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TIME TO CHANGE CHAMPION - MICHAEL STEWART

23 OCTOBER 2018 14:35

E.G. Lewis Group are proud to introduce Health & Safety Advisor, Michael Stewart as it’s first Time To Change Champion.

On Wednesday 10^thOctober, the group announced that employees had become Time To Change Champions, this in support of World Mental Health Day.

Time To Change Champions use their experience of mental health problems to change the way people think and act about mental health. Being a champion is a flexible and voluntary commitment. You can do what you have time for, and what you’re comfortable doing.

Mike sat down with Business Development & Marketing Coordinator, Ben Jenkins to discuss his role as Time To Change Champion:

So Mike, Why did you want to become a Time To Change Champion?

“I took this initiative because I believe that in this very male orientated industry issues surrounding mental wellbeing are not readily addressed to an acceptable level.

“We need personnel out on site who have the training and empathy to recognise signs and symptoms of the various ways people struggle to cope with everyday life. This dis-ease is of no benefit to the individual who will continue to suffer, or either the company they work for who may have to deal with continued absences and dropped productivity ifthe individuals condition is not recognised.

According to Business in the Community’s Mental Health at Work 2018 report, 61% of employees say they have experienced a mental Health issue due to work or where work was a related factor.

Has past experiences within the topic of mental health encouraged you to become a Time To Change Champion?

“I have been lucky that up until recently I had been blessed with a family and private life that I was always able to manage to a good degree of success by working things out by talking or resolving issues by sometimes backing down so as not to upset the status quo.

“Recently Ihave experiencedone or two personal issues, which has led to a bout of ongoing insomnia. This lack of sleep has tended to affect my concentration levels and my physical and mental wellbeing on a day to day basis.

Mike added: “My outlook on life has changed and I sometimes question whether it is all worth the effort to maintain the focuson a daily basis.

Finally Mike, what do you feel you can do to make a difference as a Time To Change Champion?

“I would hope that because I am a good listener and communicator,that with the correct level of training and input from existing Time to Change personnel, alongside my own personal empathy,that I would be able to approach anyone or arrange for anyone to visit me if they had an issue no matter how trivial it would seem to them.

“Sometimes just identifying that someone has a problem and acknowledging that this can be conquered or compartmentalised is enough to restore balance and order to someone's life and remove the stigma, fear and anxiety.

Break the culture of silence that surrounds mental health and talk to your employer.