A low-cost counselling service for people working in the arts sector has been launched by non-profit organisation Wellbeing in the Arts.
The service offers to connect individuals working in the sector with a range of more than 150 registered counsellors across the UK with knowledge of the challenges that come with working in the arts, with session costs starting from £15.
“There has long been a huge demand in the arts for affordable mental health support, which we can now provide,” said Adam Bambrough, Founder and Chief Executive of Wellbeing in the Arts.
“The fact that we have had over 350 people come forward to use our service within 72 hours shows just how much need there is.”
The service is also open to employers, who can sign up to help their staff and freelancers access mental health support by subsidising the costs of sessions, with contributions starting from £2.50 per person.
Employers can access additional benefits including site visits and mental health and wellbeing packs for eligible employees, as well as help with funding applications and joint marketing campaigns.
“For a small amount, an employer – be it a large organisation, small company, independent producer, or agent – can help their staff, including freelancers, to access the support they need and show that they care about the mental health and wellbeing of their team, which will inevitably lead to better outcomes for everyone,” Bambrough said.
Support offered by the organisation is 100% confidential, he added, meaning that employers will not be informed if staff and freelancers register for counselling sessions.