Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade have launched their first ever NI Workplace Health & Wellbeing Conference.  The new event will take place on Tuesday 30^th November 2021 (8am to 12.30pm) at the Canal Court Hotel & Spa, Newry. It will include keynote speakers, case studies and an exhibition space.

The event is supported by principal sponsors Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Action Mental Health.  It is open to organisations of any size from across NI, not just the Greater Newry area.

Emma Mullen, President of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade said, “Businesses and their employees have experienced an extremely challenging last 18 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  This has had a negative effect on the physical and mental health of many of our citizens.  We feel now is the right time to help local employers to come together, share best practice and help them develop effective health and wellbeing strategies for their workplaces.

The conference will include expert speakers from specialist organisations and local employers who are leading the way with their programmes.  We are looking forward to keynote addresses from Nicola Connolly Byrne, Founder of I AM Positive Mindset and John Ryan, Founder & CEO Healthy Place to Work, Rachael Power, AMH Works Manager, Action Mental Health and David Babington CEO Action Mental Health. NI Chest Heart & Stroke will present on their Work Well Live Well programme. 

We are extremely grateful to our sponsors Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Action Mental Health. Without their support we could not run this, not to be missed, conference”.

Oonagh Magennis, Vice Chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said, “We are delighted to support Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade with this important initiative.  As a council one of our key objectives is to improve the lives and livelihoods of the people who live and work in this region.  It is important that we work across all three sectors, public, voluntary and private, to share what works best to support employees.  

Rachael Power, AMH Works Manager, Action Mental Health, commented “AMH are delighted to be sponsoring this important conference and to be working with Newry Chamber of Commerce and Newry Mourne and Down Council to support local business. We are thrilled to see employers in the Newry area taking such a proactive approach to the mental health and well-being of employees and we look forward to working with them in the future.” The NI Workplace Health & Wellbeing takes place on Tuesday 30^th November.  To view the event programmme, full speaker line up and to book your FREE place, click HERE.

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AMH Works provides workplace mental and emotional well-being consultancy supported by a range of specialised employee programmes, proven to improve workplace well-being across organisations. For more information click here.

This Anti-bullying week we’re focussing on some of the services that help support children in a range of ways, including if they are victims of bullying.

Provoking Thought is one project which helps secondary-age children negotiate their way through the difficult years from 11 to 18 and beyond, until 25 years of age, within community groups.

Provoking Thought looks at aspects like ‘what is bullying’ and questions likes ‘what is friendship’ and what makes up a good friendship. This is designed for young people to look at their relationships and evaluate if their friendship is good for them.

The project looks at the question of why people bully others and the symptoms of bullying and its mental health impact- on both the victim and the bully.

Provoking Thought looks at how bullies can e supported by helping them to identify those around them who they can turn to for help.

It also teaches young people what they can do the help themselves if they find that they are victims of bullying.

Provoking Thought also helps young people reflect on their online and social media behaviour, examining cyberbullying. It encourages young people to think twice before they comment and whether it’s a helpful thought they intend to share publicly.

Provoking Thought places a great emphasis on identifying people who are there to help and also on coping skills, focusing on the principles of the Five Ways to Well-Being to help illustrate ways of coping with bullying they may encounter.

Reflecting on the five ways – Connect, Give, Keep Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning- Provoking Thought encourages pupils to ‘Connect’ with good and trusted friends. It also encourages them to ‘Give’ themselves a detox from social media and to step away from it for a while, especially if they are experiencing cyberbullying.

Provoking Thought workshops are available to 11-25-year-olds and their key contacts and can be delivered in schools, youth clubs and community groups.  (Can be delivered to 25+ also)

The aim of the workshop is to support young people/people and their key contacts in the area of mental and emotional wellbeing through a range of activities that are tailored to suit group needs. The workshops aim to be young people friendly, positive, interactive and informative.  The workshops are designed to explore issues and facilitate discussion around issues of mental and emotional wellbeing.

