Gransnet forums

News & politics

The Guardian offers counselling to staff after ‘upsetting’ Trump election result!

(548 Posts)
FriedGreenTomatoes2 Thu 07-Nov-24 16:16:43

The Guardian is offering counselling to staff as it vowed to support its workforce after Donald Trump’s “upsetting” US election victory this week.

In an email to staff, The Guardian’s editor Katharine Viner said the election had “exposed alarming fault lines on many fronts” and urged journalists based in the UK to contact colleagues in the US “to offer your support”.

I’m glad I don’t give The Guardian any of my money if they waste it to coddle employees in this way!

Galaxy Thu 07-Nov-24 22:34:28

Do you think it is working. How well do you think it is going for children and young people with regard to mental health.

WellsRose Thu 07-Nov-24 22:35:25

Counselling doesn't you can't cope.

WellsRose Thu 07-Nov-24 22:37:28

We don't know do we as it's a struggle for kids to get mental health support.

Galaxy Thu 07-Nov-24 22:47:11

Well we do know. Suicide in teens for example has increased. I have worked in childrens services all my life. There are dedicated SEMH services that werent in existence 5 years ago. It would be really useful if we explored what is going on. I would suggest quite strongly that we are failing young people.

WellsRose Thu 07-Nov-24 23:08:57

Galaxy

Well we do know. Suicide in teens for example has increased. I have worked in childrens services all my life. There are dedicated SEMH services that werent in existence 5 years ago. It would be really useful if we explored what is going on. I would suggest quite strongly that we are failing young people.

Do you think counselling is doing that? Not family breakdown, poverty, social media, more pressure at school, easy access to porn, easier to drugs,

Is suicide up in other age groups? Do these young people leave suicide notes explaining why they're doing it?

What do you suggest we do for young people to make them think life is worthwhile.

WellsRose Thu 07-Nov-24 23:11:43

Actually there's been lockdown in the last five years. That probably had some effect.

WellsRose Thu 07-Nov-24 23:16:22

I've just looked the Samaritans and the highest rates of suicide are mental aged 45 to 49 followed by women 50 to 54 in 2023 so where are we failing middle aged people?

madalene Thu 07-Nov-24 23:26:34

Galaxy

The guardian staff are not at risk of assault because of trump.

Quite!

Litterpicker Thu 07-Nov-24 23:53:40

Re OP and ‘coddling’ - From The Telegraph careers pages on its website:

WHAT WE OFFER

"We're working hard to create a workplace where people feel valued, rewarded, and part of an organisation where they belong."

“Our Wellbeing support is available to all employees from our Employee Assistance Programme and Financial Wellbeing initiatives to our onsite services that include a GP, Physiotherapist, Beautician and Gym. We also have a brilliant network of Wellbeing Champions and trained Mental Health First Aiders who help to drive the mental health agenda across the organisation.”

Similar offers will no doubt be found on other newspapers’ recruitment pages.

Wyllow3 Thu 07-Nov-24 23:57:10

Well, a Guardian reporter was assaulted some time ago and mocked by Trump (details and video)
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/21/trump-playful-assault-guardian-reporter-ben-sasse

I have no problems with large organisations offering support to the small numbers that might need it including the Guardian News. Nor do I mind paying whatever tiny bit of Guardian news support goes in that direction.

Serious levels of support, psychiatric and psychological help from Mental Health foundation Trusts within the NHS for all groups: young people, adults, and Older Adults, they are all in real crisis.

This is completely different from work related supportive counselling. One cant substitute for the other.

Wyllow3 Fri 08-Nov-24 00:01:27

Litterpicker

Re OP and ‘coddling’ - From The Telegraph careers pages on its website:

WHAT WE OFFER

"We're working hard to create a workplace where people feel valued, rewarded, and part of an organisation where they belong."

“Our Wellbeing support is available to all employees from our Employee Assistance Programme and Financial Wellbeing initiatives to our onsite services that include a GP, Physiotherapist, Beautician and Gym. We also have a brilliant network of Wellbeing Champions and trained Mental Health First Aiders who help to drive the mental health agenda across the organisation.”

Similar offers will no doubt be found on other newspapers’ recruitment pages.

*Thank you Litterpicker.

