TBWA SYDNEY LAUNCHES AGENCY MENTAL HEALTH & WELL BEING PROGRAM WITH HEART ON MY SLEEVE
It is well documented that the advertising industry experiences higher rates of mental health issues than the general population. TBWA Sydney has partnered with Mitch Wallis, the founder of the Heart On My Sleeve Movement to develop and lead a comprehensive ongoing internal Mental Health and Wellbeing program including staff training, peer support, leader training and consulting.
TBWA Sydney is the first advertising agency in Australia to rollout the Heart On My Sleeve program following months of strategic planning to develop a purpose-built approach between the two organisations. TBWA Sydney includes the agencies TBWA, Eleven, Fleishman Hillard, The Integer Group, Fabric and Bolt Content. This initiative will support TBWA’s existing employee support program.
Entitled ‘REAL’ this custom program focuses on the core values of Heart on My Sleeve and their integration with mental health, and highlights the belief that storytelling, authenticity and conversations can transform the lives of those struggling everyday
With three distinct components, the program will provide training and tools that address the specific challenges and opportunities for both managers and people at all levels across the TBWA Collective.
For managers the REAL Leaders program is about providing soft skills training, so they are better equipped to spot the signs earlier and to support their teams.
For the Collective REAL Conversations will provide the space and the tools to help everyone manage their own well-being.
TBWA will also be introducing an accredited peer support system throughout the agency as part of the program called REAL Mates.
Says Paul Bradbury, CEO, TBWA Australia & New Zealand: “It’s a really positive thing that our industry is openly talking about the importance of positive mental health, and we applaud those that are raising awareness that we have a problem. We have decided to convert the conversation into action, which is why we have invested in a bespoke ongoing program led by Mitch for everyone at TBWA. We will share the learnings and content of the program with the industry at the right time.”
Says Mitch Wallis, CEO and founder, Heart on My Sleeve: “Heart on My Sleeve has already made incredible traction and huge inroads with the media industry in Australia and the ongoing vital conversation around mental health. It’s promising to me to see a leading agency group put their hand up and move into an action based programmatic approach to address the challenges of mental health and employee wellbeing.
“I’m proud to be partnering with TBWA to further cultivate culture and open up the conversation in a very meaningful and practical way. This is more than awareness; it’s about driving real change and shifting the future of mental health in the workplace and wider industry.”
14 Comments
I heart HIM
Or, ya could just try being nicer to your people.
Just a suggestion…
Surely you mean “I pledge to listen when others speak up about needing help”
So true
Practice what you preach?
* nobody look this way for the love of god don’t *
‘Guys we haven’t made any good work for some time.’
‘Let’s make up some bullshit pr story and pretend we really care.’
Worst experiences of my career happened at Whybin TBWA Sydney. A few years ago now, admittedly, not the current regime. Couldn’t get out of there quickly enough. Nasty, nasty place that wouldn’t know good work if it walked up and bit them in the face. Nobody progressed as a result of their time there. Nobody. It sucked the life out of you.
This is so cute, like a dress up game.
This agency? This initiative? Wow.
Pretty sure the current regime has been there around 10 years or more
Seriously!?!?! Perhaps an anti bullying initiative or a ‘listen to you people when they ask for help” initiative…. Of all the places to do this, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry!
It looks like they’ve tried to use their own PR agencies to change the negative perception of the agency.
Fake.