Support for Relatives and Supporters
Why Mental Health Matters at Work
Mental illness affects individuals, families and communities across Ireland. It also affects workplaces. When mental health is ignored, organisations may experience:
- Increased stress and burnout
- Reduced engagement and morale
- Higher absenteeism and presenteeism
- Staff turnover and reputational risk
When organisations take proactive steps to support mental health in the workplace, they see measurable benefits:
- Improved retention and staff satisfaction
- Stronger leadership capability
- More open and psychologically safe teams
- A workplace culture that challenges stigma
Shine supports organisations to move from intention to action through structured, evidence-informed programmes grounded in lived experience.
The Shine Workplace Programme
The Shine Workplace Programme is a structured six-step framework designed for Irish workplaces. It helps organisations embed mental health awareness and support into everyday practice.
The programme is informed by Shine’s national stigma-reduction work, including the Green Ribbon campaign, and reflects best practice in mental health awareness in the workplace.
Completion of the programme leads to Shine Workplace Accreditation, demonstrating a genuine commitment to supporting employees and challenging stigma.
Step 1: Train Leadership and Management
Leaders shape culture. We provide workshops for senior leaders, HR teams and line managers to:
- Understand mental health and mental illness in the workplace
- Recognise and challenge stigma
- Respond appropriately and confidently
- Build psychologically safe environments
- Signpost relevant mental health support in Ireland
Strong leadership is essential to sustainable change.
Step 2: Develop a Mental Health Policy
Shine provides guidance to help organisations develop or strengthen a clear, actionable mental health policy.
A strong policy ensures:
- Consistency in approach
- Fair and transparent processes
- Clear support pathways
- Alignment with Irish equality legislation
This creates a foundation for long-term workplace support for employees.
Step 3: Staff Training and Awareness
Mental health awareness is everyone’s responsibility.
Shine delivers interactive workshops for staff that focus on:
- Understanding mental health in the workplace
- Reducing stigma
- Promoting open conversations
- Supporting colleagues appropriately
Organisations may also engage with Shine’s Green Ribbon campaign and invite Shine Ambassadors to share lived experience perspectives. These sessions help humanise the conversation and deepen understanding.
Step 4: Empower Mental Health Champions
Champions help maintain momentum.
Organisations are encouraged to develop a visible network of trained Mental Health Champions across departments. Champions:
- Promote awareness day-to-day
- Encourage open dialogue
- Challenge stigma when it arises
- Support colleagues in seeking appropriate help
A strong Champion network embeds mental health support in workplace culture.
Step 5: Engage Your Wider Network
Cultural change does not stop at the office door.
Organisations are encouraged to publicly demonstrate their commitment to mental health awareness and support. This may include:
- Participating in the Green Ribbon campaign
- Sharing internal initiatives externally
- Encouraging sector-wide conversations
This reinforces leadership and extends positive impact beyond the workplace.
Step 6: Achieve Shine Workplace Accreditation
Organisations that complete the programme receive:
- Shine Workplace Programme certification
- Digital accreditation assets
- Recognition on Shine’s website
Accreditation signals a tangible commitment to mental health in Irish workplaces and positions your organisation as a leader in reducing stigma.
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Workshops and Training Details
Duration: 2 hours (including a short break)
Format: In-person (maximum 30 participants) or online (maximum 20 participants)
Minimum attendance: 8 participants
Up to three workshops per organisation are funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP). Additional workshops can be arranged to support wider rollout.
Workshops cover:
- Understanding mental health and mental illness
- Addressing stigma
- Creating psychologically safe workplaces
- Signposting appropriate supports
Certification Requirements
To become a Shine-accredited workplace, organisations must:
- Train a proportion of senior and management staff
- Develop and implement a mental health policy
- Establish a network of Mental Health Champions
- Conduct pre- and post-programme surveys
- Submit an action plan demonstrating engagement
Shine provides ongoing support throughout the process to ensure meaningful implementation rather than a tick-box exercise.
Supporting Employees in Practice
The Workplace Programme complements existing organisational supports such as:
- Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
- Occupational Health services
- HR-led wellbeing initiatives
Together, these measures provide structured workplace support for employees experiencing mental health difficulties.
Reasonable Workplace Adjustments
Under Irish equality legislation, including the Employment Equality Acts, employees experiencing mental health difficulties are entitled to reasonable accommodation where appropriate.Cultural change does not stop at the office door.
Examples may include:
- Adjusted working hours or duties
- Phased return to work
- Time off for medical or counselling appointments
All adjustments are agreed in consultation with the employee and aim to support recovery while maintaining dignity and fairness.
Practical Guidance for Managers
Managers can make a significant difference by:
- Holding respectful, private conversations
- Listening without assumptions
- Offering practical supports and flexibility
- Maintaining appropriate contact during sick leave
- Modelling openness and non-judgement
These actions strengthen employee mental health in the workplace and reinforce a culture of trust.
Immediate Support
If someone requires immediate emotional support, Samaritans are available 24 hours a day at 116 123 (free and confidential).
In an emergency, call 112 or 999.
Get Started
By joining the Shine Workplace Programme, your organisation can:
- Strengthen employees’ mental health and wellbeing
- Reduce stigma around mental illness
- Build psychologically safe teams
- Demonstrate genuine leadership in mental health support in the workplace
To learn more, contact: workplace@shine.ie
Media Policy and Research
Shine’s Media Programme uses insights gathered through our media monitoring, research, and lived experience panels to advocate for both national and international policy changes in mental health reporting.
Find out more
The Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism in Ireland
Founded in 1996, the highly competitive Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism awards yearlong, non-residential fellowships to journalists from the United States, Colombia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to report on a mental health topic of their choice. In 2023, Shine’s Headline programme, in partnership with the Carter Center, proudly announced the rollout of this prestigious fellowship in Ireland through the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism in the Republic of Ireland.
Find out more
Mental Health Media Awards
Shine works closely with the media to promote responsible and accurate reporting on mental health. Through guidance, training, and collaboration, Shine helps journalists and media professionals understand the impact of stigma and misinformation while encouraging coverage that is respectful and informed.
Find out more
Media Training and Upcoming Courses
For information on media training and upcoming courses click here.
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Peer Support for Relatives and Supporters
Shine provides safe and recovery orientated community-based peer support groups for relatives and supporters. The purpose of these groups is to decrease isolation and stigma and increase individual’s feelings of connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment. Our groups are facilitated by paid Shine peer facilitators who have their own lived experience as well as extensive training and knowledge in recovery. Across the country, Shine has 8 in-person family peer support groups and runs online peer support groups too.
Peer Support for Relatives and Supporters
Shine provides safe and recovery orientated community-based peer support groups for relatives and supporters. The purpose of these groups is to decrease isolation and stigma and increase individual’s feelings of connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment. Our groups are facilitated by paid Shine peer facilitators who have their own lived experience as well as extensive training and knowledge in recovery. Across the country, Shine has 8 in-person family peer support groups and runs online peer support groups too.
What our clients say about us
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Support was always there
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Workplace Programme was excellent!!
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Shine are the best!!
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