NEWS ead of World Mental Health Day last week. Lee Hayhurst and Robin Searle report SPECIAL REPORT
Advantage and AWTE create forum for emotional support
T
he Advantage Travel Partnership and the Association of Women Travel Executives
(AWTE) have joined forces to create a ‘Travel Support Bubble’ to offer emotional support to fellow travel industry professionals. The partnership was announced
ahead of World Mental Health Day (October 10) and has been set up in particular to support women in the travel industry who are “significantly more vulnerable to redundancy or minimal income”. Activity will include a weekly
open forum where participants can share issues. The forum will be hosted by Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said and AWTE chair Claire Osborne, who are also calling on fellow professionals “to offer their services to women in need and urging everyone to get in touch if they feel they would benefit from a friendly
Watch the T ravel Weekly
webcast offering mental health advice for staff at:
go.travelweekly.co.uk/MHW
Julia Lo Bue-Said
ear from an industry peer”. Lo Bue-Said said: “My team
are speaking to desperate agents every day who are losing the will to continue the battle to save their businesses. Six months is a long time to be at the coalface of a crisis with zero support from the government, and for many of our
Claire Osborne This is more than
tears of frustration from our members and network, this is actual despair
members there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. “We hope the Travel Support
Bubble will help bridge the gap for those of our colleagues at the end of their tether and provide like-minded souls with support and empathy when they need it most.” Osborne added: “AWTE has been
supporting women in business in the travel industry for more than 60 years and never has the need been greater to show solidarity than now. “This is more than tears of
frustration from our members and network, this is actual despair.”
Travel Counsellors unveils mental health initiatives
Travel Counsellors launched a number of initiatives to boost the wellbeing of the company’s business owners and support team in the run-up to World Mental Health Day. Sessions focused on topics
including physical exercise and nutrition tips, keeping a positive mindset, financial wellness and peer-to-peer support. A worldwide event held on
Saturday featured franchisees and colleagues sharing personal insights as the company aimed to encourage its 2,000-strong community to discuss the topic of mental health. For more than 10 years, Travel
travelweekly.co.uk
Counsellors has offered all its agents the support of a personal counsellor and the firm has now partnered with Able Futures, which delivers an Access to Work Mental Health Support Service on behalf of the government’s Department for Work and Pensions. The company has also signed
up to the Mental Health at Work Commitment to improve mental healthcare by agreeing to adhere to six standards, including pledging to promote an open culture around mental health, and increasing an organisation’s accountability by proactively measuring and reporting on mental health initiatives.
Chief executive Steve Byrne
said: “The impact of the pandemic on the travel industry has been profound, and while we work together to come through this time, we are also increasingly mindful that these challenges have an ongoing effect on people.”
If you, or someone you know, has been affected by a mental health issue and you need further help and support, contact the Samaritans free of charge on 116 123.
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PICTURES: Shutterstock
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