The transition from primary school to secondary is a difficult path for young people to tread, in many respects. Tackling GL and AQE tests can prove especially challenging and stressful for some children.

But in times of uncertainty presented by the continuing pandemic, it is no surprise that ten and eleven year olds across the country who are facing the tests – and their parents – are feeling extra stress around this particular milestone.

The possibility of catching the virus, getting sick or having to isolate in the precious final weeks up to the first test – with the GL taking place on November 13 and a follow-up supplementary test on December 11 – means tensions are understandably high among some children.

It also means that for those taking both the GL and AQE, which take place on November 20, 27 and December 4, anxiety about the chance of disruption to studying and physically sitting the tests could last over a prolonged period from the first to the final exam.

In light of all these pressures our young people are facing Action Mental Health is offering parents advice on how best to help them cope with exam-related stress. When we feel stressed, scared or nervous our body responds by releasing stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.  These hormones cause increases in heart rate, muscle tightening, blood pressure and a quickening of breath. These physical changes increase stamina and make you more alert, preparing you to either fight or flee from the situation you face.

Experiencing these physical changes before and during an exam is normal and sometimes they can actually make us feel motivated to achieve, more alert, confident and enthusiastic. Stress, however, becomes a problem with it begins to make us feel tense, nervous, anxious, aggressive and panic-stricken.  If severe or prolonged, stress can impair concentration and performance.

Symptoms of excessive stress include headaches, dizziness and stomach upset and a preoccupation with thoughts of exams and inability to relax. Children may withdraw from friends, family and hobbies and suffer constant tiredness due to problems sleeping.

Some may experience a loss of appetite or over-eating, while some might even be plagued by a general, negative outlook and become aggressive and short-tempered. In extreme cases, some children feel so low and desperate that they don’t want to go to school, feel like running away or succumb to self-harming.

Minimising exam stress

• Develop a realistic revision timetable by making a list of the subjects they need to focus on. Feeling prepared and organised can reduce stress;
• During exam time it is important to manage time properly.  Try to help your child maintain a healthy balance between practice papers and other activities they enjoy. Long periods of continuous study can overload young brains, so remember to build regular breaks into revision schedules and be mindful that the average attention span lasts around 20 minutes;
• Engaging in some form of physical activity during the break is a good way to reduce anxiety levels and help them relax;
• Remember everyone revises differently so compare how efficient they are at different times of the day and use different study methods, from practice papers to spelling drills and maths quizzes in the garden;
• Ask for help from their teacher if there are things you don’t understand.
• Always offer encouragement and support – praising and encouraging their efforts and achievements can be motivating and demonstrates your support for them;
• Try to keep things in perspective and encourage them to do the same – remember that exam results are not the only indicator of a young person’s capabilities.

According to Action Mental Health’s MensSana service – which delivers specialist mental health and resilience-building programmes for children of this age – a great emphasis should be placed on finding balance.

Karen Hillis, AMH MensSana Project Manager, reiterated: “Children should revise in short bursts and within realistic timetables, taking regular movement breaks or exercise, and always being mindful of different learning styles. It is advisable that parents praise rather than apply pressure and to create suitable and calm environment in which to study, without distractions.”

The night before

On the night before each exam, you can help lessen your child’s anxiety by ensuring they get organised early, having their school uniform, permitted stationery and test entrance ID all ready for the morning.

Then, do something the child enjoys most, like watching a movie, followed by a bath and hot chocolate before getting to bed at a reasonable time – a good night’s sleep will reduce stress!

On the morning of each test, leave plenty of time for breakfast and getting to the test venue on time. 

Breathing exercises – like those highlighted in the following video – might be an additional way of calming those frayed nerves.

And remember, ‘Working hard is important but there is something that matters even more: believing in yourself’ – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by JK Rowling.

Action Mental Health (AMH) is encouraging people across Northern Ireland to consider supporting the charity’s vital work in a very special way – by leaving a gift to AMH in their Will.

