WHAT IS COLIBERATE AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
CoLiberate’s purpose is to enable the emotional and mental health support capability of Aotearoa, New Zealand. They work with organisations to develop sustainable staff-wellbeing strategies, deliver customised wellbeing workshops and equip people with Mental Health First Responder skills.
WHAT IS COLIBERATE’S BUSINESS MODEL?
Coliberate’s primary offering is a mental health first aid course. CoLiberate is a social enterprise operating as a company. To date they have trained over 1000 Mental Health First Responders at over 250 organisations across New Zealand. They charge organisations a fee to deliver training to their staff and have a number of follow-up offerings to ensure change is effectively integrated in the organisation.
Their course enables people to:
confidently assist someone experiencing mental distress.
recognise developing mental illness.
understand early intervention and long-term support strategies.
understand stigmatizing language and how to be a zero-tolerance stigma legend.
look after yourself while supporting other people.
WHAT IS COLIBERATE’S IMPACT?
CoLiberate’s approach is centred around building care and capability across organisations and communities. They create resilient networks for support in workplaces to keep business safe, and people thriving. Their capacity building programmes focus on enabling people to respond well to inevitable mental health challenges at work and beyond.
The programme gives people new tools, new confidence and new perspectives. Participants go out into the world and use the tools with their colleagues. They are able to provide support to others and over time, this support leads to more people receiving early intervention and a reduction in the impact of unwellness.
All this work culminates in reduced absenteeism, fewer deaths by suicide, and people who are more engaged with work and life.
EVIDENCE OF IMPACT
At any one time, one worker in six will be experiencing depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress. Given this fact, there is a clear business case for providing better mental health support in the workplace. Research shows that workplaces that prioritise mental health have better engagement, reduced absenteeism and higher productivity, while people have improved wellbeing and greater morale.
Unhappy, dissatisfied or disengaged employees are more likely to take time off, turn up but not be able to work, leave a workplace, and/or suffer injuries. An Australian analysis found workplaces who take effective action to create mentally healthy workplaces can expect a return on investment of $2.30 for every dollar spent.
While many organisations have a plan for responding to common first aid problems such as cuts and grazes, sprains and strains, broken bones and even heart attacks, they are a lot less equipped to recognise and respond to the mental health equivalent.