• Groups unite to tackle mental health issues in teaching

    960 640 Stuart O'Brien
    Education Support Partnership

    Education Placement Group (EPG) has joined forces with Education Support Partnership (ESP) – the only UK charity providing mental health and wellbeing support services to all education staff and organisations – to tackle what it says is a sharp rise in mental health issues within the teaching profession.

    In ESP’s YouGov Health Survey 2017 the mental health and wellbeing of education professionals in the UK, 75% of teachers surveyed said that they have faced physical and mental health issues in the last two years because of their work and 53% have considered leaving the profession as a result of poor health and long term sickness, including depression, anxiety and panic attacks.

    Together EPG and ESP aim to raise awareness of the impact of mental health on teacher retention and the need to ensure that all staff have access to a support network, whether that is professional or social.

    Plans are currently underway to co-develop a Teacher Community, designed to help and support trainees and Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) and to provide peer support, professional coaching, guidance and ‘real time’ wellbeing advice.

    ESP and EPG also plan to run a series of events to celebrate the hard work of education professionals everywhere. In February this year, they funded a comedy night called The Funny thing about teaching to lighten the spirits of 900 teachers, compered by charmingly straight-talking and quick-witted Kerry Godliman, with a star-studded line-up including teachers-turned-comedians Jo D’Arcy and Rob Rouse, Mock the Week regular Angela Barnes, king of deadpan humour Jack Dee and stand-up comedian Stewart Lee.

    Julian Stanley, CEO of ESP, said “The more support, fun, fellowship and education we can deliver via these events, the greater the chance we will have of helping teachers stay in such a valuable profession.”

    Commenting on the event Robyn Johnstone, CEO, EPG concluded, “The evening praised teachers and celebrated their ‘laugh or cry’ moments experienced in the profession. Future events which will take place across the country will continue to focus on the theme of bringing school staff together to celebrate teachers whilst also highlighting the importance of wellbeing in the profession.”

    For more information, please visit www.educationplacementgroup.com.

    AUTHOR

    Stuart O'Brien

    All stories by: Stuart O'Brien

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published.