December 2021
National campaign launched to tackle drug and alcohol stigma
People across Scotland are being urged to play their part to support the new Scottish Government campaign helping end the stigma of addiction.
The campaign aims to drive home that a drug or alcohol problem is a health condition, and that preconceptions people may hold towards those who are struggling should be challenged.
People who have a drug and alcohol problem should receive help and support, not judgement, and the campaign highlights how that judgement can act as a barrier to them seeking treatment and help to recover.
A host of people who have lived or living experience of drug or alcohol problems, and their families, have shared their experience in a bid to highlight the negative impact stigma can have on recovery, and why moments of kindness and compassion matter.
Get involved
Find out more about the campaign and how you can help end drug and alcohol stigma.
· View the Drug and Alcohol Stigma campaign video
· Find out more about its impact, and why moments of kindness and compassion matter: www.nhsinform.scot/stigma
Support
If you have a drug or alcohol problem, or are concerned about a colleague, friend or family member, help is available:
· Our Employee Assistance Provider WorkplaceOptions is available 24/7 for free, confidential, independent advice and support on any issue that matters to you.
· Our Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace Policy explains our commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of all of our staff and the support we have in place.
· Glasgow Alcohol and Drug Recovery services provide a range of care and treatment options for people living in Glasgow who are affected by alcohol and/or drugs. Find your local service.
Winter Wellbeing Week - Health at Hand; 13 to 20 December
Got the winter blues? Need some fresh ideas to relieve stress, fatigue and anxiety?
Scottish Ballet are inviting council family staff to join their 'Health at Hand' campaign - designed specifically for health and social care staff but open to all. No movement experience needed.
Webinar: At Work Tool Kit - Restore
Attend this one-hour interactive online training session. Discover why movement and breath regulate high stress states and how to integrate them into your busy working life. Be guided through our stress relieving tool kit and receive unlimited access to filmed resources for personal use. Available dates:
· Wednesday 15 December, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
· Thursday 16 December, 8.30am to 9.30am
Nutcracker Festive Special
Monday 20 December, 1pm to 1.30pm and 5.30pm to 6pm
Banish wintery dark skies and be transported to a land of festive treats. Restorative movement and breath, featuring live piano accompaniment.
How to book
You can book through the links listed below; you will be taken to the Scottish Ballet website to select your free tickets.
Choose register as a free member - or if you have a Scottish Ballet account you can log in to your Scottish Ballet account
· To book the 'Restore' webinar click here https://basket.scottishballet.co.uk/9592/webinar-at-work?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACHahWinterWellbeing21&utm_content=version_A
· To book the 'Nutcracker Festive Special' click here https://basket.scottishballet.co.uk/9592/festive-special?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACHahWinterWellbeing21&utm_content=version_A
· You can book both here https://basket.scottishballet.co.uk/packages/fixed/169?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACHahWinterWellbeing21&utm_content=version_A
Cook-a-long - Thursday 16 December 2021 at 12pm
60-minute cook-a-long with Sal Hanvey - award winning nutrition consultant - who will be showing you how to make mulled wine and mince pies, just in time for Christmas
When you register, you'll be given the link to download the ingredients and the method. You can then choose to get the ingredients in advance and 'cook-a-long' on the day, or just follow along, watch, take notes and cook later.
It's a fun event and you'll be able to ask Sal relatable questions during the Cook-a-long or at the end of the session.
To find out more and to register for the Cook-a-long, please go to www.hsf.co.uk/webinars
Introduction to Mindfulness - live webinar; Thursday 9 December, 12 noon till 1pm
In partnership with Inspire Wellbeing, HSF (Hospital Saturday Fund) are hosting this live webinar.
Do you feel that your attention is dispersed; juggling a number of tasks, leaping stressfully from one thing to the next, and none of your actions are able to receive your full attention?
Mindfulness is a life skill that deepens our sense of wellbeing and fulfilment, helping us to be in touch with ourselves, others and our surroundings in the present moment. This webinar will cover some theoretical principles of Mindfulness and its positive impact, will help you to understand and develop a compassionate self-awareness to promote resilience and positive self-care, advise where to get help, and answer any questions you may have about Mindfulness.