AMH’s friends old and new can leave a legacy of hope for future generations of people across Northern Ireland by taking this very important step.

One in five of us will experience a mental health problem at some point in our lives, and now, more than ever during these uncertain times, AMH is planning for the future of its vital services to support local people.

It’s really simple to include Action Mental Health in your Will and there are different types of gifts you can gift to the charity. There is a Residual Gift, otherwise known as a share of your estate which can be gifted to Action Mental Health; a Pecuniary Gift or cash sum of any amount; or a Specific Gift, such as property, jewellery, or any other items of worth.

Your gift to Action Mental Health will make a positive difference to mental health in Northern Ireland.

Action Mental Health is also delighted to be supported by the free online Will Writing service from Bequeathed and Will To Give, which will both take you through all the necessary steps and options for writing your Will, including options to pay a fee for additional legal support and guidance, if needed.

You can find out more at www.amh.org.uk/fundraising/legacy where you can download Action Mental Health’s Legacy Giving Leaflet.

International stress awareness week commences today, marking an opportune time for people to take a step back to reflect on the sources of stress in their lives. From November 1^st to 5^th this year’s focus falls on stress management, especially at work and in light of the increase in mental health issues as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Recent studies have shown that 74% of people are reportedly unable to cope with the levels of stress in their lives, making stress management more important now than ever. The psychological effects of stress result in 61% feeling anxious, and a worrying 32% end up shouldering thoughts of suicide.

Among the most common causes of stress among people of working age is the pressure to succeed. Some 60% of young adults labour under this type of stress, while a sizeable 26% of all adults feel stress by work in general. With such staggering statistics in mind, International Stress Awareness Week is a vital event for us all to recognise, particularly in the workplace where burnout is common.

According to the Health and Safety Executive’s latest findings (2018/19) on stress in the workplace, an estimated 16,000 people in Northern Ireland’s workplaces suffered from stress, anxiety or depression caused or made worse by work. During the same period, it is believed some 373,000 working days were lost to the local economy though associated staff absences.

That’s where Action Mental Health’s specialist service, AMH Works, can step in to help. AMH Works provides quality mental health training programmes for employers to support healthy, resilient workplaces, with a major focus on helping employees manage stress. AMH Works also develops the skills and learning required to effectively manage employee mental well-being in the workplace and delivers mental health training and consultancy services to some of the Top 100 companies in Northern Ireland and the UK including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Allstate NI and Schrader Electronics.

AMH Works has just launched its new Burnout and Rest Programme to combat this far-reaching issue. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic AMH Works have continued to deliver tailored emotional well-being programmes for employees.  During this time the employers AMH Works deals with have noted growing concern regarding the potential for their employees to be impacted by burnout, as the ‘new normal’ becomes a reality. This was confirmed in a recent survey of employees conducted by Mental Health UK, which reported that burnout had increased by 24% in 2020.

The World Health Organisation describes burnout as a psychological syndrome occurring from prolonged chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

Everyone can experience stress or feel overwhelmed at times, burnout mainly strikes people who are highly committed to their work: you can only “burn out” if you have been “alight” in the first place.

An antidote for burnout is rest. It is possible to prevent burnout and the associated health implications by ensuring your staff, and you, prioritise well-being and recognise the importance of rest through the techniques and activities promoted during this programme

The Burnout and Rest Programme covers:

• Understanding burnout, and the importance of rest
• Understanding the stages of burnout and how to take action
• Understanding what we mean by rest and how to implement it in your daily life
• Practice relaxation skills during the session
• How to access relevant sources of support

The Burnout and Rest programme sessions can be delivered face to face or online.

For more information about all that AMH Works has to offer Northern Ireland’s employers and employees, contact Rachael Power [email protected] for information on pricing and availability. For more tips on coping with stress in the workplace plus a host of other mental health issues and news, visit www.amh.org.uk

Clients at Action Mental Health’s recovery service in the north west have been celebrating their successes in the year of the pandemic, achieving a host of brand new qualifications.

