“Not acknowledging that millions are dealing with mental health conditions is costing an enormous amount both in terms of dollars and cents and, more importantly, people's lives."
Arianna Huffington
Mental Health at Work Mini-Conference, May 2018
"I personally would like to thank Mind Share Partners for all of your support of this ERG and community from the very beginning when we were unsure, driven, and quite a bit scared on launching something that would make us so vulnerable. You provided resources and insight that gave us direction, hope, and reminded us that what we were creating would matter to our peers. To which, you were right. I'm thankful for Mind Share Partners, what you stand for and all that you're creating in this new area of diversity, inclusion, and belonging."
"After the Mind Share Partners conference, we created our own Mental Health Fund, since our health insurance excludes it, and talked about it so our team knew we had their back and they'd be covered for emergency care for suicidal thoughts, etc.
It's a start. Stigma runs deep. It's good that [Mind Share Partners] is helping workplaces talk about it!"
Just launched! Join our Mind Share Partners Institute certificate program.
Just launched! Join our Mind Share Partners Institute certificate program.
Watch videos of C-level leaders sharing their personal mental health stories in our Leaders Go First campaign >
Why host?
Our hosts have the opportunity to provide a unique setting for professionals to connect and share strategies for navigating mental health at work.
By simply creating a space and lightly facilitating sessions, you can help group members feel less alone and part of a community, learn concrete tools and strategies to use at work, and be motivated to be a change agent in the workplace.
What makes a good host?
Our professional community groups have found that the best hosts:
-
Are great listeners. They allow room for others to speak, stay engaged, and invite people to participate and share.
-
Are open-minded and non-judgmental. They recognize that everyone has their own unique experience of mental health.
-
Make people feel heard through empathy, validation, and understanding.
-
Stimulate conversation by asking thoughtful questions that elicit discussion and while also asking for tangible learnings, strategies, and takeaways.
- Balance time for heavy topics as well as humor and lightheartedness.
- Have personal experiences with a mental health condition or symptoms at work.
Why is this important? Our professional communities thrive on common experiences. We have heard directly from members that lived experiences with mental health conditions and symptoms in a workplace context are different from stress, overall "wellness," or mental "wellbeing" broadly. In order to maintain a safe environment among members, we ask that hosts have some personal experience with mental health challenges in the workplace setting.
What will I do as a host?
As a host of a Mind Share Partners professional community, you will:
-
Confirm a regular date, time, and hosting location for your group.
* Group must be hosted in an office or public area (not someone's home). -
Confirm at least 5 participants who will attend your group.
-
Attend a 60-minute online training and orientation session with a Mind Share Partners team member.
-
Review our Community Guidelines.
- Host 4 group sessions using our Host Toolkit.
- Ensure our Pre-Survey and Post-Survey are completed by all participants.
- Attend a 30-minute online debrief with a Mind Share Partners team member to share your experience as a host.
What kind of resources or support will I get?
As a host, you will receive:
-
A comprehensive Host Toolkit that includes:
-
Step-by-step agendas for four group sessions
-
Sample language you can read from to introduce and orient the group
- Facilitation and discussion questions to use in your group
-
Readings and activities to share for discussion
-
A short guide for facilitation tips and tricks
-
Emergency contact info and resources
-
-
A 60-minute online training & orientation with a Mind Share Partners team member.
-
Direct email and phone support from a Mind Share Partners team member throughout your hosting experience.
How do I apply to become a host?
Complete the form below and we'll be in touch soon.
"Attending a Mind Share Partners cohort is really a way to think about having a conversation with other people who are thinking about something that you're thinking about.
What's really helpful about is it that it's not therapy, nobody there is a therapist. They're just people in your age range, in your professional community, who also think about showing up as their full selves at work. It's just like 'Hey, here's why I'm having a real tough time at work,' or 'Here's how I'm struggling when I'm dealing with something in my personal life and how that affects me when I have to be happy to be promoted.'
People can really connect around that common experience, so you can both be personal and a little bit removed at the same time."
Peer group participant