Brian Sims
Editor
Brian Sims
Editor
AN INDUSTRY-led collaboration designed to promote the importance of good mental health and well-being in the private security industry has been launched under the ‘Security Minds Matter’ banner. The project is aimed at benefiting everyone currently working in the private security industry and keenly focused on attracting the attentions of employers who have a Duty of Care to their staff.
In essence, the Security Minds Matter project aims to:
*share Best Practice advice on mental health and well-being
*signpost additional support for individual employees and employers alike
*provide resources such as toolkits and guidance
*stimulate conversation and debate on this hugely important issue
The Steering Group for the project encompasses several members of the UK Advisory Board of the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) and is being chaired by IFPO UK director Mike Hurst CPP CPOI.
Other members of the Steering Group include Chris Middleton CSyP (director of ABM Security), Dr Anne Llewellyn of Nu-ology (an e-Learning specialist and former registered general nurse), Mike Thomson (ex-police detective and qualified counsellor), Yolanda Hambleton (head of security operations at Virgin Media), Lynn Watts-Plumpkin (schemes manager at the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board), Mike White (head of risk compliance and assurance at G4S) and Nicholas Reed, risk manager for Suntory in Great Britain and Ireland.
Important role
“The private security industry plays a hugely important role in keeping members of the public safe,” explained Mike Hurst in conversation with Security Matters. “It’s well documented that, as part of their daily duties, security operatives often experience verbal abuse and violent assaults. In some extreme cases, officers have been killed while carrying out their role.”
Hurst continued: “The negative impact of such experiences on the mental health and well-being of security operatives cannot be underestimated. We are very much aware of the high numbers of post-traumatic stress disorder cases among operatives in the industry. Against that backdrop, the Security Minds Matter initiative is all about helping industry professionals to support their teams. We want everyone to be involved in promoting Best Practice that supports good mental health and well-being.”
Encouragement from the regulator
The Steering Group has been working closely with industry regulator the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to develop the Security Minds Matter projects and is extremely grateful for the encouragement offered by SIA CEO Michelle Russell and her team from the outset.
Co-ordinators of the Security Minds Matter project will work closely with industry professionals and designated specialists to deliver tangible and quantifiable outcomes. “We are still in the early stages and will publish our plans shortly,” concluded Hurst. “In the meantime, we are keen to engage with individuals, membership organisations, employers and other parties as we progress and create many opportunities for them to become involved.”
The Security Minds Matter project has its own website (to be found at www.securitymindsmatter.org) as well as dedicated Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. Industry professionals are encouraged to use the hashtag #SecurityMindsMatter in order to help raise awareness of the project when sharing relevant news and content on social and online platforms.
*Further information is available by contacting the Security Minds Matter team via e-mail at hello@securitymindsmatter.org
