Orient - The Official Magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore - Issue 71 April 2019
Mental Resilience: The Future of Work and Education 16 October 2018
In this panel discussion our Diversity & Inclusion Committee addressed a range of mental health topics relevant to working and educational professionals today and for tomorrow’s generations, including the importance of early recognition and engagement, issues around isolation, and action points, with a discussion incorporating expertise from mental health professionals and corporate responsibility practitioners.
Jade Camps-Douglas, Head of Wellbeing at Rolls-Royce, shared how Rolls-Royce Singapore had led and developed a customised wellbeing program. Jade explained the support provided to employees from the perspective of mental health, and explained the importance of “selling” the programme to senior managers in order to ensure its effectiveness and to enable investment in corporate wellness programs.
Colyn Chua, Programme Manager at Mindset Care Ltd, introduced Mindset Care Ltd as an affiliate of Jardines, and it is through this vehicle that they organise their mental wellness programmes. Colyn also explained that they had come to the realisation that technology can play a role in improving mental wellness, especially for children and youth.
On the subject of the younger generation, Cho Mingxiu, Founder of Campus PSY, shared the work that their youth-led organisation has done with schools and community partners to bring peer support to campuses and communities. He shared some of the common barriers to socialisation of youths, especially in during their education, and how his team has worked to facilitate effective partnerships with schools to improve mental wellness outcomes across Singapore. He stressed the importance of technology in reaching today’s youth, and explained how Campus PSY uses technology to reach out and contact isolated younger people where in the past this may not have been possible. This led to an interesting discussion on the pros and cons of technology, especially for younger people. Many in the audience had experience of technology being a hindrance for younger people that isolates rather than brings together. However, it was agreed that technology can also be an enabler for socialisation. Today, we have access to an abundance of apps and digital health platforms for mental health support. Technology has its upsides like improving access to services and downsides like replacing person-to-person interactions.
The discussion shifted towards the cultural aspects of mental wellness. Jade was noted to have been involved in bringing wellness initiatives in different countries with different cultures, and she shared many of the challenges this presents.