You cannot have made it more clear that not only do many large organisations provide Mental Health First Aiders
But newspapers do as a matter of course*

Including the very newspaper the Telegraph who have mocked the Guardian

www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/11/07/guardian-offers-staff-counselling-after-trump-win/

nanna8 Fri 08-Nov-24 04:53:20

You probably need counselling working for most if not all of the papers these days. They are on a different wavelength and it must be difficult to accept.

Galaxy Fri 08-Nov-24 05:44:00

It is not about whether mental health support should exist though is it, it is whether we are creating a healthy environment for people if an election result that you dont agree with is seen as something which requires intervention.

mum2three Fri 08-Nov-24 06:28:14

This whole thread shows why so many people voted for Trump. The liberal left has turned everyone into 'snowflakes' who can't deal with reality. His supporters (on both sides of the Atlantic) want life to get back to normal. By normal, I mean...proper policing, proper education for our children, an end to all this twisted gender stuff. A control on immigration, and a pride in our country.

WellsRose Fri 08-Nov-24 07:37:36

Galaxy

It is not about whether mental health support should exist though is it, it is whether we are creating a healthy environment for people if an election result that you dont agree with is seen as something which requires intervention.

But he's a convicted sex offender. How do you think that should make young women feel?

WellsRose Fri 08-Nov-24 07:39:29

mum2three

This whole thread shows why so many people voted for Trump. The liberal left has turned everyone into 'snowflakes' who can't deal with reality. His supporters (on both sides of the Atlantic) want life to get back to normal. By normal, I mean...proper policing, proper education for our children, an end to all this twisted gender stuff. A control on immigration, and a pride in our country.

Do you think that young women should be happy with a sex pest in the highest office in the world?

GrannyGravy13 Fri 08-Nov-24 07:42:49

WellsRose the system in the USA has allowed POTUS Trump to run for office, a second time despite his convictions.

It is the system that should be challenged as opposed to name calling of those who voted Republican because they do not support what the Democrats were proposing.

petra Fri 08-Nov-24 07:48:57

Maremia

What's all this fuss and mocking about counselling? People in need are offerred it for all sorts of reasons, to help recover from assault, to deal with cancer in the family, bullying at work. Far better to offer counselling than to provoke a mob to riot, in my opinion.

You’ve completely missed the point. No one is mocking counselling 🤷‍♀️ I am openly mocking the editor of a national newspaper offering this service ( and thereby taking resources away from real victims) to people who maybe frightened of the orange clown thousands of miles away.

WellsRose Fri 08-Nov-24 07:52:35

I can't see any name calling of Trump supporters. It's been about belittling people being upset that someone who has no moral compass. There was a clip of a Republican male bragging yesterday that Trump getting into power that men now had power over women's bodies. I'm an older woman so it doesn't affect me but I've got a daughter and I'm really worried for her. But I'm a snowflake apparently.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Fri 08-Nov-24 07:54:42

Well The Guardian is haemorrhaging money. How can they afford mental health support services? Besides, they have a problem with their hacks not even wanting to come into the office, so how does that work? These tender souls are working in the wrong job in my opinion.

WellsRose Fri 08-Nov-24 07:56:18

But if you've read the thread. You will have seen that most big organisations including papers offer their staff counselling. It will be through a private company and will not affect people who are waiting for NHS support.

WellsRose Fri 08-Nov-24 08:00:00

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Well The Guardian is haemorrhaging money. How can they afford mental health support services? Besides, they have a problem with their hacks not even wanting to come into the office, so how does that work? These tender souls are working in the wrong job in my opinion.

It will probably be included in the private health care that most companies offer.
A lot of people work from 🏡 me these days.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Fri 08-Nov-24 08:02:45

Owen Jones will be melting. Polly Tornbee will be spontaneously combusting.

Casdon Fri 08-Nov-24 08:03:39

That is somewhat of a misrepresentation FriedGreenTomatoes2, because all newspaper groups are losing money year on year on that side of the business, and are restructuring their profiles. The Guardian is actually doing rather well in picking up online subscribers, which is the future.
www.theguardian.com/gnm-press-office/2024/sep/17/the-guardian-media-group-publishes-202324-statutory-accounts

fancythat Fri 08-Nov-24 08:05:07

WellsRose

I've just looked the Samaritans and the highest rates of suicide are mental aged 45 to 49 followed by women 50 to 54 in 2023 so where are we failing middle aged people?

I suspect that middle aged people are the ones who think they can "cope" the best.
And therefore are reluctant to seek help.