Headlines Network is launching a suite of mental health resources for journalists in an industry-first initiative with Mind, a leading mental health charity in England and Wales.
The multimedia project, supported by the Google News Initiative, provides practical advice for journalists and media professionals to manage the their nad thier colleagues' mental health.
"This is an unprecedented step towards offering cross-industry support at a time when many in the news media are experiencing significant pressures to their wellbeing," said Headlines Network’s founders Hannah Storm and John Crowley, in a press release.
"Being able to work with Mind, sharing our expertise and theirs, means we can create resources that will support our colleagues and help them feel less isolated."
Journalism.co.uk has reported on the mental health impacts of journalists who are reporting on traumatic stories, who have felt isolated and anxious during the coronavirus pandemic, and who have been exposed to online abuse as a result of reporting on stigmatised beats.
The first two guides - Managing Our Mental Health and Supporting Our Colleagues – will be launched at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia. The guides can be accessed on the websites of Mind and Headlines Network.
There are more resources to come in 2022 providing further help on specific issues around the wellbeing of journalists.
Headlines Network was founded in 2021 to improve conversations around mental health across the news industry, which has long been a taboo subject. Last year it ran a series of pilot workshops for 130 journalists, hosting sessions with newsroom leaders and on-the-ground freelancers. Colleagues on the programme said they urgently needed more practical tips to support their mental health.
"We feel these resources will encourage our industry to take the steps it needs to address what we see as a real priority. If journalists are able to feel better…they can do their work better," add Crowley and Storm.
In addition to the partnership with Mind, Headlines Network will this year develop training for managers to help them begin conversations with colleagues about their mental health.
Headlines Network recently launched Behind the Headlines, a podcast series in which colleagues share experiences of the stories and journalism that has impacted them and how they have managed their mental health.
It has published three podcasts so far, featuring revealing interviews with Lindsey Hilsum and Lyse Doucet on their late colleague Marie Colvin; psychologist Sian Williams on how empathy lies at the heart of journalism; and Clive Myrie, who has more than 30 years' experience at the BBC as a correspondent and news anchor, and was a prominent face in recent reporting from Ukraine.
Hear @CliveMyrieBBC speak about the calculations he makes when deciding to cover stories and how 'no story is worth dying for' in this extract from our Behind the Headlines #podcast #journalism - the full episode is available here, Apple and Spotify https://t.co/ZyyCAooPR3 pic.twitter.com/ov6v4u0RQ2
— Headlines Network (@HeadlinesNet) April 5, 2022
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