Global Shapers Bulawayo: Mental Health Expo at Workplaces

Global Shapers Community Bulawayo Hub Hosts Mental Health Expo to Promote and Prioritise Mental Health at Workplaces

Global Shapers Community Bulawayo Hub has implored for the promotion and prioritisation of mental health at workplaces.

This was highlighted during a mental health expo on 17 November by Global Shapers Community_Bulawayo Hub Vice Curator, Bongiwenkosini Zulu who emphasised the importance of prioritising mental health at workplaces.

“Employees and employers should normalise having one-on-one mental health discussions. Employees must feel comfortable to apply for mental health leaves without feeling ashamed of being called crazy or mad,” she said.

The expo was organised also to create an inclusive environment for mental health discussions and to ensure that the community is better informed about mental health issues.

In it Together

Global Shapers Community Bulawayo Hub Curator, Buhlebakhe Ncube, said, “The reason for this event was to bring together mental health organisations from the city. We had organisations, companies, individuals like HR managers. Our intention was to have conversations around mental health in general and in the workplace, and to make sure that we are doing our best to create an inclusive environment now and in the future.”

She added, “I would like this to be a regular thing, for us to get together as organisations and go out into the community as a collective. We are more effective when we work together. It makes sense for all these organizations that came though today to build something bigger, to create platforms, to start conversations and to ensure that we do our best to have a positive impact in our community. Impact that goes beyond numbers and KPIs, but is rooted in the fact that every person matters.”

The event was attended by over 20 mental health experts, employees and employers from different organisations. The expo featured a series of talks and presentations aimed at raising awareness about mental health issues and promoting mental wellness at workplaces.

Supporting Organisations

Organisations such as Friendship Bench, Lunia Centre for Youth, Art of Living Foundation, Abangane Platform, Pick and Pay and many others had their representatives exhibiting.

The Global Shapers Community is a collection of young people interested in driving dialogue, action, and change. The young people want to make sure that they are the change they want to see. They come together and effect change, driving dialogue and organizing events like the mental health expo. The Global Shapers Community has over 500 hubs in more than 150 cities, and young people aged 18 to 27 can join from anywhere in the world.

The mental health expo was a resounding success, and the Global Shapers Community_Bulawayo Hub hopes to organize similar events in the future to promote mental wellness and raise awareness about mental health issues.