September 2021

Let's get together and take some well-deserved time out for our wellbeing with our latest offering of digital wellbeing classes and taster sessions delivered in partnership with Glasgow city-based wellbeing and counselling service - Lifelink. Spaces are limited and offered on a first come first served basis - so don't delay register today.

 LifeLink Wellbeing Sessions for Staff 2021 to 2022 [394kb]

Workplace Options on demand webinar

Join this month's webinar - Switch on to Being More Present -from ourEmployee Assistance Provider, Workplace Options:

Discover the key to being more present and living in the moment by digitally disconnecting from digital devices and spending more quality time with those around you.

he amazing benefits of doing so can include reduced anxiety and depression, improved attention, greater self-awareness and self-compassion, and many more.

The webinar is available on demand from 21 September.This means that you can view the webinar at a time that's convenient to you.

Join the Webinar - to get started, phone or login to Workplace Options.

Visit Connect to access our council login details. If you do not have access to Connect, please ask your manager to provide these details to you.

More information

You can find out more about Workplace Options at www.workplaceoptions.com

Freephone: 0800 247 1100

Inspire and HSF webinar - returning to work

In partnership with Inspire Wellbeing, HSF have prepared a 60-minute recorded webinar which explores the issues that may arise. These could be feelings of anxiety, which can become overwhelming if not managed.

The webinar will cover some useful tools and techniques you can use to support both yourself and others as you return to work.

You can view the webinar at a time that suits you here.

Fitness Unites Us on National Fitness Day

National Fitness Day 2021 will take place on 22 September 2021. The aim of the campaign is to highlight the role physical activity plays across the UK - helping us all to lead healthier and active lifestyles.

The theme of the campaign is 'Fitness Unites Us' - demonstrating the inclusive power physical activity can have in uniting people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to have fun, keep active and maintain a healthy lifestyle - physically, mentally, socially, and even emotionally.

Physical activity might take the form of weekly walks with a friend, group exercises in a studio, team sports, or that feeling of being near people on a gym floor but in your own space and with your own goals. Whatever it might be, we can all strive to lead a happier and healthier lifestyle with the support of the fitness and leisure sector.

Get involved

• For ideas of what you can do to get more active, visit https://www.nationalfitnessday.com/get-involved/

• Share your story! UK Active using the popular hashtag #Fitness2Me in the run-up to National Fitness Day.

More information

• For more information on keeping active visit nhsinform.scot

• For information about local sports and leisure clubs and activities in Glasgow, visit glasgowclub.org

• For information about jogging clubs visit jogscotland.org

• For information about health walks visit

• For information about health walks visit pathsforall

Cycle September 2021, take the cycling challenge

Love to Ride Glasgow is now live, and staff are invited to get involved!

Love to Ride is a fun, free online platform which supports individuals, workplaces and communities to ride their bikes - whether for fun or as a means of getting around.

Dr Collin Little, Sustainable Transport at NRS said: "It just takes a few minutes to register and you can log journeys manually, or with Strava or Map My Ride.

"Once you've joined the GCC workplace page your rides will count towards the workplace stats. You can see who else is cycling, join services, contribute to goals and help us climb up the Cycle September leaderboard! There are also prize draws too!"

Collin added: "For many people, once they make the change to cycling more, it becomes something that is part of their everyday activity."

How to get involved / more information

On the lovetoride website you can log trips, post photos and stories, win prizes, and take part as an individual, group / club, and workplace! You can also find localised information, events and tools to support you to cycle more confidently, more often, and long term. 

• join at lovetoride.net/glasgow
• Join our Glasgow City Council page here
• Check out the prizes
• Check out this 5min video, all about the project, how to navigate the website and benefits of taking part. 
• Grab some copy from our Staff Engagement Pack and share with colleagues.

Happy Cycling

National Suicide Prevention Week 6 to 12 September

The council is once again supporting Scotland's Suicide Prevention Week (from 6 to 12 September) - and World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday 10 September.

