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Listen
Preventing Suicide and Deliberate Self Harm
Laying the Foundations: Identifying Practice Examples
Project Report
2. Time for Talking, Scottish Association for Mental Health
Target Group
Time for Talking is a counselling and support service which is available to all members of staff within Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH). SAMH is a provider of mental health services that operates across Scotland.
Issues
Time for Talking is able to provide counselling support around a range of issues, which can be either personal or work-related. Support can be provided for issues such as illness, bereavement, relationship difficulties, or anxiety, depression or loneliness. Employees can also receive support for work-related issues such as difficult relationships with colleagues, coping with redundancy or retirement, work-related stress or coping with change.
Services/approach
The service was introduced in 1993 in recognition of the fact that in order for staff to offer care and support to others, they need to feel cared for and supported themselves. Whilst SAMH has a range of support structures in place it was felt that staff could also benefit from the availability of support that was provided independently of organisational structures. The service is therefore provided by an external organisation.
The aim of the service is to provide SAMH employees with support at times of crisis and stress and also provide a form of support that might prevent difficulties from developing into a crisis. The aim of the counselling is to create greater well-being. Talking with someone is often the first step towards solving problems.
The service operates an independent telephone number which employees can contact whenever they need to. The service can provide up to five counselling sessions free of charge. The aim is to help people resolve their difficulties within these sessions. If someone feels that they need continuing support, they can carry on working with their counsellor for a while longer on a self-funded basis if they wish. Alternatively, the counsellor can help identify other sources of support.
The Time for Talking process is entirely confidential. All personal information about a member of staff who is using or has used the service is retained by Time for Talking, and is not made available to anyone within SAMH.
Key features
Confidential
Independent of employer
For further information, contact:
Mark Raeburn, Information Officer
Scottish Association for Mental Health
Cumbrae House, 15 Carlton Court
Glasgow, G5 9JP
Tel 0141 568 7000
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