More information
To register or to find out more, click here
You can find out more about Hospital Saturday Fund (HSF) benefits here on Connect
Mental Wellbeing in the Workplace - See Me survey Share your views - please take time to complete the survey - by 6 December, 2021
In its Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan, the Scottish Government has committed to working closely with stakeholders to promote mentally flourishing workplaces.
To support this, See Me is working with key partners to get a sense of what current challenges and barriers there are to mental wellbeing in the workplace, and to capture existing examples of good practice that could help and/or inspire others to take action to support those impacted the most by Covid-19 at work.
As an official workplace partner with See Me, we are actively promoting their workplace staff survey across the organisation to make sure that the views and experiences of our employees are included and incorporated into the future Government action plan and workplace support.
Share your views - please submit by 6 December
See Me are keen to hear from a diverse group of people, including from those that may have been struggling with poor mental health for a short while or that experience mental illness.
You are invited to complete this short online survey to have your views and experiences heard.
The information you provide will help strengthen existing knowledge, develop a more in-depth understanding of current issues, and better inform future plans and workplace support.
- Please complete and submit the online survey by close of business on 6 December 2021.
- You can access the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7C2KF8J
Win prizes for riding a bike this December!
In September we invited you to take the Love to Ride September Challenge which many of you did.
Now it's time for the Winter Wheelers challenge, and we're taking part! Are you ready to wrap up and ride?
Ride your bike between 1 to 25 December and enter the draw to win amazing prizes like a bike worth £1,500!
Did you know that riding a bike in winter can:
Supercharge your immune system
Boost your physical and mental health
Help you connect to the world around you
Save you money
The Winter Wheelers challenge is all about encouraging people to get cycling throughout winter and will be giving out prizes! Riding a bike in winter needn't give you cold feet, it can help improve your mental and physical health and help make Glasgow's air and streets cleaner and more welcoming. Plus, it's great for warming you up on a cold day.
Throughout December, you can turn your rides into fantastic prizes including a chance to win a bike worth £1,500!
Cycle anywhere, any time - it's not about how fit you are or how far you can ride, even a 10-minute ride around the park will count. Every day you ride enters you into a prize draw for that day and it earns you the chance to win a brand-new bike on Christmas Day!
If you are new to riding a bike, or it's been a while, there's plenty of help on Love to Ride with tips articles to Quick Courses to get you moving. You can upskill and get back on a bike with confidence, no matter the weather.
Give it a go and pedal your way to a healthier, happier winter!
Join the council's workplace page to boost our rating on the leaderboard
By joining the GCC workplace page your rides will count towards our workplace total;you'll also be able to see who else is cycling, join services, contribute to goals and help us climb up the December leaderboard.
There are lots of prize draws too! To enter the daily prize draw - log your ride by 3pm the following day.
More information / how to register
It only takes 30 seconds to sign up at lovetoride.net/glasgow
Don't forget to add Glasgow City Council as your workplace. You can log journeys manually, or with Strava or Map My Ride.
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
Happy Cycling
Can you help make a difference this Christmas?
For some the festive period is the most difficult time of the year. Parents unable to feed or buy gifts for their children, pets are abandoned, and old people feel the cold and loneliness more than ever.
But this year you couldmake a difference by donating tax free to one of our fantastic charities through your pay.
Payroll giving is a gift that continues to give long after the festive period is over. Giving this way is a gift to you too because it is an easy, secure and tax-free way for you to give to causes that mean the most to you.
Click here to start making a donation. Thank you
Catch up on the 'Giving can have a big impact' webinar
If you missed the StC Payroll Giving webinar on 30 November - it is still available for a few days - at a time convenient for you.
The webinar explains how you can support your favourite charity with tax free donations. Click on the link to join.
Boosting Self-esteem 10 December, 10am to 11am MS Teams
Can't shake the feeling that you're not good enough, or do you find yourself worrying about what others think of you? You could be suffering from low self-esteem. You may find that this is having a negative impact on your mental health and your day-to-day life.
Mark O'Hare from Lifelink will help you understand how self-esteem is maintained and teach you techniques that can be used to break the cycle of low self-esteem.
Register on Eventbrite here.
