Singapore-based mental wellness startup, Safe Space™ will partner with Ngee Ann Polytechnic to launch an online course. Focusing on improving employee access to mental health care and preventive mental health education during World Mental Health Day on 10th October, Safe Space™ will be the only tech partner in the upcoming National Counseling and Psychotherapy Conference 2020.
Due to COVID-19, the uncertainty of the future and the disruption to life has led to The National Care hotline. Since April ‘20, it has provided emotional and psychological support during the pandemic to more than 26,000 callers. Experts warn of the long-tail effect that the pandemic will have on mental health due to prolonged exposure to pandemic related stressors.
An increase in awareness and demand for mental health sparked the conversation between Safe Space™ and Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to collaborate in the creation of an online course “Building Mental Resilience With Growth Mindset”.
“The increased awareness of the importance of maintaining mental well-being has fuelled demand for more information and self-help guides in this area. We saw the need and decided to work with Safe Space™ to co-create this course. We hope that through this course, people will discover the importance of developing empathy towards others, especially during these challenging times. More importantly, the course will help participants to identify their sources of stress and learn tips on how to stay mentally resilient. Our decision to deliver the course via an online platform was inspired by the rise in demand for online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 24/7 online course also enables it to be readily accessible to more people,” said Ms Tan Ching Ching, Director, The Sandbox, NP’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Office
Being part of the initiative has been exciting for NP, Ms Tan added: “The course consists of video lectures delivered by psychologists, as well as clinical and human resource experts; interactive quizzes and downloadable materials. Course participants will learn how to manage stress and burnout, build mental resilience and develop a nurturing work culture. A bonus chapter on psychological first aid, which will be developed by NP’s School of Humanities & Social Sciences, will also be included in the course. Participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course.”
Antoinette Renee Patterson, founder of Safe Space™ says: “Mental health is important now more than ever for both personal and professional reasons. We have seen a decline in global mental health; with an increase in anxiety and depression even in the healthy. It’s time to focus on building mental resilience to ride through this storm together as a community. This is why Safe Space™ will be providing a freemium business model to all companies; providing free access to ensure all employees have access to mental health care and education.”
For therapists, the National Counseling and Psychotherapy Conference 2020 held online from 10th November to 12th November will focus on our frontline healthcare professionals, and address the tools and modalities that can be adopted for their personal and professional challenges through the pandemic. Antoinette will be covering the current and future possibilities of digital interventions for mental health.
“We are excited to partner with a leading digital mental healthcare provider whose core values align closely with the conference objective of bolstering mental resilience of our healthcare professionals. Apart from delving into the contemporary practices that support modern day psychology and psychotherapy, together with Safe Space we want to explore how technology can complement the human touch points in clinical practice. We believe the session will ease practitioners to seamlessly integrate technology to unlock effective sessions with their clients,” Naomi Cranswick, Publisher, Human Resources Online.
The pandemic has put a spotlight on the importance of mental health and Safe Space™ sees the growing need and importance in creating digital avenues for early help and intervention in the workplace. Among the many partners of Safe Space™ is Fleek Image, a coaching agency. Its Senior Image Coach, Tricia Fan said: “Partnering with Safe Space™ provides value add to all our clients seeking to improve themselves. Therapists in Safe Space are very professional, passionate and caring, helping to contribute to client’s mental wellness.”
Therapists and health workers who wish to contact Safe Space™ can drop a message at contact@safespace.sg.
