Touchstone is committed to ending mental health stigma in all its forms, through collaborations and campaigning, and as an employer of people with direct experience of mental health difficulties.
One in four of us will experience a mental health problem in the course of a year – and if we do, we are likely to face stigma and discrimination from others.
What is stigma?
- Stigma is a negative attitude based on ignorance, prejudice and fear of a particular group
- Discrimination is treating people less favourably
- Negative attitudes, stigma and the discrimination against minority groups (on grounds of ethnicity, sexual orientation etc.) are steadily improving
- However, it is still common for people with mental health problems to experience stigma and discrimination. As a society we need to address and overcome this to create harmonious communities
Why is it important?
Negative attitudes towards those with mental health problems mean it can be harder to live a normal life, evidence shows people.
- can become isolated
- can feel excluded from everyday activities
- find it harder to get or keep a job
- can be reluctant to seek help, which makes their recovery slower and more difficult
- find their physical health is affected
What about Touchstone?
Touchstone is a health and wellbeing charity with 30 years experience of providing mental health services and tackling stigma and discrimination. Touchstone:
- Works with individuals, enabling them to identify their strengths and talents and helping them achieve their goals in life
- Delivers asset based community development projects, related to health, mental health and excluded communities
- Challenges attitudes and behaviour around mental heath stigma and discrimination
- Ensures the people with mental health problems are at the centre of our planning
We signed up to Time To Change because we want to challenge the stigma that poor mental health can have in the communities we serve.
We became a Mindful Employer because we value the contribution people with experience of mental health difficulties can make to our staff team.