Together for good mental health: a love letter to the comms community
This week (12–18 May) marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and this year’s theme is Together for good mental health. The focus? Community. The kind that makes you feel seen, supported, and not alone.
If you work in charity comms, you’ll know how vital that kind of community is.
Comms is one of the most rewarding jobs out there, but it’s also one of the most emotionally draining. You’re juggling deadlines, “quick” requests, endless to-do lists, and reactive crises - all while trying to do justice to a cause you care deeply about. It's a role that requires empathy, creativity, resilience, and often, a magic wand.
Add under-resourced teams, high expectations, and the classic “can you just whip this up by EOD?” asks... and burnout starts to feel a little too familiar.
That’s why community matters. Not just the audiences we build or the causes we champion, but the behind-the-scenes community of comms people who get it. The ones who share resources, swap memes, offer solidarity in Slack groups, or send a “you’re doing brilliantly” when you need it most.
Ian and I both worked in the mental health space, and one thing that always stood out was how collaborative the sector can be. That spirit - the instinct to look out for each other - is something we’ve tried to carry with us at olio creative. To create a space where people feel supported, seen, and understood. (Our pets help with that too.)
So this Mental Health Awareness Week, we just wanted to say thank you to the charity comms community - for the resource sharing, the peer support, the late-night WhatsApp reassurance, the love on our LinkedIn posts, and the “that sucks” voice notes.
You are community in action. And we see you.
If you’re feeling the pressure right now, here are a few helpful resources:
CharityComms: Looking after your wellbeing as a comms professional
CharityComms: How charities can address the issue of burnout
And if you need a reminder that you’re not the only one being asked to “go viral” or “post the PDF to Instagram,” go follow Comms Creatives. You’ll feel better instantly.
Let’s keep showing up for each other - together, for good mental health.
