BMet partnership enables free 24/7 online mental health support for students and staff
Students and staff at BMet College can benefit from free 24/7 online mental health support, thanks to a foreword-thinking partnership designed to encourage well-being in the workplace.
BMet is now officially launching round-the-clock wellness focused services across its colleges.
From today, all students and staff at BMet will have access to Togetherall – an anonymous, peer-to-peer online community, monitored 24/7 by mental health trained professionals. The service also offers a choice of helpful tools for students and staff including online self-help courses, assessments and resources.
The service can be accessed through Togetherall’s site using BMet college email addresses whenever needed. Anyone wanting support can receive help at a time that suits them, including in the comfort of their own homes.
According to research, 1 in 6 adults have a mental health condition at any one time – and among adults of working age that can be as high as 1 in 3.
The partnership is expected to help combat these startling statistics, as well as the rising numbers of mental health-related issues resulting from the lockdown and pandemic.
Speaking of the wellness focused partnership, that could support hundreds of students and staff at BMet, Kay Burton-Williams, Director of Student Experience and Designated Safeguarding Lead at BMet said: “I am pleased to be able to introduce these services across our colleges, which represents our continued commitment to supporting the well-being of our students and staff.
“The impact of the global pandemic will continue to have a significant impact on all our lives. Therefore, having access to these services, will help our learners and employees explore and develop strategies to improve their well-being.
“By teaming up with Togetherall at BMet, we feel that we are making a real effective step in trying to tackle problems that people often suffer with in silence.”
Togetherall has supported over 200,000 people to date and has been commissioned by various educational organisations, employers, clinical commissioning groups and many other institutions.
70% of members report feeling better as a result of using the services and 1 in 2 shared their thoughts on the platform for the first time.
“We are delighted to be welcoming staff and students at BMet College to the Togetherall community,” says Togetherall Chief Executive Officer, Henry Jones. “As the pressures of a third lockdown continue to contribute to an enhanced sense of fatigue and uncertainty for many individuals, it is critical that those struggling with a mental health condition are able to feel supported in a safe and uplifting environment, where they can communicate openly and honestly.”
One Togetherall member said: “I feel that the support I receive is fantastic. You are not judged and you can be yourself. Most of us are very good at hiding our feelings. This is the only place I have felt comfortable in expressing myself.”
The well-being services are now freely available to all students and staff at BMet and are expected to have a positive impact on people’s health and well-being.
This partnership is in line with BMet’s ongoing commitment to develop people-focused student and employee services across its James Watt, Matthew Boulton and Sutton Coldfield colleges.
It follows BMet’s recent signing up to ‘The Charter for Employers Positive about Mental Health’, which is part of ‘Mindful Employer’ – a UK wide initiative run by Devon Partnership NHS Trust.