One stop shop with links regarding Covid policies from different organisations Covid policies
If you are looking for ways to support your LGBT staff if they are working from home or self-isolating currently, here are some suggestions and ideas that your colleagues might find helpful. Please feel free to share any ideas and resources from here which you deem appropriate, and you can check out Stonewall’s website for information too.
Maintain support and consistency with your networks
If your LGBT Network Group have an existing online communication process with the staff body it could be worth suggesting that they organise a form of virtual support and communicate this to the staff. This could be in the form of an ongoing open chat on your intranet/Skype/Microsoft Teams/etc., daily emails, a focussed email address for staff to contact if they need additional support, set times each day for anyone to reach out for a chat or support, etc. If there were any face-to-face meetings or events planned over this time that can no longer happen in person, it may be useful to still hold these meetings/events through video/online setups where possible to keep a sense of consistency and continuity in these otherwise potentially unstable times.
It might be the right time to signpost
There are many organisations you can signpost your staff for mental health support at this time. For example:
- LGBT Switchboard and Helpline can be contacted for any reason, such as confidential support or just for someone to talk to when self-isolating.
- Rethink are a Mental Health support organisation have a phone line, email address and online communication service for anyone that needs advice or support, and they have some great informative resources online too.
- Mind is another mental health charity who have specific LGBT+ support services which can be found here.
- Mind Out are an LGBT+ specific mental health service and they have an online messaging service for urgent support, as well as an open email for any advice or information.
- Mental Health First Aid has a new campaign called My Whole Self to support people in bringing their whole selves to work, they are now sharing support and information for those working from home.
- National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline. T: 0800 999 5428 E: help@galop.org.uk
Social Media platforms can help
Whilst using social media might not be helpful to everyone at this time, here are some accounts for those who’d like to get some advice about managing their time, physical and mental health while social distancing or self-isolating:
Instagram:
This of course is not an exhaustive list of things that could help staff manage this uncertain time, but we hope that the resources and information are useful for some.
Free resource on setting up an LGBT network group Employee network