Milton Keynes mental health charity Arthur Ellis has launched a Business Support Programme offering workplace wellbeing resources to companies that help fund its services.

The Arthur Ellis Mental Health Foundation is inviting businesses to support its work with children, young people and vulnerable adults while giving their own employees tools to understand and manage their mental health.

The Business Support Programme includes a 15-minute video for new and existing colleagues, explaining mental health and wellbeing and how to manage them. Further resources and support are available through different levels of participation.

The foundation was established as a charity in 2024, building on support work that began in 2017. It helps people experiencing difficulties affecting their mental health and wellbeing, often in challenging circumstances.

According to the charity, it supports around 2,000 people each year but estimates that this represents only 10% of those who need its help. It also says youth mentoring programmes have been cut by 83% since 2010, adding to the difficulties young people face in accessing support.

Founder Jon Manning said: “Without the support of the business community, we couldn’t do what we do, providing support to the thousands that need it. But we need to scale to meet demand. Since we started, demand for our service has increased over 800%.”

The Business Support Programme aims to help the charity expand its capacity while encouraging employers to take a preventative approach to workplace wellbeing.

Jon said: “We support children who have experienced sexual abuse, who are suicidal and who have experienced some of the worst things imaginable. We want to help people overcome these aspects of their lives.

“We can’t fix what’s happened, but we can provide that support to help them improve how they feel and how they engage in the world around them. Wellbeing is about being healthy, comfortable, and happy. We want to help people achieve that.”

Through the programme, the charity wants to build a shared understanding of mental health within workplaces, helping colleagues recognise how they can look after their wellbeing while supporting access to services in the wider community.

Businesses interested in the programme can contact Arthur Ellis through www.arthurellismhs.com.