Your how-to: Setting up an initial mental health resource library
Setting up an initial mental health resource library involves creating a dedicated repository of educational materials and resources that can help your employees understand, manage and improve their mental wellbeing. Such a repository could comprise diverse resources such as e-books, articles, videos, self-help guides, podcasts and directories to professional mental health services.
The materials could cover a range of topics from understanding the basics of mental health and well-being, coping strategies for common mental health problems, to how to offer support to someone experiencing mental health issues. The resource library should have clear, straightforward information presented in a non-technical language to make it accessible to all employees, regardless of their previous knowledge or understanding of mental health.
In the Australian context, it becomes crucial to incorporate resources about national mental health support hotlines, local mental health services and the laws protecting employees with mental health conditions under the Fair Work Act. The material can later be customised and updated based on feedback from employees and developments in the field of mental health and well-being. This continuously evolving library can provide the essential groundwork for promoting a mentally healthy workplace and can form the basis of ongoing mental health training and initiatives within your company.
Step by step instructions
Establish the Need and Importance: Firstly, it's crucial to recognise the need for a mental health resource library in your organisation. Start by gaining a thorough understanding of the current mental health climate within your company. Hold discussions with employees, conduct anonymous surveys and review any existing mental health policies or initiatives.
Identify the Types of Resources: Decide on the types of resources you want to incorporate. This could range from e-books, articles, and videos, to self-help guides, podcasts, and professional mental health services. Select materials that will be accessible, informative and beneficial for all employees.
Organise and Categorise: Arrange the resources into logical categories. This could be based on the type of resource, the topic it covers, or the level of complexity. Ensure easy navigation for users to find desired information swiftly.
Communicate the Resource Library: Once your library is ready, let your employees know. Use company meetings, email announcements, or newsletters to spread the word. Highlight the importance of mental health and the efforts your company is making to support this.
Secure Leadership Buy-in: Engage your leadership team in the setup. Provide them with data and details from your research and underscore the benefits such a library will bring to the overall health and productivity of the company. Their endorsement and backing can crucially support your project.
Source the Resources: Research scholarly articles, websites and other reliable sources to gather your initial set of resources. Aim for diversity in your selection to cater to different needs and learning styles. Don't forget to include Australian-focused resources, such as details of national mental health support hotlines, local mental health services, and informaton about laws under the Fair Work Act.
Create an Online Repository: The materials need to be easily accessible at all times. Consider creating an online repository that remains available to every employee. This could be a dedicated section on your company’s intranet or even a cloud-based platform.
Encourage Use and Feedback: Once the library is launched, encourage its use. You might also want to establish a feedback mechanism to continuously improve the library based on your employees' responses.
Use this template to implement
To ensure you can execute seamlessly, download the implementation template.
Pitfalls to avoid
When curating a mental health resource library, it's crucial to accommodate the diversity of your workforce. It would be a mistake to focus solely on general topics. Your library should go beyond surface-level information and cover various mental health conditions, treatments, and mental wellbeing techniques. Remember, each person's experience with mental health is unique and your library should reflect that.
While international resources can be useful, such as generalised wellness strategies and universal mental health advice, don't forget to include local-specific resources. This might include links to Australian mental health charities, information on how to access therapy within the Australian healthcare system, or references to local self-help groups.
It's vital that your employees feel safe when utilising these resources. Avoid methods of access that require users to log in or otherwise disclose their identity. Ignoring privacy can discourage individuals from using the resources due to fear their use will be discovered and could lead to stigmatisation.
Not all resources are created equal. Be wary of including resources that are not evidence-based or are not backed by reliable sources. Misinformation should have no place in your library as it can be harmful or, at least, unhelpful.
Mental health research is constantly evolving, and the understanding of and approach to various conditions can change frequently. Failure to update your library with new findings, resources or techniques would limit its usefulness over time.
If your resource library is poorly organised or difficult to navigate, employees might struggle to find the specific resources they need. Avoid this pitfall by implementing an intuitive, user-friendly system. Enable easy access to resources with clearly marked categories and consider adding a search function.