Mental Health

Mental health matters to each and every one of us

Mental health matters just as much as our physical health, yet too often it is ignored, misunderstood and neglected. It is one of the biggest public health issues of today, impacting all aspects of society. It is simply wrong that 300,000 people in Britain lose their jobs each year due to mental health, or that one in six children have a probable mental health disorder. And this issue was brought into even sharper focus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We must change the conversation on mental health. At The Royal Foundation we will continue to tackle stigma and encourage more people to talk openly about mental health. We want to ensure that everyone’s understanding of the need to keep mentally fit is on a par with what we know about the need to eat healthily and to exercise. We are also supporting new services so people can find the right help they need, at the right time, and in the right place for them.

Our 2017 Heads Together campaign, which convened eight charity partners with one voice, encouraged more people in the UK to talk openly about mental health than ever before, and more people started accessing services as a result. But this was just the start, and the campaign went on to inspire a number of legacy projects which The Royal Foundation has since developed into programmes.

 

Read the Heads Together Five Years On impact report here

Heads Together

Too often, people feel afraid to admit that they are struggling with their mental health. The stigma surrounding it and fear of judgement can stop people for reaching out for the help they need when they need it. Through The Royal Foundation’s Heads Together campaign, launched in 2016 and spearheaded by The Prince and Princess of Wales and The Duke of Sussex, we brought together 8 charity partners and set out to change the conversation on mental health, building on the decades of work they have already done.

Heads Together

Too often, people feel afraid to admit that they are struggling with their mental health. The stigma surrounding it and fear of judgement can stop people for reaching out for the help they need when they need it. Through The Royal Foundation’s Heads Together campaign, launched in 2016 and spearheaded by The Prince and Princess of Wales and The Duke of Sussex, we brought together 8 charity partners and set out to change the conversation on mental health, building on the decades of work they have already done.

Digital innovations

The tides are turning and people are starting to feel more comfortable talking about their mental health, but better tools are needed to help people start a conversation wherever they are, and whenever they need to talk.

People need help building the confidence to talk about how they’re feeling, and digital innovation is required to help these conversations happen – wherever that person is, and whenever they need it.

In 2017, The Royal Foundation set up Mental Health Innovations (MHI), a digital mental health charity using digital innovation, data-driven analysis and the experience of clinical experts to improve the mental health of the UK population. We supported MHI with the launch of Shout in May 2019, one of the UK’s most innovative and pioneering digital mental health support services, making it easier for people in crisis to get help. It is a text messaging service for people in crisis – free to use, confidential and available 24/7. To date, Shout has held over 1 .5million conversations with 540,000 children, young people and adults in need of immediate support.

Find out more about Shout

Digital innovations

The tides are turning and people are starting to feel more comfortable talking about their mental health, but better tools are needed to help people start a conversation wherever they are, and whenever they need to talk.

People need help building the confidence to talk about how they’re feeling, and digital innovation is required to help these conversations happen – wherever that person is, and whenever they need it.

In 2017, The Royal Foundation set up Mental Health Innovations (MHI), a digital mental health charity using digital innovation, data-driven analysis and the experience of clinical experts to improve the mental health of the UK population. We supported MHI with the launch of Shout in May 2019, one of the UK’s most innovative and pioneering digital mental health support services, making it easier for people in crisis to get help. It is a text messaging service for people in crisis – free to use, confidential and available 24/7. To date, Shout has held over 1 .5million conversations with 540,000 children, young people and adults in need of immediate support.

Find out more about Shout

Heads Up

While the conversation around mental health has grown significantly in recent years, mental health problems remain one of the biggest issues in society today. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 and it’s time this changed.

The Heads Up campaign, a partnership between Heads Together and The Football Association, used the power and influence of football to encourage more people to feel comfortable talking about their mental health, and feel able to support their friends and families through difficult times. Nearly half of all football fans – an estimated 8 million football fans – were reached by the Heads Up campaign.

As a legacy of the campaign, the football family united to sign the Mentally Healthy Football Declaration, demonstrating their commitment to mental health and fitness as a key priority for all levels of the game, for years to come. This landmark commitment signed by 13 major bodies is set to support 1.9 million professional and grassroots players across the UK.

Read more about Heads Up

Heads Up

While the conversation around mental health has grown significantly in recent years, mental health problems remain one of the biggest issues in society today. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 and it’s time this changed.

The Heads Up campaign, a partnership between Heads Together and The Football Association, used the power and influence of football to encourage more people to feel comfortable talking about their mental health, and feel able to support their friends and families through difficult times. Nearly half of all football fans – an estimated 8 million football fans – were reached by the Heads Up campaign.

As a legacy of the campaign, the football family united to sign the Mentally Healthy Football Declaration, demonstrating their commitment to mental health and fitness as a key priority for all levels of the game, for years to come. This landmark commitment signed by 13 major bodies is set to support 1.9 million professional and grassroots players across the UK.

Read more about Heads Up

Children's mental health

One in ten children will experience a mental health difficulty at least once before the age of 11. Children should understand what it means to have mental health and be aware of how to manage it, and teachers play a vital role in making this happen.

In partnership with Heads Together charity partners The Anna Freud Centre, Place2Be and Young Minds, The Royal Foundation launched Mentally Healthy Schools in 2018, a website for primary school, secondary school, and further education college staff giving them access to hundreds of quality-assured resources, advice and information to help them better understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing. Since the site launched, there have been 1.5m users accessing Mentally Healthy Schools.

Visit Mentally Healthy Schools

Children's mental health

One in ten children will experience a mental health difficulty at least once before the age of 11. Children should understand what it means to have mental health and be aware of how to manage it, and teachers play a vital role in making this happen.

In partnership with Heads Together charity partners The Anna Freud Centre, Place2Be and Young Minds, The Royal Foundation launched Mentally Healthy Schools in 2018, a website for primary school, secondary school, and further education college staff giving them access to hundreds of quality-assured resources, advice and information to help them better understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing. Since the site launched, there have been 1.5m users accessing Mentally Healthy Schools.

Visit Mentally Healthy Schools
Royal Foundation

Mental Health at Work

Most of us spend the majority of our time at work, but it is the place we are least likely to talk about our mental health. Heads Together research showed that as little as 2% of us would feel comfortable talking about mental health in their workplace, which is having a drastic impact on the UK workforce.

Working in partnership with Mind, The Royal Foundation launched an online gateway to resources, training and information providing the tools needed for both employees and employers to make workplace wellbeing a priority in any organisation.

The site has been accessed by 345,000 people, with 696 employers having signed a commitment to adopt best mental health at work practices.

Visit Mental Health at Work
Royal Foundation

Mental Health at Work

Most of us spend the majority of our time at work, but it is the place we are least likely to talk about our mental health. Heads Together research showed that as little as 2% of us would feel comfortable talking about mental health in their workplace, which is having a drastic impact on the UK workforce.

Working in partnership with Mind, The Royal Foundation launched an online gateway to resources, training and information providing the tools needed for both employees and employers to make workplace wellbeing a priority in any organisation.

The site has been accessed by 345,000 people, with 696 employers having signed a commitment to adopt best mental health at work practices.

Visit Mental Health at Work

“It’s time that everyone speaks up and really feels very normal about mental health, it’s the same as physical health. Everybody has mental health and we shouldn’t be ashamed of it and just having a conversation with a friend or family member can really make such a difference.”

The Prince of Wales