Our Goals and Work for the Community and Employers
At bWell, we're committed to helping people across Birmingham look after their own mental health and wellbeing and to support others to do the same.
On this page, learn about our work with employers, communities and the general public.
Quick Links on this page:
bWell and you
Our work
bWell Community programme
Priority wards
bWell Employers programme
Charter for Employers
We all have mental health - just as we have physical health - and good mental health is essential to good health generally.
Many things affect our mental health and wellbeing, from the pressures we face in daily life to our relationships with those around us.
The good news is that there's lots we can do to look after our own mental health and wellbeing and still more we can do to support others.
At bWell, we are committed to helping people across Birmingham to do just that.
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We work with employers and, through our funded projects in selected communities, with members of the public to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
We also publicise our initiatives and raise awareness among the general public around key aspects of mental health and wellbeing through work with the media, our partners, our eNews Bulletin and via this website.
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We fund work in community-based projects across Birmingham that address common causes of poor mental health and wellbeing - physical inactivity, diet, isolation, stress and depression.
Projects currently funded by us to do this work include:
- Birmingham Voluntary Service Council
- bWell Fit
- Gateway Family Services
- Health Exchange
- Rape and Sexual Violence Programme
- Supporting Independence from Alcohol, Fireside
By 2010, we aim to:
- have 1000 individuals engaged in healthy, therapeutic physical activity
- have 250 individuals engaged in activities and benefiting from advice and support
- attract 250 volunteers to community-based projects promoting mental wellbeing
- consult 40 organisations and individuals on their preferences for and obstacles to physical activities
> find out more about our community programme in our section on the bWell Community
We also work with employers in the community setting and encourage community organisations to sign up to the bWell Charter.
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As people living in areas of high deprivation face the greatest challenges to their mental health and wellbeing, our funded community-based projects are focussed in eleven priority wards.
The priority wards are:
- Aston
- Bordesley Green
- Kings Norton
- Kingstanding
- Ladywood
- Lozells and East Handsworth
- Nechells
- Shard End
- Soho
- Sparkbrook
- Washwood Heath
> find out more in bWell Community
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Engagement in work or other meaningful and valued activity, such as volunteering, helps maintain positive mental wellbeing and can play a major role in recovery from periods of poor mental health.
The bWell Employers programme offers training, support and guidance for private, public and voluntary sector employers.
The aim is to help organisations create more mentally healthy workplaces that increase productivity and promote the wellbeing of staff, increase staff retention and aid recruitment.
We aim to help employers:
- promote positive mental health
- change workplace practices that cause stress and anxiety
- recognise poor mental health and related issues
- handle issues of mental health sympathetically and constructively
- tackle the stigma of poor mental health in the workplace
- create positive recruitment practices that do not discriminate against people with experience of poor mental health
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bWell is the West Midlands delivery agency for MINDFUL EMPLOYER ® and promotes the Charter for Employers.
The Charter symbol enables employers to indicate to staff, customers or clients and potential recruits that they are positive about mental health. Assistance is available to help employers raise awareness of mental health issues among staff, develop appropriate policies that are supportive of those experiencing problems with their mental health and to implement non-discriminatory recruitment practices.
By 2010, we aim to have a minimum of 75,000 employees covered by employers who have signed up to the Charter for Employers.
> find out more in our section on the Charter for Employers
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