In 2019, one in every eight people, or about 970 million people worldwide, was suffering from a mental health problem, with the most common disorders being anxiety and depression. During the pandemic, the statistics rose significantly, up to 26 percent and 28 percent for anxiety and depression, respectively.
With the alarming number of people experiencing mental health problems, advocates have started to play a critical role in every community. For each person with a mental health issue, mental health advocates can be the difference between fighting alone in the world versus being heard, seen, understood, and supported.
If you’re a business that values the importance of mental health awareness and wants to support mental health advocates, here are some ways to do your part.
Host Fundraising Events
One of the most common ways for you to support mental health advocates is to host a fundraising event. Doing so can help raise funds for the organization’s operational costs while boosting awareness.
Fundraising could be something you organize alone or as part of a more significant event organized by other sponsors. Hosting events where like-minded people can meet in person can help you build a real community around the cause.
Alternatively, you can also support or host a virtual fundraising event. For instance, you can follow Fergusons Plumbing’s lead by supporting RU OK. You can assist mental health advocacy groups in their ventures by sponsoring or hosting virtual fundraising that encourages people to donate.
Volunteer With Your Skill or Knowledge
Aside from money, you can also offer specific skills to mental health advocates. In general, most health advocacy groups require help with experience and skills to help raise mental health awareness and get the necessary support they need to carry out their mental health programs and activities.
For instance, if you’re an IT company, you can have your employees volunteer their skills to create the group’s website or social media. You can also encourage your employees to become paid volunteers to help mental health advocates prepare and organize programs for their cause.
This endeavor saves the advocates time and the cost of hiring helpers to accomplish their needs.
Support Their Social Media Pages
Social media has a wide reach worldwide. With people spending more time on social media platforms, they have become the perfect place for mental health advocates to share their cause and raise awareness.
Sometimes, advocates may not have enough skill or experience to maximize the use of social media, or they may not have the budget for a comprehensive strategy to fully promote mental health initiatives on these platforms.
As such, you can take the initiative and help them increase their following, thereby improving awareness of their efforts. By liking and following their updates on social media platforms, you can help these mental health organizations to boost their online visibility to raise more donations for their work.
Spread The Word
One of the easiest ways to support mental health advocacy groups is to spread the word to your close circle. You can share an advocate’s cause with your partner businesses or consumers and encourage them to do the same to boost more awareness.
Similarly, you can encourage your employees to spread the word to their network of friends and family. Doing this is particularly beneficial for local mental health organizations since referrals or word-of-mouth can help expand their reach, allowing them to gain more donations while potentially reaching out to those combating mental health conditions. After all, it’s much easier to believe someone you know when they give you recommendations.
Participate In Their Events
Another great way to show support to a mental health organization is to participate in any event or program they organize. You can even sponsor or help fund the event or provide for the organization’s needs.
You or your employees can also participate in these events to show how much you value their cause. Whether a mental health advocate is organizing a fun run or a therapy workshop, your participation demonstrates your support and helps them achieve their objective. It may also be therapeutic for you and your employees.
Takeaway
Mental health is a critical part of every person’s overall well-being. It plays an essential role in your ability to form relationships, handle stress, and manage your physical health. For this reason, many mental health advocates fight against the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
While you can’t turn your business into a full-time advocate of mental health, implementing the above ways can help show how you value good mental health and help those in need. Your support of their cause will reach many more through their goodwill.
