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James Donaldson on Mental Health – How employers can help prevent suicide
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Mike McCarthy
Mike McCarthy brought his campaign for suicide awareness, support and prevention to number 10, Downing Street –
My charity has collaborated with HR directors, academics and others to create the Workplace Pledge for suicide prevention in the workplace.
I have the best and the worst of reasons to support improvements in mental health provision. My son asked me to do just this, in a letter he wrote minutes before he took his own life. Ross was just 31 when he left the farewell letter saying goodbye to his family and friends.
I’m interested in doing, rather than endless talking and empty promises about suicide prevention. Talking about suicide prevention has done nothing to stop the rot in UK mental health services and the stagnation in suicide figures for more than 15 years.
Expert clinicians see suicide as preventable. But everyone has a part to play – employers as much as anyone. That’s why the charity I helped to form following my son’s death, Baton Of Hope, will, in just a few weeks’ time, publicly launch the Workplace Pledge.
For more than a year, health professionals, HR directors, business leaders and academics have been working on the pledge, which we believe can become a kitemark of best practice in suicide prevention in the workplace.
Why do we need such a pledge? Well, first, ask yourself: how many of your colleagues would ask for a mental health day? Evidence points to a huge swathe of people who feel that they cannot be open with their employer about the true cause of their absence.
A YouGov poll shows that 63% of workers who have taken time off for mental health reasons have not been honest about their reasons for taking time off work. Bosses are in a unique position to create a sea change by signing up to the measures outlined in our pledge.
If people are scared of being negatively judged about their mental wellbeing, chances are that they won’t and don’t speak about it. Maybe this is one of the reasons why suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50, and women under 35, in the UK. It is the biggest killer, despite the fact that most clinical experts agree that it is almost always preventable.
So how do we prevent it? Maybe the first step is to openly acknowledge it for the crisis that it is, and do something about it. We’ve all heard of Stand Up to Cancer. Maybe we should also stand up to suicide.
At Baton of Hope, we believe our pledge is the most comprehensive programme to date that helps employers play their part in the universal responsibility to save lives through suicide prevention. Our pledge has six principles for suicide support and prevention in the workplace:
Make suicide awareness, support and prevention a workplace priority.
Use clear and consistent messaging about suicide for internal communication and induction training.
Implement suicide prevention, early detection and supportive services.
Embrace those with ‘lived experience’ of mental ill health or suicide.
Promote crisis services and other resources providing suicide prevention advice, counselling, training and support.
Promote the pledge to increase suicide awareness, support and prevention.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
No one is immune from suicide. It can affect any individual, any family, any friend or colleague. The important bit is what to do… and Baton of Hope can help with that. As the name suggests, we believe there are many reasons to be hopeful.
I’ll be introducing the Workplace Pledge at the Baton of Hope conference on 16 May, along with a host of speakers including the commentator Alastair Campbell and the president of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, Rory O’Connor. Tickets are on sale here.
Ross was the best son a dad could have wished for. I wish, when I lost my son, I knew what I know now.
Baton of Hope is working on behalf of the countless thousands who will never see their loved ones again. Together, we can do so much to make sure that others don’t go through the same nightmare.
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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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