Action Mental Health’s New Horizons Foyle has maintained the spotlight on mental health despite the restrictions of the Covid-19 outbreak by supporting clients’ pursuit of a variety of recognised vocational courses.

Action Mental Health has nine New Horizons services across Northern Ireland, offering clients a comprehensive programme of specialist training courses, tailoring programmes to suit individuals’ personal needs.

Clients past and present related their personal journeys through New Horizons, including a number who have progressed on to employment and further training following the achievement of certificates and qualifications.  Some 66 clients received 243 certificates for a variety of vocational, personal development and employability courses.

Colleen Harkin, Assistant Director of Community Adult Mental Health Services, Western Trust, joined the celebrations at AMH New Horizons Foyle this week, praising AMH staff for their hard work in supporting clients throughout a very difficult time.

“AMH’s mission statement, ‘to make a positive difference to people’s mental health and well-being’ was certainly confirmed by the clients who and shared their journeys, reflecting on the positive impact of engaging in a service that provides person centred programmes and demonstrates passion, empowerment, excellence and respect as well as the benefits of peer support,” she said.

Opening the proceedings, AMH New Horizons Foyle’s Service Manager, Pauline Flanagan commented: “What we have selected here as clients’ key achievements are really a summary which will only skim the surface of the many milestones achieved by them, and the day to day work carried out by staff.”

“We would like to thank AMH personnel, senior management, the Board and funders for all their contributions in helping staff on the ground to do their job through this most difficult of times,” she added. “We look forward with confidence in continuing to work together to improve outcomes for local people.”

Guests were treated to a snapshot video diary of recovery programmes engaged in both virtually and face to face during the last year.   Clients’ work, including arts and crafts, was on display, showcasing a diverse range of skills and talents. 

Chief Executive of Action Mental Health, David Babington commented: “I have been particularly conscious of the disproportionate impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on all clients registered with AMH who already face inequalities and barriers in their lives, so I am very impressed by all that has been achieved over the year. Through strong partnership working and effectively listening, AMH staff have been responsive, offering the correct support at the right time, in the right way.”

Clients at AMH New Horizons achieved their certificates through the “Working it Out” project, which is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2021, the Department for the Economy and the five Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Trusts.

A group of brave men have had a close shave to support clients of Action Mental Health throughout the Covid pandemic.

Men from Magheraveely Northern Ireland Supporters’ Club in County Fermanagh got their hairy pins out for the charity and shaved their legs to raise a whopping £5500.

The money helped Action Mental Health New Horizons Enniskillen support its clients when Covid-19 struck and the subsequent lockdown temporarily put an end to their usual face-to-face sessions.

The financial gift helped the charity buy IT equipment to keep clients – many of whom live in isolated rural areas – remain connected with their tutors and fellow clients via online chat and similar digital means of communication.

Subsequent lockdowns and social distancing postponed a chance for Action Mental Health to round up the brave men of Magheraveely to pose for a photograph featuring the charity’s fundraising department’s iconic great big cheque and its impressive total.

The men had shaved their legs back in 2020 but when the pandemic struck so soon after, normal procedures – as in so many walks of life – were sent awry.

Service Manager at AMH New Horizons, Caroline Ferguson said it was great to finally get the opportunity to thank the group for getting their razors out to go smooth and silky for the sake of its grateful clients.

“When Covid struck the cheque presentation had to be postponed. But like all our community fundraising last year, the money provided by the charity leg wax was invested in technology to improve client access and address digital poverty,” she said.

“As a result, we were able to support clients via 2496 Zoom sessions, 9281 support phone calls to clients, 2135 texts and 6362 emails.”

Menopause can creep up on women, causing few changes to a women’s physical and mental health. But it can also sweep over others, throwing their lives into disarray, causing a host of wide-ranging symptoms in both body and mind – and lots and lots of sweats.

