Often, we believe that doing good for the community is a one-way street in which the beneficiary gains. However, the journey for those doing good can be very rewarding, in ways that are not always obvious.
Let me elaborate.
My involvement in the mental health space goes back a decade, when I joined a conglomerate that has two charities focused on this cause: one in Hong Kong that was established two decades back, and its sister charity in Singapore that was founded in 2011.
As I was the one providing legal support to the Singapore mental health charity, the leadership thought I should also be its public touchpoint – interacting with stakeholders (internal and external), potential donors and the media.
If I am candid I’ll admit I initially saw this as another work deliverable. But the years that followed have shown me how rewarding and meaningful this endeavour can be. If there was any question about why I should invest my time in mental health matters, the Covid-19 pandemic dispelled all my doubts.
Being involved in the mental health space has given me an opportunity to interact with a community of people, partners and practitioners.
In this community, I have been inspired by psychiatrists who waive their professional fees to help friends recover their mental wellness; met individuals who donated the entire sum of thousands of dollars collected at the funeral of a relative – the “white gold” bai jin (白金 ) – as a legacy in support of mental health work; met a young professional who trained for and ran a triathlon in memory of her late parent who taught her the importance of mental resilience and good mental health.
These interactions have opened my mind and heart – making me more understanding of people struggling with mental health issues and challenging myself to contemplate what more can be done to gain a deeper understanding of those with mental health issues and the daily difficulties they face. In short, how can they be supported in their journey of recovery?
Awareness and stigma
Like physical health, mental health is a critical aspect of one’s overall well-being, yet it often remains shrouded in stigma and misapprehension. Raising awareness about mental health is a crucial step towards breaking down these barriers. However, it is a task fraught with challenges.
This negative bias surrounding mental health often results in discrimination and isolation of those affected, creating a climate of fear and unjustified misunderstanding. This often works to deter individuals from seeking help and engaging in mental health conversations. The challenge is in finding safe places to share about one’s mental health struggles, given there is anxiety (or fear) that this revelation and disclosure may impact one’s relationships and possibly one’s overall employability.
Not that long ago, there was a question in job application forms in Singapore, inquiring about mental health issues. It often placed persons in recovery in a difficult bind: To disclose and risk being excluded from consideration or be untruthful, with the possibility of being found out subsequently and having one’s integrity called into question.
In responding to advocacy and lobbying against the continuation of this practice, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (Tafep) effectively abolished the question on mental health in application forms by updating their guidelines in 2019, stating that asking job applicants to declare their mental health condition without a good reason is discriminatory and should be removed from application forms.
This was an enlightened decision and a strategic win that involved advocacy groups. The result was socially impactful.
On the personal level, I was encouraged to add my (limited) voice to support this lobbying effort through the various community channels and networks I was connected to. It taught me the importance of standing up for social good – using one’s voice and view (together with others) to influence for positive change.
Attitudes and acceptance
But the path of progress for mental health acceptance is not linear. The acid test is whether corporates and organisations are willing to offer jobs to persons in recovery.
Many organisations profess inclusiveness but don’t actually offer employment.
What if the applicant suffers a meltdown at work, they ask. And wouldn’t colleagues require training to support persons in recovery?
However, I have been greatly encouraged (and inspired) by the Beyond the Label campaign by the National Council of Social Services, which encourages us to re-examine our stereotypes of those with mental health challenges, often unfairly writing them off as being incapable of being effective or productive in the workplace.
Admittedly, I too, was previously guilty of harbouring this unhelpful perspective.
I recall observing a supermarket business that offered a part-time packing role at the checkout counter to a person in recovery. The cashier (who was the “buddy” to this individual) took it in her stride to encourage the person not to be stressed by the unrelenting queue of customers. She reminded the person of the importance of taking a break if the stress became too much, while exhorting customers to be more understanding.
To me, this was a powerful example of the “last mile” practical steps needed to fully integrate persons in recovery back into the community and workplace.
My small claim to success in this aspect lies in persuading employers to be open to this journey of employing persons in recovery.
Over the past decade, the mental health charity I serve with has managed to secure job opportunities for over 400 persons in recovery, partnering like-minded organisations such as the Singapore Association of Mental Health and corporates like the DFI Group.
Having been retrenched twice in my career, I understand the sense of fulfilment and self-worth that having a job can offer: The impact is priceless and applies equally to the individual with mental health challenges and their family.
What you get back
When one engages in doing good to others you assume that it’s only the beneficiary who gains. In fact, studies have shown there are significant benefits for the individuals performing the good deeds. These benefits span physical and mental health, emotional well-being and social connections. I know, as I have discovered and experienced this at the personal level: It has led to my own enhanced mental health – a sense of purpose in and connectedness to the community.
Studies also show that volunteering can reduce symptoms of depression and increase life satisfaction.
A study published in the journal Health Psychology found that individuals who provided social support to others had lower blood pressure, which is associated with a reduced risk of health issues like heart disease.
Without sounding dramatic, the American Journal of Public Health reported that individuals who helped others during stressful times lived longer than those who did not.
Raising funds for the mental health charity I am associated with has made me less introverted. I am more open about approaching people while raising funds for a good cause (becoming a professional “beggar for good”, as a friend teases me).
Put simply, my association with mental health matters has been a rewarding journey – for promoting the mental health cause and, surprisingly, my personal development.
Our mental health charity was recognised by the Commissioner of Charities and I was given the honour of visiting the Istana to receive the highest charity award from Singapore’s then President, herself an ardent champion for mental health.
I have discovered that in giving our time for the service of others, we find purpose and a sense of fulfilment that is deeply satisfying.
As we start a new year and consider what to focus our energies on, my simple wish is for more to invest their time and talent to do good – if only to experience the personal transformational effects of the “goodness boomerang”.
This lawyer has certainly received far more than he could have asked for or imagined.
- Jeffery Tan is group general counsel and chief sustainability officer of Jardine Cycle & Carriage, a member of the Jardine Matheson Group. He sits on various boards, including the mental health charity Jardine Mindset.
No comments:
Post a Comment