What should change after the session?
Start with what you want people to do differently afterwards, not with the topic. A session aimed at a particular change – people knowing where to find support, or managers readier for a difficult conversation – is easier to brief a speaker on, and easier to judge afterwards.
It’s great to talk, but ultimately what must result is ‘action’ (the theme of this years’ mental health awareness week).
Lived experience, or clinical expertise?
Speakers bring different kinds of authority. Someone speaking from lived experience can describe a problem from the inside; a clinician can speak about diagnosis and treatment. Ask each speaker which they offer, and whether they are a clinician. A speaker who is not a clinician should say so, and should not give clinical advice from the stage.
As a lived-experience survivor of domestic abuse, TEDx speaker and CPD accredited trainer, I will draw on my story, as well as wider research, to develop your understanding of how domestic abuse unfolds, the challenges in reaching out for help and how to best support the people you care about.
Will they talk about suicide and self-harm safely?
If the session may touch on suicide or self-harm, ask the speaker how they handle it: whether they follow published guidance on talking about suicide, and whether your audience will be told beforehand what the session covers. Samaritans publishes a suicide prevention communications guide.
Open, safe communication about mental health and suicide prevention can save lives.
This guide covers useful tips for developing safe and informed suicide prevention messages for those communicating about the issue, raising awareness or campaigning for change.
If you’re worried that someone might be contemplating suicide, do not avoid the ‘suicide’ word.
Who supports people afterwards?
Some people may want support after a session on mental health. Before you book, know what support your organisation already offers, and ask the speaker to point people to it at the end, alongside crisis lines.
Consider giving all employees free access to an employee assistance programme and occupational health services, and raise awareness of them if they are offered …
Is the talk part of a wider plan?
NICE's guideline on mental wellbeing at work puts organisational-level approaches first, as the foundation. Ask where the talk fits in your organisation's wider plan, and what follows it.
Adopt a tiered approach to mental wellbeing in the workplace by using organisational-level approaches as the foundation for good mental wellbeing (the first [bottom] tier), followed by individual approaches (the second [middle] tier) and targeted approaches (the third [top] tier).
Tailor interventions to meet the needs of the organisation and its employees (for example, according to the industry sector or the size of the organisation).
I’m excited to see organisations across the UK, creating and developing men’s networks, providing a safe space for male employees to build relationships, thrive and safely seek help.
Does it fit your audience and format?
Ask whether the speaker has spoken to an audience like yours – its size, its sector and who will be in the room – and whether they offer the format you need, such as a keynote, a workshop or a session online.
Put on events which appeal to men in their own language and don’t give up. They may feel wary about opening up at first.
What evidence should you ask for?
Ask for a named reference from someone who booked the same talk, rather than the speaker in general, and for the organisations that have booked it. If a recording of the speaker exists, watch it.
What will they need on the day?
Ask what the speaker needs from the room – sound, a screen, microphones – whether the session may be recorded, and how they make it accessible, for example by sharing slides beforehand.