Mental health guidance for union reps

We recognise that our workplace representatives go above and beyond to support Prospect members.

Prospect is committed to supporting the mental health of our reps, so we have published a new set of mental health guidance for union reps.

This document provides information and resources to help representatives understand and improve their own mental health. It also contains a variety of links and information on sources of professional and emergency support.

Prospect reps’ mental health pledge

Mental health and wellbeing are core concerns for Prospect. Our representatives are the lifeblood of the union. We would not be able to carry out the work we do, provide our services and benefits to members, or achieve our successes without the dedication and hard work of our representatives.

Our reps are volunteers who give their time to protect and advance the interests of their colleagues. Being a rep can be rewarding but it also sometimes involved responding to difficult and demanding issues. Ensuring reps have the support, tools and networks to manage these stresses is a key role for the union – supporting individuals and providing collective support to manage difficult situations.

We strive to ensure mental health and wellbeing are prioritsed across our work for reps. We know that good, effective support can help individuals and branches share and manage their workload, ensuring that members and volunteers experience the best of union support.

Prospect is therefore committed to supporting the mental health of the union’s representatives. As such, we commit to:

• Raise awareness and the profile of mental health, and reduce the stigma associated with it
  • Promote an open culture around mental health, tackling the stigma and prejudice associated with poor mental health;
  • Be sensitive to diversity and difference, and the cultural contexts which influence how people talk about mental health; and
  • Encourage open and sensitive conversations about mental health and the support available when people are struggling.
• Provide representatives with practical support
  • Provide practical support to representatives facing issues associated with their role, be that excessive workload, the need for more training, understanding and clarity in their rep role, or helping them find their boundaries within the role;
  • Provide representatives with comprehensive training to help them effectively and confidently carry out their representative functions; and
  • Tackle bulling and harassment in line with Prospect policies.
• Provide reps with mental health information
  • Provide representatives with resources and information to help them understand and improve their own mental health; and
  • Run a mental health awareness course which focuses on mental health in the workplace.
• Support reps in building resilient and well-organised branches
  • Supporting the recruitment of additional reps where necessary to ensure work is shared appropriately across representatives;
  • Support branches in succession planning for the next generation of reps; and
  • Ensure branches have support to manage and appropriately distribute personal casework across representatives.