To strengthen peer-to-peer mental well-being support for youth at the workplace, Young NTUC has worked with the NTUC LearningHub and its training partner, Singapore Anglican Community Services, to develop a Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Certified Training In Peer-to-Peer Mental Well-being Support @ Work. The course is a first in market WSQ-certified course focused on equipping working adults with peer support and psychological first aid skills, with curriculum curated in consultation with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and Institute of Mental Health (IMH). Young NTUC is part of the Youth Mental Well-Being Network that is supported by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Health (MOH). This initiative is also supported by the Workplace Safety and Health Council.
The course will commence on 5 and 6 October, with a selected group of 11 Young NTUC union leaders and 4 staff. Young NTUC aims to train at least 100 peer supporters by the first quarter of 2022. It will train working professionals of all ages to benefit more workplaces. The Labour Movement will be working closely with unions and partners to encourage companies to put in place informal and/or formal peer support structures. It aims to train 200 peer supporters by the end of 2022.
Providing training for working adults to recognise and handle well-being support
In a survey conducted by Young NTUC in Jan 2021, the top three stressors experienced by working youth include workload, feeling undervalued and long working hours. 67% of working youths highlighted that there is a lack of support on mental well-being at their workplace and hope that more can be done. In a separate study the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) found that about 13% of the general population experienced symptoms of depression or anxiety from May 2020 to June 2021.
Complementing the whole of Labour Movement effort to promote better mental well-being at the workplaces
The peer supporter is not meant to replace professionals but to help to spot colleagues in distress early and guide them to the right resources. In line with the joint recommendations released by the Tripartite Advisory for Mental Well-Being at Workplaces last November, Young NTUC envisions to grow a network of certified peer supporters in workplaces who can foster a psychologically safe environment for colleagues in need and encourage a culture that destigmatises mental health issues at work. Different from the Peer Support Specialist Programme launched in 2016 by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) which equips persons with mental health conditions with peer support skills to leverage their own experience to support others on their recovery journey, the two-day WSQ-certified course will be the first in the market to provide all working adults with an opportunity to pick up mental well-being peer-to-peer support related training with WSQ certification.
To allow working adults to better understand the importance and impact of mental well-being peer support, the course will be held in a highly interactive format, with small breakout activities and role-playing of workplace scenarios for those attending the course learn to spot signs of distress in their colleagues and apply coaching and micro counselling skills in the capacity of a peer-to-peer mental wellbeing supporter. Seasoned peer supporters are also invited to share personal stories on giving peer support and how this has helped fellow peers in their recovery journey. To provide support to the peer supporters if they require further advice, Young NTUC has put together a resource panel made up of professional counsellors, trained psychologists, and pioneers active in the mental well-being space. (Example of a roleplaying scenario and profiles can be found in Annex A)
Mr Desmond Choo, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and advisor to Young NTUC, said, “We must care for and provide psychological safety at the workplace. The foundational step is to build a community of mental well-being supporters by equipping our workers with peer support and psychological first-aid skills. Organisations need to start investing in the mental health of our workers. One way to kickstart is by nominating their Human Resource representatives and employees to take the WSQ-certified course, and recognise the contributions of peer supporters in championing for better mental-wellbeing support.”
Mr Eugene Wong, NTUC LearningHub Chairman adds, "NTUC LearningHub is pleased to have contributed towards providing a way to achieve good mental well-being at the workplace. Working with the Labour Movement and our content provider, Singapore Anglican Community Services, we hope the programme curated will empower workers and spark a cultural shift for mental well-being to be openly and safely discussed at work."
The two-day workshop will cover various topics. Full details of the programme can be found in Annex B.
Interested individuals can write in to youngntuc@ntuc.org.sg to enquire on the course details and training schedule. Public sign up will open in January 2022.
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