Throughout this week, we are raising awareness about suicide, suicide prevention, and available learning opportunities.

It is known that people from deprived communities are three times more likely to die by suicide than those living in the most affluent communities, that men still account for nearly three out of every four suicides but that suicides by women are increasing.

The latest Scottish Public Health Report on suicides found that 104 people in Glasgow took their own lives last year. Every single death is a tragedy, which can have a long lasting and profound impact on bereaved families, friends and communities. 

But suicide is not inevitable. It is preventable, and we can all play a part in reducing suicide by raising awareness, tackling the stigma around suicide, and encouraging well-informed action.

Pauline Toner, Glasgow City Suicide Prevention Coordinator, said: "Suicide prevention is everyone's business; we can all act to try and prevent suicide.

"If you are worried about someone you can start a conversation with them, ask them how they are feeling, listen to them and let them know that you care. You don't need to have the answers. If it feels right, you can ask them if they are thinking about suicide and if they are you can work with them to keep them safe and get help."

Ask, Tell - Save A Life: Every Life Matters from NES on Vimeo.

Friday 10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day. The theme of this year's campaign is 'Creating Hope Through Action.'

The campaignaims to empower people with the confidence to support and provide hope to those struggling.

Taking time to reach out to someone in your community - A family member, friend, colleague or even a stranger - Could change the course of another's life.

More information

Find out more about this year's campaign at the international association for suicide prevention at iasp.info

Find some useful information and advice about 'how to reach out' to support others at iasp.info

Glasgow event for anyone touched by suicide

Celebration of Life event: Friday 10 September, Tranquillity Garden at Campbell House in Gartnavel Royal Hospital between 1pm and 2pm

The event, hosted by the Glasgow City Suicide Prevention Partnership (GCSPP), will be conducted with the appropriate COVID-19 safety measures in place and invites anyone touched by suicide to come together to honour loved ones lost to suicide and to celebrate their lives.

Those who attend will be given the opportunity to light a candle and leave a message for a loved one tied to the symbolic Rowan Tree, which has become the focal point for the celebration each year.

Find out more on the Celebration of Life event on the GCSPP website.

Free online recorded webinar - Creating Hope Through Action

The pre-recorded webinar will be available on the Workplace Options website on World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday 10 September -and will be accessible for some time afterwards, so you can access the webinar at a time convenient for you.

The webinar is aligned to the theme of this year's World Suicide Prevention Day campaign - Creating Hope Through Action. It will explore how you can do this by knowing the warning signs, how to respond if someone tells you they're thinking of suicide, and in connecting them to resources. It will also look at the impact of suicide and suicide attempts on families and colleagues.

How to access the webinar

You can find details of how to log onto Workplace Options member site on Connect You should access 'member login' and insert username GCC and enter password: employee.

If you don't have access to Connect, please speak to your manager.

Where to get help and support

If you are experiencing confusing or distressing thoughts, or if people around you have expressed concern about your wellbeing, arrange an appointment with your GP or phone NHS 24on 111 (available anytime, 24/7).

If it would help to talk to someone, reach out to a trusted friend, family member or colleague, or freephone:

• Samaritans: 116 123 (available 24/7), or click here to find out other ways of getting in touch.
• Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87 (6pm to 2am on weekdays, 24 hours at weekends).
• Workplace Options, our Employee Assistance Provider: 0800 247 1100, LGBT helpline: 0800 138 8725, BME helpline: 0800 288 4950 (available 24/7).

If you, or someone you know needs URGENT HELP please phone the emergency services on 999

More information

• Find out more about suicide prevention and local resources and support available from the Glasgow City Suicide Prevention webpage
• Information about suicide prevention training, resources and support is available at yoursupportglasgow.org
• Read the short guide to know how to help someone you're worried about. Click here

How much do you know about our Payroll Giving scheme?

With the children returning to school, it's an opportunity to learn about a new way to give.

