Prevention & Promotion

Create a Plan of Action

Create a plan to address stigma in general as well as the particular findings of your stigma awareness survey.

• Identify key issues or myths that need to be addressed.
   
• Set goals for addressing these issues.
   
• Know your message - it should be clear, consistent and support your goals. Your theme should resonate with your employees and reflect their main areas of concern (e.g. Canadian Mental Health Association's slogan: No Health without Mental Health)
   
• Watch your language - make sure that the words you use are respectful.
   
• Establish champions for change - who is going to lead this initiative within your organization?
   
• Establish a timeline and budget - set milestones that help mark your progress and communicate any special achievements to staff. Budget for any activities such as events, printing posters and pamphlets so you can monitor the value of the investment for your organization. The more directly you address key areas of concern, the better your return on investment can be.
   
• Make use of expertise that's available to you - there are many organizations that have local chapters to assist businesses and employees with mental health. Some examples include the Canadian Mental Health Association, Mood Disorders Society of Canada, Schizophrenia Society of Canada, Canadian Health Network and Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments.