Travel Counsellors highlight need to focus on wellbeing with ‘Time to Talk Day’

Travel Counsellors across the UK are being encouraged to get together to support a charity initiative to get people talking.

On Thursday 4th February, as part of a nation-wide push to help people talk more openly about mental health, Time to Change hosted a day dedicated to discussing the vital issue of mental wellbeing following the series of lockdowns across the country.

Travel Counsellors staged a company-wide, virtual coffee break encouraging its business owners and colleagues to take timeout to chat, and is in addition to the dedicated Wellbeing Hub and mental health initiatives the company launched in spring in response to the pandemic.

Travel Counsellors Operations Director, Karen Morris, says, “Throughout what has been a really difficult and challenging time, we have truly seen the positivity that can come from a community coming together to support one another. With one in four people experiencing a mental health problem in any given year, we are always keen to facilitate ways for our people to get together and encourage each other to talk, even if this is only virtually. The last few months, more than most, have taught us all that even a small conversation has the power to make a big difference to our day.

“We are also encouraging the community to share what they are doing – from ‘virtual coffee catch-ups’ to spreading positivity on social media channels – one of our business owners asked their followers to name one positive thing that happened to them this week, for example, highlighting that often it’s the little gestures, and small acts of kindness, that really matter.”

The families of Travel Counsellors, and in particular the company’s ‘TC Kids’, are also being encouraged to get involved, in recognition of the difficulties homeschooling is currently providing for both children and parents.

Travel Counsellors children are being encouraged to take part in a dedicated activity where they name the best things about themselves and the things they love to do, focussing on as many positives as possible.

Since the spring we've has launched a suite of digital support hubs designed to help both new and established business owners through turbulent times, which have now been accessed over 250,000 times.

Our ‘Wellbeing Hub’, aims to boost business owners' mental and physical health with information and advice has seen the greatest hits on managing finances, mindfulness and most recently, homeschooling.

Alongside a dedicated personal counsellor, the company has partnered with Able Futures, an organisation that deliver the ‘Access to Work Mental Health Support Service’ on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, giving employers advice and support on how to help people cope with mental health issues and improve mental wellbeing at work.

Through Able Futures everyone at Travel Counsellors now has access to a qualified and experienced health care professional, who will help to build a nine-month support plan for individuals, and be available to talk over the phone, through email or virtual meetings.

Travel Counsellors wellbeing fund, which was set up to support business owners and colleagues experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic, has also been accessed 150 times.

Karen continues, “We don’t need an excuse to talk, but it’s a reminder of the power of our community and importance of maintaining a connection with others, especially during this third lockdown period. The aim with all of our support platforms and initiatives has been to help our Travel Counsellors and colleagues to continue to be there for their customers and each other, ready for when travel returns at pace again.”