Earlier this year, we took part in a charity ‘Netwalk’ for Shout, one of the UK’s leading mental health charities. This was alongside many of our peers on behalf of TEAM, the no.1 network for recruiters and independent recruitment agencies.  

It was a great event! Not only as an opportunity to support a great charity, we’ve been shouting about Shout for a long time now, but also as a chance to do some networking. But before we talk about that, let’s shine some well-deserved light on what Shout do.  

 Who are Shout?

Powered by the charity Mental Health Innovations, Shout offer digital solutions to support people who are struggling with their mental health. It’s a completely free service done over text, making it one of the most accessible ways to get support.  

As adults, it can be difficult to find the time to focus on our own mental health. With work, family, and a lot of pressure on our shoulders, many of us resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms, or try to bury our issues out of sight.  

Seeing a therapist takes not only a lot of confidence, it can be easy to put it off when we’re busy, but time and sometimes a lot of money too.  

As a free service, Shout’s 24/7 text messaging service is the perfect mental health solution for us busy people. They give you instant support whenever you need it – sometimes all you need to do is talk to begin the healing process.  

None of us like to admit when we need help, so Shout’s confidentiality makes it a saving grace for many. It’s beneficial for security too. If you’re in a situation where you would put yourself in harm’s way by trying to seek help, Shout will do everything they can to help you through it.  

During the Covid pandemic a few years ago, Shout’s service became even more important. We all struggled in our own way when we weren’t able to get out of the house, as the lines blurred between our work and personal lives. Shout were one of the few mental health services who were still able to operate. They were vital for helping many of us through those tough few years and have only grown since.   

With nearly 15 thousand trained volunteers, Shout are able to help more people than ever before. And with over 2000 conversations being had every day, that help is always readily available.  

Although Shout is mainly aimed at supporting young people, older professionals like us and our peers use their services to have access to quick, consistent support whenever we need it. So whenever an opportunity arises to support them, we’re more than happy to help return the favour.  

Who are TEAM? 

TEAM are a network comprising of hundreds of SME recruitment and recruitment support companies. They’ve been going strong since the mid-nineties, even longer than we’ve been around (which is saying something in the recruitment world!).  

Events and EXPOs are a great way to connect with other recruitment companies, but TEAM’s events are always something special. At an EXPO it can be a little too competitive, whereas meeting our fellow recruitment pros at a fun day out that also supports a great cause is a much better way to build meaningful connections.  

Although we only support recruitment agencies, multiple members of our team have a recruitment background and are always keen to chat about how recruitment is changing. If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you’ll know we keep our finger on the pulse!  

As high street locations become few and far between, we think it’s more important than ever to meet face-to-face and see how everyone is handling new changes. And if they think they need some more support, we’re ready and waiting to help.  

 

Netwalking for Shout 

So what was this event?  

On the 6th of June we gathered in the grounds of the gorgeous Kenilworth Castle, ready to walk for charity. It was a lovely 18 degrees, and we had plenty of sun (doing these events in summer is always a bonus!).  

After some catching up in the car park, it was time to gear up and get walking. It was a six-mile trek through the Elizabethan Gardens and surrounding area, we couldn’t have asked for a better location. As networking goes, it’s not a bad way to do it!  

We met plenty of new faces, and a few familiar ones, giving us a great opportunity to chat about the world of recruitment and what we do. But we don’t like to be all business and spent plenty of time just chatting for the sake of it. We value the relationships we have with our peers, and the recruitment companies we all work with, and learning more about the people behind the brand is always a bonus.  

Overall, despite some sore feet by the end of it, it was a fabulous event, and we raised a lot for Shout too! We’d barely reached the end and were already looking forward to doing it again in 2025.  

When we do, we’ll be sure to let you know how it went!