held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, where 80 KS8 girls from; Fleetwood High School, Cardinal Allen, Montgomery, Highfield and Armfield took part in a day of careers information, code cracking, cyber puzzles and presentations from many industry people, including GCHQ/Cyber First, Colt Technology, Launch Your Career, JPMorgan plus representation from local companies Koeber and Code Galaxy.

The girls were introduced to lots of fun items such as tracking/spying and looking at careers on the Launch Your Career platform via AV goggles.  They were able to take the goggles home with them and the teachers were also given a supply of them for use in careers discussions at school.  One teacher responded by saying “These are going to transform the Careers classes.”

The event was a collaboration on the ground between Laura James of the Fylde Coast RBN, Lisa Scargill of Lancashire Careers Hub and Kerry Harrison of the Lancashire LEP.

The highlight of the event was the last section, where all the IT professionals circulated around the tables to answer individual questions from the girls about their journey through the IT industry to their current position.

You can find out more about Cyber Girls First by visiting www.cybergirlsfirst.com