ESP News
Issue 5 – December 2016
Welcome
Welcome to the December issue of ESP News. In this issue we will look at the importance of
investing in good relationships, how to be more confidenct when speaking in public, as well
as give you some tips on how to have better mental health and reduce anxiety. Being during
the festive season, all of us here at the ESP Unit would like to take this opportunity to wish
you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Stelmart Khalil
Coordinator
Employee Support Programme
Inside this issue
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Developing stronger relationships
Being more comfortable with public speaking
Tips for better mental health
News & Events
1. Developing stronger relationships
Relationships are fundamental to our health and wellbeing. We cannot thrive as individuals
without meaningful connections and relationships. Relationships reinforce a sense of
belonging to a group and provide a sense of identity. They also give us an almost
therapeutic support system and keep feelings of loneliness at bay. Good relationships allow
us to learn from others’ experiences whilst also giving us the opportunity to learn new things.
We need to promote good relationships as well as tackle any barriers that affect them such
as the increasing pressures of work-life balance, the impact of bullying and unhealthy
relationships. Good communication is an essential skill in forming quality relationships.
Knowing how to listen, share thoughts and feelings honestly and encouraging others in your
life to do the same are all skills that create a stronger bond among individuals. Furthermore,
knowing how to calmly and effectively resolve a conflict can also help maintain a healthy
bond with other people.
Despite our busy schedules and lifestyles, we need to prioritise our relationships, be them
personal or professional. It helps to ask yourself how much time you are actively investing in
building and maintaining your relationships. Being present and listening to friends, family and
colleagues is an important skill in building quality relationships. This includes staying focused
on the topic, limiting use of information technology and social media interaction whilst with
another person and being ready to forgive or apologise. Should you feel the need to
complain, it helps that you express your feelings using ‘I’ statements and then express a
positive need. For example, “I hate clutter and feel stressed when the kitchen is a mess. I’d
really like it if you could keep the counters clear”.
Being appreciative and respectful of those around you helps to enhance your relationships
through a mutual sense of belonging. Take time to get to know those around you and show
interest in their life. Knowing even the simplest of details about those close to you is a
powerful way of showing that you care.
Investing in our relationships will affect the overall quality of our lives. Good and meaningful
relationships give a sense of meaning and fulfilment to our life and are worth our time and
effort.
Good relationships help us live longer and happier lives with fewer physical and mental
health problems (Mental Health Foundation, UK, 2016)
2. Being more comfortable with public speaking
Public speaking is not an easy task and many people find it intimidating and even
embarrassing. Starting a presentation is usually the hardest part for the speaker. By knowing
exactly how you will start your speech will allow you to relax and get into the speech
gradually. Furthermore, it also helps to introduce yourself, since that information is familiar to
you, thus helping you to manage any anxiety better.
When presenting, it helps if the speaker keeps the presentation as brief and to the point as
possible, including essential pieces of information to help keep the audience interested. If
the presentation is required to run longer, make use of breaks with visuals, workshops or
some sort of interactive exercise to help people remain engaged and focused.
Another way to sustain the audience’s interest is to share a story or experience, when
appropriate and according to the context of the presentation. The story does not need to be
personal, but it will get people to take notice and keep listening. Also, honesty is important: if
you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t be afraid to say so and you can offer to
research the answer.
Anxiety related to public speaking is common, however, just like any other skill, with time
and practice, one can develop a certain comfort with talking in front of a group of people.
3. Tips for better mental health
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Limit caffeine intake
Get enough rest
Exercise daily
Take deep breaths when you start to feel anxious
Accept what you cannot control
Maintain a positive attitude to replace negative thinking
Learn about what triggers your anxiety
Talk to someone
Use hobbies or activities that you love to distract you from your worries
4. News & Events
We would like to say farewell to Ms Oriana Cutajar, Trainee Employee Support Assistant as
she resigned from her positition to continue with her studies. Her diligent work and her
dedication is truly appreciated and we would like to wish her the best in her future
endeavours.
i)
World Mental Health Day, 10th October 2016
In order to commemorate World Mental Health Day on the 10th October, the Employee
Support Programme organised a month long campaign across the Public Service with the
aim of raising awareness on mental health and how poor mental health can affect our
everyday lives, including work. Once a week during the month before the 10th October a
number of different themes related to mental health such as stigma, good relationships and
self-care, where promoted through mailshots, posters and articles which were disseminated
across the departments. If more knowledge and information is available, individuals are
better equipped to identify mental health issues and seek the necessary help and support.
On the 10th of October, the ESP team visited different Ministries and distributed promotional
material to raise awareness on the services offered by the ESP Unit.
ii) Mental Health First Aid
As part of the mental health campaign, sixty public employees attended a course on Mental
Health First Aid which was delivered by the Richmond Foundation together with the
Employee Support Programme. A total of four training groups were held during the month of
November 2016 at the ESP Unit in Msida.
Posters used during the campaign
iii) Seminar in Berlin on the promotion and protection of mental health issues in
the Public Sector.
Ms. Stelmart Khalil, together with Ms. Marita Galea, had the opportunity to deliver a
presentation during a seminar in Berlin organised by the European Academy for Taxes,
Economics & Law which discussed the promotion and protection of mental health in public
insititutions. Participants were from various public sector entities and agencies across the
European Union and discussed how mental health is being promoted within their
organisations and ways how this may be improved. Ms. Khalil’s presentation focused on how
to raise awareness on mental health at the workplace, whereas Ms. Galea delivered a
presentation on suicide prevention at the workplace.