This is Me

This is Me - in the City was launched by the Lord Mayor’s Appeal in 2016. It is a pioneering mental health campaign which aims to reduce the stigma of mental health in the workplace, to dispel the myths around mental health in work, and to raise awareness of the importance of wellbeing.

In partnership with Barclays, Business Healthy, City Mental Health Alliance, Mind and City AM, the campaign encourages employees who have experienced mental health problems to share their personal stories with colleagues via a video message or other medium.

Over 20 organisations took part in the first year, including Hogan Lovells, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters and Baker & McKenzie from the legal world. Over 100 employee stories were shared through implementation of the campaign in all 20 businesses, which potentially reached an incredible 420,000 employees. It had a much greater effect than expected, with many organisations saying it was the most impactful diversity campaign they’d ever run. One organisation measured an increase in the number of employees who reached out to their EAP services as a result.

Following on from this success, this year the campaign has high hopes of reaching more organisations and helping many more individuals who may be experiencing mental health issues. The target of 150 organisations registered for the campaign has already been reached.

However, the stigma of mental health is a huge issue in organisations, and for the individuals affected, and in Mental Health Awareness Week, from May 8-14 May, organisations are inviting employees to wear a green ribbon as a visible sign of support. This is Me believes that wearing a green ribbon can help to de-stigmatise mental health by:

• Creating a visible movement of support for ending stigma
• Showing those who are struggling that there is support and that they are not alone
• Demonstrating the level of support for this issue in organisations
• Encouraging people to share their story and to help create workplaces with an inclusive culture

The message of the green ribbon is simple, but powerful: Together we can #endthestigma

Wellbeing in the City

The Wellbeing in the City programme created by the Samaritans in partnership with This is Me teaches people the skills to manage their own emotional health and look out for others, before they reach crisis point.

Businesses and individuals can sign up for free now using the token code: samaritans2018

Members of the Legal Professions Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce sporting their green ribbons in support of the This is Me campaign