Mental Health Blogs

Organisations including Mind, the Mental Health Foundation and Rethink Mental Illness (amongst others) are continuing to push the mental health agenda through a coalition called ‘We need to talk’. Related to this there are a number of blogs and initiatives that are worth being aware of.

Targeting mental health awareness and discrimination in men
http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/wolfpack

Mind – Your stories.  Some interesting case studies and blogs from people who have or are experiencing mental health problems.
http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/

Mind – Blog from a student diagnosed with bipolar disorder
http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/what-it-felt-like-to-be-diagnosed-with-bipolar-disorder/#.U61h_vldXAk

Time to Change – Blogs from a local Councillor on his experience with depression
http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/blog/treating-my-depression
http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/blog/counselled-councillor-depression-part-who-i-am-it-not-all-who-i-am

If you are aware of any further blogs or campaigns that you feel others may benefit from knowing about, please add them to the comments section of this blog.

Mark Allen

Get that Job – The new AGCAS video for disabled students and graduates

The Disability Task Group is pleased to announce the release of Get that Job, which is aimed at supporting students and graduates in their transition from university into employment.
The video looks at the following areas,

– identifying disability-friendly employers
– applying for work
– disclosing a disability
– adjustments in the workplace

Get that Job features opinion from disabled graduates who discuss their experiences of moving from university into their jobs.  They talk through their feelings and experiences of the recruitment process, the pros and cons of the notoriously grey area of disclosure, as well as their advice for present students.

To assist present students with finding the right employer and the transition into the workplace we also have the perspective of employers from different sectors, a specialist Disability Careers Adviser and a representative of the not-for-profit organisation EmployAbility.

Additionally we also look at adjustments in the workplace.  Although need in this area vary hugely depending on the individual, some of our graduates discuss those they have in place.  For adjustments where there may be a cost, there is also information and advice on obtaining funding.

Overall we feel this video is really able to assist the nearly 10% of graduates* who disclose a disability with their career journey after university.

The programme was made possible by generous support from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Shell International and Microlink PC. For further details take a look at,
http://www.agcas.org.uk/agcas_resources/671-Get-that-Job-streaming-licence-

(* AGCAS Disability Task Group report, 10 years on – 2013)

Mark Allen