Wellbeing and COVID-19

The Covid-19 crisis has created an unprecedented challenge and many of us are worried about the impact it is having on people's wellbeing and mental health. We have created this page to provide our members with tools to support themselves and their colleagues and employees.

SOLT and UK Theatre recognise the need to promote a healthy work/life balance for everyone working in the sector. Having wellbeing embedded as a core value within working cultures enables the workforce to thrive personally and professionally, develop resilience and improve productivity.  The Wellbeing Programme aims to improve the mental health of the sector by collecting and analysing data, collaborating with others, sharing best practice and initiating change. 

 If you have ideas, links, articles or other resources that we can include on this page, please email: ceooffice@soltukt.co.uk.

Immediate help with your mental health

• MIND - If you need help right now        
• Samaritans - If you need help right now    

Other sources of help

• Theatre Helpline  - The Theatre Helpline is a free, independent and confidential phone and email service that provides support to people working in the theatre industry. Trained staff are available to offer support and signposting on any topic which affects your wellbeing, including: Bullying or harassment; Issues with employment or unemployment; Debt and financial issues.       

  0800 915 4617      

  advice@theatrehelpline.org      

COVID-19 resources

For the latest COVID-19 information from UK Theatre and SOLT, please visit our dedicated page. For UK Theatre and SOLT members, you can also view our latest COVID-19 updates. Here we have gathered a number of resources support people working through the lockdown.     

• Theatresupport.Info - In light of the closure of many UK theatres due to the Covid-19 virus, leading theatrical charities have come together to centralise information about how and where you can access support if you work in the theatre industry.   
• Theatre Means Business - There are a number of webinars covering health and wellbeing.    
• Every Mind Matters - An NHS resource that provides simple tips and advice to start taking better care of your mental health. If you are still struggling after several weeks and it is affecting your daily life, please contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111.
• UKNAWC - includes sections on how to lead others and look after yourself during COVID-19 
• ACAS have published new guidance to help staff manage their mental health at work during coronavirus
• Mental Health during COVID-19 - social study, results weekly from the MARCH Network.

If you are worried about your job security

Redundancy support (PACE)

Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) is Scotland's national strategic partnership framework for responding to redundancy situations.

Government resources    

• Public Health England's guidance - Advice and information on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak.
• You can access free easy ten minute work outs from Public Health England or try other exercise videos at home on the NHS Fitness Studio.
• Sport England also has tips for keeping active at home.
• Visit the NHS mental health and wellbeing advice website for self-assessment, audio guides and practical tools, if you are experiencing stress, feelings of anxiety or low mood.

Working from home

• Every Mind Matters' 7 simple steps
• MHFA's Supporting your mental health while working from home
• CultureHive - Online Working and safeguarding 
• Creative Isolation - with more people socially and physically distancing themselves, The MARCH Network want to share some home-based, creative ways to support mental health during these unique and uncertain times. 

• Official London Theatre each week are also featuring the West End Warm-up.

Employee engagement ideas

• MIND Mental health at work Wellness Action Plans - for people managers
• MIND Workplace Wellbeing Index

Training courses / providers

• IOSH 
• Haptivate 
• Mental Health First Aid - Creative Freedom
• Shape Arts - Mental Health Tips for Arts Workers
• Be Extra - a new, wellbeing centred, non-profit organisation founded by young people for whom the arts are central to their lives and mental health
  

• The Wellbeing Project - The Wellbeing Project is a consultancy, providing advice, wellbeing and resilience assessments and resources across all industries and sectors. 
• AMA's How I Cope series 
• Culture, health and Wellbeing Alliance

Research

• MARCH Network - UK Theatre are one of the founding members of the network.
• Rosie Perkins' research at the Royal College of Music    
• Lucy Heyman's research on Musicians’ health and wellbeing  
• Film and Television Charity – ‘The Looking Glass’ Mental Health and Well-being study.
• Art Fund Report on Museums and Galleries and wellbeing 

Case Studies 

We are currently asking members for examples of good practice which will appear here as case studies. If you have one you'd like to share with members, please get in contact. 

• Scottish Ballet’s wellness work 

Wellbeing related blogs from UK Theatre

We regularly ask people to write blogs for us on different subjects, here are those related to access. 

• Mental Health and Wellbeing: ATG’s commitment and practise

• SAFERTheatre - Improving Workplace Health 

Awards

There are a number of awards you could enter to celebrate the work your theatre is doing, here are some of them: 

• MIND's Workplace Wellbeing Award