It is only recently that the vocabulary of menopause has begun to appear in common parlance. For too long there was a culture of silence surrounding such a major life milestone which affects half the world’s population and which causes mental health issues among 86% of menopausal women.

But with initiatives like World Menopause Day, which was founded to raise awareness about the menopause and provide women with support, the real life experience of women from forty plus is finally being discussed in more than whispers.

The experience of no two women going through ‘the change’ is the same. Some can sail through without feeling any significant change, but for some, they can feel crippling symptoms, the worst, most would agree, being anxiety and depression thought to be a result of fluctuating hormones.

From the very outset, it can even be difficult to know if you are going through menopause, especially if you already have irregular periods. During this period – known as perimenopause – the changes can begin to manifest themselves, often over several years, in various degrees of severity, often leaving women confused about what’s happening to them.

According to a survey on perimenopausal symptoms by Healthandher.com 58% of women spoke of experiencing low energy and motivation. Of the poll of 2000 UK women, 53% suffered low mood, 50% experienced depression and anxiety while 42% were affected by anger and mood swings. Startlingly, one in 10 even said they’d had suicidal thoughts.

What it’s all about?

Menopause arrives in women’s lives after their ovaries have stopped producing eggs and as a result, oestrogen levels fall and all the tell-tale symptoms begin, often marked by the end of periods. The end of this stage in a woman’s life then creates a hormone imbalance precipitating the onset of up to thirty symptoms identified by the British Menopause Society, including: hot flushes, vaginal dryness, weight gain, sleeping problems, stress and anxiety, loss of sex drive, night sweats, skin changes, joint aches, low energy, low mood, period changes, brain fog, sensitive bladder, painful sex and headaches.

With all these symptoms, it’s no wonder some women feel like they don’t know whether they’re coming or going or that they’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed.

Action Mental Health spoke to a number of local women to gauge how menopause affected them.

Danielle, 52, from County Londonderry, said the menopause was a “massive qualify of life issue which is not being recognised enough”.

“So many women in their 50s are still in work and I think there should more encouragement for more wide-ranging menopause policies at work and more understanding and support within the work environment.

“It makes me feel unlike myself, like I’m going mad sometimes. Coping with dark dreams, confusion and the lack of sleep, means I can’t cope with work, or retain information and then I become emotionally unstable. It makes you have concerns about your own sanity and whether or not you have something wrong with you, like dementia, which I often feel like I have with all these symptoms.

“Dealing with changes in your body and not liking what you see, and particularly letting go of that dream of a youthful body, is difficult to cope with, as well as putting weight on in places that no matter what you do, no matter how many times you visit the gym or calories you deny yourself, you just can’t shift!”

Gillian, 56 from Belfast said: “It’s affected my memory and anxiety was a mainstay at around 51 and it took a good six months to sort that out! Fatigue is also a major problem caused by insomnia. Personally, I didn’t chose meds or HRT, but I know many do, with great results.”

Shirley, 52 from Bangor added: “Sex became very painful for me and that caused a fair bit of anxiety but then I went to the doctor and got some treatment and that helped quite a bit. I’ve heard of quite a few friends who have suffered similarly but they haven’t got treatment for it, so I would highly recommend other women seek help for this.”

Lisburn mum of three, Tina, who is 50, commented: “I had such brain fog I felt like I couldn’t think straight but then I went on HRT patches and I feel like a new woman!”

Help is available

Like Tina, who began a course of hormone replacement therapy patches, many women glean a great deal of relief from their symptoms with HRT in its various forms.

Menopause requires no medical treatment. Instead, treatments focus on relieving your signs and symptoms and preventing or managing chronic conditions that may occur with aging. Treatments may include: hormone therapy, vaginal oestrogen, low-dose antidepressants, medications like Gabapentin or Clonidine – which traditionally treat other issues like seizures and blood pressure – to treat hot flashes, plus a host of other treatments to prevent or treat osteoporosis.

For more on the help available visit the British Menopause Society: https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/hrt-types-doses-and-regimens/

Further help can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/treatment/