Time to Change, England’s mental health anti-stigma and behaviour change campaign, will close next year after its funding ran out, placing nearly 40 roles at risk of redundancy.
The campaign, which is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, will finish on 31 March 2021 after 15 years of being the principal mechanism by which its partners have delivered behaviour change at individual, organisational and community levels.
All 37 roles at Time to Change are now at risk of redundancy.
The campaign will still deliver a final two peaks of national activity, the Ask Twice campaign in November and Time to Talk Day on Thursday 4 February 2021.
The campaign initially received funding from Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund, and the Department of Health and Social Care has contributed since 2011.
Over the next few months Time to Change will turn its attention to embedding anti-stigma outcomes into the work of Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, while continuing to highlight the importance of tackling mental health stigma and discrimination to the government.
‘There is a real threat that the improvements we’ve achieved will slide backwards’
Jo Loughran, director of Time to Change, said: “Over 13 million adults in England, that’s one in four of us, will experience a mental health problem each year. Thanks to the Time to Change movement, we have seen an outstanding improvement in the way we all think and act about mental health.
“Many more of us are now comfortable disclosing a mental health problem without shame or fear of judgment. Ultimately this is the very first step in getting the help, support and treatment we need, and deserve.”
She added: “We know that in times of financial hardship, attitudes towards people with mental health problems tend to deteriorate, so there is a real threat that the improvements we’ve achieved will slide backwards. Right now, the true impact of the pandemic on our mental health is still unknown.
“What we do know is that there are difficult and uncertain times ahead, and it has never been more important to look after ourselves and our friends and family: to talk, to listen and to check-in. That is why we will be working with individuals, organisations and communities right up until the last moment of our current funding and encouraging them to continue campaigning into the future.”
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