IDFC FIRST Bank launches #ReachOutReachWithin - a digital CSR campaign to raise awareness about Mental Health

• Dedicated web portal to facilitate mental health conversations

•  Experts and mental health practitioners share views and advice on mental health

• Campaign to culminate in a two-day virtual festival

Mumbai, January 14, 2021: IDFC FIRST Bank has launched ‘ReachOutReachWithin’, a digital campaign on mental health awareness, with an objective to mainstream conversations around mental well-being.  The campaign aims to build awareness around the importance of mental health while also driving dialogue on bridging the gap in access to quality healthcare. 

As part of the campaign, the Bank has been driving conversations around mental health on social media and engaging experts in the field, who respond to queries on the subject. A dedicated web portal has been set up, which serves as a repository of expert views and discussions related to mental health https://reachoutreachwithin.in . The campaign will culminate in a two-day festival.

Campaign highlights

1. Interactive visuals and posts to drive attention to critical aspects of mental wellness

2. Guidance from industry experts on facts and myths about mental illness

3. Campaign has been well received and has engagement of over 250k across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

4. Campaign to culminate in a two-day festival, featuring workshops by experts on mental wellness through art, music and theatre

According to the National Mental Health Survey Data, 150 million people across India are in need of mental healthcare interventions, both short and long-term. About 46% of private-sector employees report extreme stress because of their work. 

Even though conversations around mental health have risen, experts are of the view that the subject needs more attention. The campaign #ReachOutReachWithin aims to inform, build awareness and open a dialogue in the space of mental health. In addition, the Bank has partnered with the Banyan Academy for Leadership in Mental Health as its knowledge partner to enhance capacity building for caregivers in the mental health space.

As a part of the campaign, the Bank has published interactive social media posts across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn that focus on mental health concerns. 

The Bank has also hosted discussions and interviews with prominent experts in the mental health space on its web portal. Experts include Dr. Harish Shetty, Psychiatrist and Mental Health Expert, LH Hiranandani Hospital; Dr. Aditya Gopinathan, Psychiatrist, Sushrut Hospital; Dr. Lakshmi Ravikanth, Psychologist, Co-dean, Banyan Academy for Leadership in Mental Health (BALM); Sonal Adlakhiya, Social Worker and Lead, Home-Again Maharashtra Chapter, The Banyan; Chitra Paul, Special Educator and Parent of a Child with Autism; and Sarbani Mallick, Founder and Managing Trustee, Biswa Gauri Charitable Trust. These experts have addressed challenges and myths pertaining to mental health and highlighted the need for community-peer support in achieving overall mental well-being. 

The ReachOutReachWithin campaign culminates in a mental health festival from January 16 to 17, 2021, which features workshops by experts involving the use of art, music, theatre and literature for mental wellness.

Session details are as follows:

• Doodling session by author and artist Adwaita Das
•  Self-awareness workshop by artist Swarali Marathe
• A mime performance titled, My Imaginary Friend and I, by mental health influencer and founder-director of The Red Door, Reshma Valliappan.
• Representation of mental health in literature by famous novelist, poet and short story writer, Jerry Pinto 
• Music for wellness workshop by Ananyaa Gaur, a Mumbai- based multi-disciplinary artist, music practitioner, facilitator and researcher, wrapping up the entire festival

Commenting on the campaign, Rachana Iyer, Head CSR, IDFC FIRST Bank, said, “The Covid-induced lockdown and the uncertainity thereafter, has impacted mental health across age groups and sectors. There is a need to go beyond medicine and follow a more holistic approach to mental health. We believe that the campaign will not only solve for some deeprooted challenges but focus more on community-peer support, inclusion, accessibility and awareness to create significant impact on-ground.”

To be a part of the campaign and to register yourself for the festival click on the following link; https://reachoutreachwithin.in

For more updates on the campaign, feel free to follow the bank on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.