A charity is urging businesses to prioritise mental health training in 2024, after it trained more than 1,000 people in Suffolk last year.  

The Mental Health Toolkit, part of the local independent charity Suffolk Mind, delivered more than 100 sessions of its award-winning 'The Essentials' workshops during 2023.  

This half-day session helps individuals make sense of the mental health continuum and their own emotional needs and resources that support wellbeing, such as sleep and achievement.  

The Essentials also provides people with the tools to support themselves and their peers, while also helping to reduce absences and improve work culture. 

Wendy Sheppard, Corporate Relationships Manager for The Mental Health Toolkit, said: "Increasing knowledge of mental health and how to support it with confidence is essential within businesses and organisations.  

"Many of us spend most of our time at work, so it's vital we have an environment where we feel looked after.  

"The team are proud to have delivered The Essentials workshop to so many people. Not only does it help attendees feel better in themselves, but it also helps increase productivity in the workplace and improve staff retention." 

Wendy Sheppard session for Mental Health Trust at Co-op Bank (Picture: Suffolk Mind)

The workshop, which won the Health and Wellbeing Award at last year's East Suffolk Awards, is the foundation of The Mental Health Toolkit's workplace wellbeing training. The charity says it's also a great stepping stone to their next-level courses – Supporting Mental Health and The Comprehensive Toolkit. 

Numerous companies continue to benefit from The Essentials, including Beckett Investment Management Group. 

Ian White, the company's CEO, said: "All members of the Becketts team attend The Essentials as part of their induction.  

"It ensures that everyone begins to understand their own mental health and creates a common language amongst the team.  

"I believe it is an important foundation of creating an open culture within the organisation." 

Digital marketing agency, Crafted, has also adopted The Essentials as part of its staff induction and ongoing training. 

Nicole Noble, People and Culture Manager at Crafted, said: "Mental health shouldn't be an afterthought, which is why we've embedded The Essentials training right at the start of staff onboarding, within our induction process.  

"It helps new joiners understand the emphasis we put on wellbeing within the agency, prompting a positive and open culture around mental health." 

The Mental Health Toolkit provides practical mental health training for organisations and individuals across the UK and internationally, including most recently in Belgium and the USA. 

To find out more about the training available, visit www.thementalhealthtoolkit.co.uk.