Mental Health Awareness Week 2026
The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 11th– 17th May 2026, organized by the Mental Health Foundation, is Take Action. They are asking people to join in taking action to support good mental health. Even small actions can help us feel hopeful and less powerless, and while our individual actions matter, when we come together we are even more powerful. For more information & free resources go to the following link Mental Health Awareness Week | Mental Health Foundation
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2026
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is a National Festival that has been running since 2012. The festival was developed to promote positive attitudes towards mental health, mental illness, support and recovery, and to effect significant cultural change through the insights and influences of the creative arts. After the success of previous festival campaigns, Lanarkshire is delighted to announce their participation in the 20th Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. SMHAF 2026 will take place from Monday 19 October to Sunday 8 November. It will explore the theme of Reflections. Reflections invites us to slow down in a world that that is moving so fast it can feel impossible just to keep up with events. How do we take time to reflect when each day’s headlines seem to be bring fresh news of political, economic and environmental upheaval? How can we properly understand our own needs when our lives are seldom calm and charged with uncertainty? Whatever Reflections means to you, we hope you will join us as we mark our 20th Year. We’re inviting you – organisations, artists, communities and individuals – to help us bring our Reflections theme to life, and explore how looking back can help us imagine what comes next. If you have an idea for the festival in Lanarkshire & would like to apply for some funding please complete the proposal form below & return to susan.mcmorrin@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk by 25th May 2026. Download Proposal Form 2026
Training
There are a number of Mental Health & Suicide Prevention training courses available. The training Pathway explains the levels of training available & how to access. Training opportunities include the following: Ask, Tell, Save a Life — Mental Health, Compassionate Conversations and Suicide Prevention- 2 hour online or in person Learning overview: To inform everyone about mental health and the prevention of suicide so that they may be able to promote good mental health, respond to distress and help people seek help. Go to the following link for dates & booking:https://forms.office.com/e/pAsnEpE37K Applied Suicide Intervention Skills (ASIST) (2 full days in person). People must attend both days. Learning overview: To teach participants to carry out life-saving interventions for people with thoughts of suicide. For information on booking, email at the following links: South Lanarkshire Training North Lanarkshire Training Understanding Mental Health Stigma & Discrimination (1.5 hours online) Understanding and tackling stigma and discrimination is foundational to all mental health and wellbeing incentives and work streams as well as the provision of services. Learning overview: To equip participants with the knowledge to confidently join a stigma free movement for change. For more information contact:Audrey.lrn@lanarkshirelinks.org.uk or David.lrn@lanarkshirelinks.org.uk Healthy Working Lives- Mental Health Support For Workplaces Healthy Working Lives is a free NHS Scotland service dedicated to improving workplace health, safety and well‑being across Scotland. As part of Public Health Scotland, our mission is to help employers create environments where employees can thrive physically and mentally. This benefits individuals, families, businesses, communities and the wider Scottish economy. Our goal is to help employers build productive, inclusive and sustainable workplaces that protect and promote fair and healthy working practices. This supports all workers to enter progress and remain in work throughout their working lives. Workplaces play a vital role in keeping people healthy and in work. Small, practical changes can prevent absence, strengthen resilience and protect productivity. Healthy Working Lives offers free resources, training and local expert support to help employers take early, effective action that enables staff to stay well, engaged and performing at their best. For more information contact:Healthy Working Lives LanarkshireEmail – enquirieshwl@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is a National Festival that has been running since 2012. The festival was developed to promote positive attitudes towards mental health, mental illness, support and recovery, and to effect significant cultural change through the insights and influences of the creative arts. The festival fundamentally seeks to strengthen the links between arts, community and public organisations. Festival Aims The festival is part of a wider programme of mental health improvement, which aims to: Promote positive attitudes around mental health problems. Increase understanding of mental health and well-being – and how we can promote and support our own and others mental health and well-being. Increase awareness of what help and support is available. As well as the above objectives the festival also wishes to: Increase awareness of the important part that the arts can play in supporting and promoting mental health and well-being. To engage with the local media to support mental health awareness. To increase participation by varying the opportunities to engage by using different mediums, targeting different age spans, spreading across Lanarkshire and creatively promoting the events. To link with existing arts and cultural programmes to showcase sustainable projects and build mental health awareness into existing projects and programmes. To strengthen the links between arts, community, academic, voluntary and public organisations. To challenge and engage on the topics of stigma, recovery and mental health inequalities. Lanarkshire has actively been involved with the festival since its inception & delivers an extensive programme each year. After the success of previous festival campaigns, Lanarkshire is delighted to announce their participation in the 19th Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. SMHAF 2025 will take place from Monday 20 October to Sunday 9 November. It will explore the theme Comfort and Disturb. “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”. As always, the theme is full of creative possibilities and we are excited to experience all the diverse, inspiring and illuminating ways that artists and communities interpret it, this October/November. If you would like to submit a proposal for funding please complete the attached form & return by 2nd June 2025 to susan.mcmorrin@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk Download Form
Stigma Free Lanarkshire
Stigma Free Lanarkshire is a programme that aims to end mental health stigma and discrimination. We are supporting Lanarkshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan, 2024-2026 that pledges to work together to lift the stigma and discrimination often surrounding mental health, putting it on an equal par with physical health. We know that tackling stigma and discrimination is foundational to achieving a mentally healthy Lanarkshire in every area of life from workplaces and education to Health and Social Care and communities. We want to collectively create the conditions for prevention and recovery, enabling people to lead fulfilled lives as defined by them. The programme is focused on the power of individual actions that collectively bring about real change. Our programme board supports our current work plan and includes experts in the fields of health and social care with specialities in mental health, wellbeing, health promotion and suicide prevention among others. The programmes key aims are that: People will understand that we all have a part to play in creating a mentally health Lanarkshire. People will recognise stigma and discrimination. People will understand the impact of stigma and discrimination on individuals and communities. People will know strategies to prevent mental health stigma and discrimination. People will be confident in tackling stigma and discrimination. People know where to access supports and resources. Empower people with lived experience. Embed anti-stigma practices throughout. People will know how to promote safe, open and inclusive environments. For more information: https://www.lanarkshirelinks.org.uk/stigma-free-lanarkshire/