Employing someone who’s recovering from a mental illness

Mental health tips: Best of ST's Health Check Podcast Channel

Synopsis: With almost 100 episodes featuring top experts as our guests, here are the best of our episodes dealing with mental health challenges and ti…

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Our expert guests explain how mental health charity Mindset helps recovering patients.

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Gaining employment can boost the self-esteem of someone who is recovering from a mental illness and facilitate their recovery. But the discrimination against people with mental illnesses may make it difficult for them to find work. The challenges that come with their illnesses may also make it hard for them to conform to traditional work norms such as fixed working hours. But there is help from mental health charities in the community.

In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo finds out more about how Mindset, a mental health charity of the Jardine Matheson Group in Singapore, is helping mental health persons in recovery, find jobs as a way to reintegrate back into society. She speaks with the CEO of Mindset, Jeffery Tan and the head of Mindset, Ms Colyn Chua.

She asks them about the challenges these persons face and what employers can do to not just help them, but to raise awareness of mental health in general. She also asks Jeffery, who's also group general counsel and the chief sustainability officer of Jardine Cycle & Carriage, under the Jardine Matheson Group, if he has spoken openly about his mental health in the workplace.

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:51 What jobs are available through Mindset?

8:34 Daily challenges faced by those in mental health recovery

10:59 Employer concerns regarding hiring those in mental health recovery

15:46 Understanding different types of mental health conditions

19:27 Tackling the stigma surrounding mental health disorders

Helplines
MENTAL WELL-BEING
• Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
• Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
• Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
• Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
• Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788
• Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
• Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)COUNSELLING
• TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
• TOUCH Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
• Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180
• Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366ONLINE RESOURCES
•  mindline.sg
•  eC2.sg
•  tinklefriend.sg
•  chat.mentalhealth.sg
•  carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
•  limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)