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Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Sgoil Cheumnaichean Saidheans Sòisealta na h-Alba
  • About us
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SGSSS Summer Internships

R23-17

Internship host: Scottish Government
Internship reference: R23-17
Part time or Full time: 3 months full-time or 6 months part-time
Location:

Project Title

Mental health in the workplace: Evidence-based review exploring which industries and work-place settings have the highest risk factors associated with, or contributing to, poor mental health and/or suicide and the reasons for this

Project Details

Working with the Targeted Prevention Unit in the Mental Health Directorate (which includes the Suicide Prevention policy team and the Social Determinants team), undertake a review of existing evidence to determine which sectors and workplace settings have the highest risk factors associated with, or contributing to, poor mental health and/or suicide and the reasons for this.  This will include a review of existing literature examining evidence from Scotland and the UK, as well as reviewing available sources of evidence from groups and panels involved in the Suicide Prevention Scotland delivery collective.  It may will also involve some direct stakeholder engagement through networks and advisory groups  You would be supported by both policy teams within the unit who would be able to help connect you up with relevant stakeholders, groups and signpost to existing evidence that we are already aware of. 
 
Anticipated outputs of the project would be a final report and presentation to Scottish Government policy teams summarising the evidence from the review and drawing conclusions on the key sectors and workplace settings identified as having the greatest potential risks associated with or contributing to poor mental health and/or suicide. This should also draw conclusions on the factors contributing to this within these sectors and workplace settings. Regular progress update points would be agreed at the beginning of the project.

Policy Context

Both Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy and Suicide Prevention strategy take a whole-system approach to mental health and wellbeing, with a clear focus on prevention and early intervention. Aligning priorities on suicide prevention with those aimed at tackling the wider social determinants of mental health more broadly is a key priority and through our actions we are working to ensure our early intervention and prevention approaches are supporting positive outcomes for both driving down suicide deaths in Scotland, and improving mental health more broadly. 
 
There is a wide range of evidence that demonstrates the link between poor mental health and employment.  We also know that around two-thirds of people who die by suicide are in employment at the time of their death. We want to ensure people experiencing poor mental health are well supported in their workplace and that workplaces can support good mental health so that the risk of developing poor mental health or thoughts of suicide are reduced or prevented.  This will help more people to be able to remain in or return to work.  We work in partnership with a range of national partners and organisations to ensure that employers are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to promote good mental health through their policies and practices.  However, in order to ensure employers are getting the right support and that they understand the most appropriate ways of supporting their staff, we need to understand more about the sectors and workplace settings where the risk of poor mental health or suicide is highest. 

Skills Required

• Communicating with impact
• Evidence review
• Stakeholder engagement

Skills to be Developed

• Academic research management skills
• Communication and writing skills
• Engagement and impact
• Skills in working with others

Timing and Working Hours

3 months full-time, 6 months part-time
Hybrid

Challenge-Led Pathways aligned to this placement

• Health, Wellbeing and Communities

Challenge-led pathways give students the opportunity to develop capacity for interdisciplinary connections within the social sciences and beyond. More information on challenge-led pathways can be found here.

About the Host

Directorate General: DG H&SC
Directorate: Mental Health
Division/Team: Population Mental Health

Contact for Queries

Katherine Myant katherine.myant@gov.scot and Alison McQuarrie alison.mcquarrie@gov.scot

Pool Applications

All applicants applying for placements with Scottish Government are encouraged to apply for the pool. For more information about the pool, please click here.

How to Apply

To apply for this internship create an account on SGSSS Apply and start a new Internships application, making sure to note the reference number R23-17 when selecting your choices. The deadline for applications is Monday 9 March 4pm.
Submit application via SGSSS Apply
Download Scottish Government Guidance
Download the Internships FAQs
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