Mental health resources for entertainment technology professionals

Personal support

Mind

Mind offer helplines for confidential help and legal matters as well as a wide range of online publications.
Visit the Mind website

Samaritans

Samaritans are there for you 24/7 every day of the year, by phone, email or in person.
Visit the Samaritans website

Shout 85258

Shout is a free, confidential text support service. Just text the word ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 to start a conversation with a trained Shout volunteer.
Visit the Shout website

Rethink Mental Illness

The Rethink Mental Illness advice and information service offers practical help on a wide range of topics.
Visit the Rethink website

CALM

The ‘Campaign Against Living Miserably’ runs an evening helpline and web chat service, 5pm to midnight all year round.
Visit the CALM website

Together

Together work alongside people on their journey towards better mental health and independent lives.
Visit the Together website

Anxiety UK

Anxiety UK offer support from an expert team of medical advisors.
Visit the Anxiety UK website

Centre for Mental Health

The Centre for Mental Health provides research, economic analysis and policy influence in mental health.
Visit the Centre for Mental Health website

Mental Health Foundation

The Mental Health Foundation works to prevent mental health problems through community and peer programmes.
Visit the Mental Health Foundation

Alcohol Change

Alcohol Change UK is a leading UK alcohol charity, formed from the merger of Alcohol Concern and Alcohol Research UK.
Visit the Alcohol Change website

Advice for employers

Working Minds

HSE has recently launched a campaign encouraging employers to promote good mental health in work, with a range of tools and support on offer.
Find out more about Working Minds

Resources for managers

HSE has guidance on how managers can support employees, including a step-by-step workbook and a talking toolkit.
View the stress workbook
View the talking toolkit

Drug and alcohol misuse in the workplace

HSE has step-by-step guidance to manage drug and alcohol misuse at work, including advice on how to develop a drugs and alcohol policy.
Visit the HSE webpage

Mental health first aid guidance

A large collection of posters, brochures and infographics for employers, all free to download.
Browse MHFA documents

Support for employers

#TimetoChange has published a comprehensive guide on how to support your employees.
View the Time to Change webpage

Workplace wellness made easy

Stress Matters aims to increase wellbeing in workplaces with diagnostic tools, workshops and support circles.
Visit the Stress Matters website

How to support mental health at work

The Mental Health Foundation has a library of publications including how to promote mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
View the publication

How to improve wellbeing at work

Finger Print For Success, a professional and personal development platform, has gathered key statistics on mental health in the workplace to help create a safer and healthier workplace.
Read the Finger Print for Success article

Support from the industry

Backup

In addition to counselling and telephone support, Backup offers the AJ Bursary which gives freelancers free Mental Health First Aider training. The aim is to ensure that one person in every 20-person crew is trained in mental health awareness and support.
Visit the Backup website

Music Support

Speak to mental health first aiders with an industry background trained to listen and recommend resources for mental health and addictions. They also offer access to their NHS-approved wellbeing app ‘Thrive’.
Visit the Music Support website

PSA Stagehand

Previously known as the PSA Welfare and Benevolent Fund, Stagehand award small grants to industry professionals in need.
Find out more about Stagehand

UK National Arts Wellbeing Collective

This collective links like-minded organisations and individuals with the aim of improving wellbeing in the arts and cultural sectors.
Visit the UKNAWC website

Eventwell

This sociable enterprise is dedicated to cultivating better mental health and wellbeing for the events industry.
Visit the Eventwell website

The Theatrical Guild

For front of house and backstage workers, the Theatrical Guild offers welfare and debt advice, financial support and counselling.
Visit the Theatrical Guild website

The Theatre Helpine

Theatre workers can access this free phone and email service to get support on a range of issues, from mental health and injury to harassment and debt.
View the Theatre Helpline website

PLASA INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS

We are proud to be a strategic partner of UK National Arts Wellbeing Creative and are working with Music Support to provide safe places at all of our trade events and to raise awareness of the support they offer.

Additionally, we host regular panel sessions on mental health, raise money for charity through bike rides with our industry colleagues and members, and have trained some of the PLASA team to be mental health first aiders.

HELP US BUILD THIS INITIATIVE

PLASA launched Connect to Wellbeing to support you and signpost you to helpful organisations and resources.

We would like to hear from you if you have your own initiative or know of a useful resource. Please email us: info@plasa.org.

Connect to Wellbeing

Lockdowns, financial stress, lack of work and social isolation may have taken a huge toll on your mental health over the past couple of years. To support you we have collated information from industry organisations and trusted charities…