“ People are much more in contact with mental health and wellbeing , stigmas have been broken down .”
AUTUMN | FEATURE
Promoting peace of mind
Access hears from mental health charity workers and touring professionals about the work that is being done to support industry workers in their time of need
Words : Joe Gallop
Collaboration may have become an events industry buzzword during the pandemic , but it is no more apt than when it comes to mental health . The way in which industry charities are seamlessly working together has helped many event professionals on their road to recovery . The need for mental health support was at an all-time high during Covid but post-pandemic challenges such as the cost-of-living crisis and burnout has only heightened the demand .
Music Support is collaborating with Backup Tech , Stagehand and the Roadie Cookbook , to raise funds to provide training to enable industry freelancers to become mental health first aiders . The aim is to get one in 20 industry workers trained in mental health first aid .
Music Support , which provides help for UK music industry workers affected by mental ill-health and / or addiction , hosts safe hubs at festivals up and down the country . It has seen the training uptake , in both mental health first aid and addiction and
Lynne Maltman
recovery awareness , increase by 16 % year-on-year .
The charity ’ s senior marketing and events specialist Lynne Maltman says , “ Prior to Covid , people were a lot more reluctant to have a chat with a mental health charity , and Music Support was sort of seen as the ‘ fun police ’, but it ’ s not been like that at all .
“ I spoke to someone at BST Hyde Park who told me they had helped their colleague the day before who was struggling , thanks to the training . It ’ s great to see that ripple effect across the industry . Across the board people are much more in contact with mental health and wellbeing , stigmas have been broken down a lot .”
“ People are much more in contact with mental health and wellbeing , stigmas have been broken down .”
Working with tour manager Suzi Green , Music Support also launched its four-hour Addiction and Recovery Training Workshop , which takes place on Zoom each month and has
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