The ‘see me’ Pledge – your commitment to tackling the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health
1. What is the ‘see me’ Pledge?
Many organisations across Scotland have pledged to work with ‘see me’ in order to eliminate the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health. Signing such a pledge, and the action plan that accompanies it, means that the organisation makes a public commitment to tackling the stigma experienced by people with mental health problems. Such a commitment will be seen by employees, by customers or users of services and by the wider public.
'see me' Pledge board
2. What do we have to do?
The signing ‘ceremony’ is simple. A representative from the signing organisation and the ‘see me’ Campaign Director sign a large pledge board. The pledge text reads as follows:
“We are committed to working alongside the ‘see me…’ campaign, and have agreed an action plan to end the stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental health problems.”
Some recent pledge-signing events include ASDA Hamilton, Dumfries & Galloway Council, NHS Dumfries & Galloway and Dunfermline Athletic FC.
The board becomes the property of the signing organisation, to display as it thinks best. Extra copies of the board can be purchased at cost (about £100 each) for additional sites and offices.
3. Who has signed the ‘see me’ Pledge?
To date, nearly 300 organisations have signed the ‘see me’ pledge. These include private companies, voluntary sector organisations, prisons, housing associations, student associations, an airport, health boards, local authorities, football teams, and educational institutions.
View a list of organisations which have signed up so far.
4. What does signing the ‘see me’ Pledge mean?
The ‘see me’ anti-stigma message is an inclusive one. It doesn’t seek to point the finger or tell people that they are ‘doing it wrong’. The ‘see me’ strap-line is ‘Let’s Stop The Stigma Of Mental Ill-Health’ – reinforcing the notion that stigma is a shared problem and tackling it is something we can all do together. An organisation can sign the Pledge knowing that it will be seen to take full ‘ownership’ of its commitment and any follow-up work it does.
We ask you to commit to an action plan. As all organisations are very different in their work, size, and structure, the “small print” – how the pledge is implemented – often varies. Three board areas under which the action plan is arranged cover the organisation's actions as: 1) an employer; 2) a service provider; 3) a broader community stakeholder. The action plan is signed as part of the pledge ceremony; reinforcing the fact that the pledge and associated actions have support from the top!
‘see me’ has a range of anti-stigma images, resources and ideas that organisations can use. “Joint branding” has been successful – where ‘see me’ images are used and include local organisation logos and text to ensure that the message feels locally relevant and personal.
As an employer:
In some cases signing the Pledge is a starting point for an organisation to raise awareness about mental health issues in the workplace. It can tie in to and raise the profile of work towards Healthy Working Lives awards.
Organisations can use the ‘see me’ Pledge as a way of raising awareness, changing their culture, and prompting discussion about changes to policies and procedures.
The anti-stigma message can be promoted through:
o Payslip messages
o Mental health/anti-stigma displays
o Information on intranet/internet
o Articles in staff/industry newsletters
o Jointly branded materials e.g. ‘see me’ postcard or posters
o Screensaver with ‘see me’ images and message (free to download)
o Email signature message
o Reception areas e.g. displaying posters, leaflets and the pledge board or showing ‘see me’ adverts on plasma screens
o Letter from the organisation’s Chief Executive
o Guidance to colleagues and line-managers on coping with absence caused by mental ill-health
o Adverts shown on plasma screens
Signing the Pledge can provide an opportunity to re-examine any internal policies and procedures so that employees with mental health problems feel able to come forward and seek support earlier – saving stress, time and money. An organisation which challenges stigma publicly promotes a culture of help-seeking and recovery, contributing to reduced absence rates.
As a service-provider and a leading stakeholder in your local community:
In other cases, a local organisation or partnership sees signing the Pledge as a way of promoting the anti-stigma message to its customers, clients and stakeholders. Being a Pledge signatory can be a means of differentiating yourself from other service-providers and making clear your ethos and the type of service you intend to provide.
In the past, organisations have chosen to show their commitment through the following activities:
- Public display sites e.g. message transfers onto works vehicles in the community
- Incorporating mental health training (such as Mental Health First Aid, or ASIST) into staff development or induction
- Anti-stigma lunchtime workshops
- Football teams have worn ‘see me…’ t-shirts during the warm-up (players) and match (ground staff), included advertising and editorial in the match programme and posted anti-stigma messages on big screens or around the ground.
- Encourage colleagues, friends and family to join Stigma Stop Watch
- One organisation demonstrated its commitment to ‘see me’ with a sponsored cycle relay between all business units which was great for community as well as staff awareness.
- Leaflet displays in reception areas
5. How do we sign up?
If your organisation would like more information or to arrange a Pledge sign-up event, please contact 'see me' here or call us on 0131 554 0218.