Find out how you can give more for less to your chosen charity through your pay by clicking on the link below. As the great artist, Michelangelo said, age 87 - "I am still learning."

If you already know all about the Payroll Giving scheme, why not offer to share your knowledge with a colleague and encourage them to get involved. Every regular donation helps UK charities continue to provide their special services to people in need.

Sign up to make a regular donation

You can sign up here

International Day of Charity - 5 September

An annual celebration introduced by the United Nations to raise awareness of the important work of charities.

Giving feels good

Giving, in all its forms, not only benefits those you help, but also instils feelings of improved well-being.  Studies have shown that giving is beneficial for combating stress, depression and anxiety and serves to keep you mentally stimulated, improve your self-confidence and provide you with a sense of purpose.

Giving through your pay - Payroll Giving

Council staff can give through Give as you Earn (GAYE) - a scheme that allows staff to make donations to charity directly from their pay.  Donations go directly to the chosen charity or charities and the employee receives tax relief on their donation, as it is deducted from their pay before it is taxed.

Other ways of giving

There are many ways you can give to charity. You could volunteer your time to help a good cause, or support charity promotions and awareness days by sharing posts on social media. For more ideas, see the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) 25 ways to give to charity.

More information

• Find out more about International Day of Charity at un.org
• Visit our GIVE as you Earn Connect page, or find out more about payroll giving on the CAF website
• Watch the recording of the last StC Payroll Giving live webinar for clear guidance and answers to questions on payroll giving for council staff.
• For more information on the wellbeing benefits of giving, see our top tips - using the 'five ways to wellbeing' on our Staff support page.

Feel Your Personal Best - get more active

As part of their campaign #FeelYourPersonalBest, Sport Scotland and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) are encouraging everyone to get more active.

Physical activity doesn't need to be strenuous to be effective. It isn't about clocking steps, miles or fastest times, it's about finding your own way to get moving.

Getting started can be hard but once you get going there will be no stopping you. Here are some resources to help get you moving:

• Find out more about why it's beneficial to feel your personal best and get active; watch the campaign video
   
• Find top tips to you get started including advice on getting through your first session as that could be the most nerve-wrecking part. Visit sportscotland.org #TrySomethingNew
   
• Access resources to get you started and support for your overall mental and physical wellbeing. Visit sportscotland.org  where you can also find lots more information and read about people who  have taken their first steps.

FC United to prevent suicide

If you're passionate about football and / or suicide prevention, please show your support for FC United - and please remember to use #UnitedToPreventSuicide in any tweets you post.
 

At the heart of FC United will be people with lived experience with iconic Scottish footballers and others sharing their stories of mental health issues and / or suicide, including Paul McNeill, Head of Community Development at the Scottish FA and Aaron Connolly, Time To Tackle Co-founder (pictured above at Patrick Thistle FC's Firhill Stadium). This campaign follows on from the work with Hibernian FC earlier this year when players Scott Allan and Christian Doidge talked about suicide and mental health issues to encourage others to strike up conversations. Their powerful interviews were seen 200,000+ times on Twitter.

We will be enlisting the support of Scottish sporting personalities and entertainment stars as 'new signings' to the FC United Team. If you are a football player or a fan that would be interested in 'signing' for the FC United team by sharing your own story about the importance of talking about how you're feeling then please contact me. Or do you run a football-related suicide prevention or mental health related project? If so, I'd love to hear from you too.

In the coming weeks we will be revealing our new FC United kit so please watch our social media channels for the latest FC United team news,  stats and new signings.

If you have any questions about the campaign or anything else about the United To Prevent Suicide social movement, please don't hesitate to contact me. Together we can save lives.

More information / show your support

Find out more about the campaign - and sign up to the movement for change on suicide at unitedpreventionsuicide.org.uk.

If you use Twitter, please follow the new dedicated account @_FCUnited.

Keep up to date on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube as well as the FC United blog.