As part of its Let’s Reset campaign to improve the mental health and wellbeing of people working in the industry, The Film and TV Charity has launched a new digital hub to help freelancers proactively look after their most important business asset – themselves.

The Freelancer Wellbeing Hub houses a range of bespoke educational tools and resources developed in response to the Charity’s research. The first resources available on the Hub are:

In 2019, the Charity’s Looking Glass Survey identified that a lack of accessible support was a key contributor to the poor mental health and wellbeing that many working behind the scenes in film, TV and cinema have experienced. The problem is all the more acute for freelancers, who make up more than 50% of the industry’s workforce but too often cite the lack of support available to them.

Alongside the Hub’s new information and resources, the 1-minute Wellbeing Check-In quiz has been developed with business psychologists at Thrive Therapeutic Software, based on factors and issues identified in the Charity’s own research, to help individuals to assess their experiences of common, industry-specific stressors. On completion of the quiz, a bespoke range of resources and information on the issues identified is provided and users are encouraged to set personal wellbeing goals. The quiz can be completed as many times as a user wishes to help them see how they are getting on.

The Freelancer Wellbeing Hub will be expanded in the coming months to include more resources relating to freelancers’ needs as identified by the Charity’s research, with specific support for financial concerns, advice on connecting with others, and on keeping well when not working all in development.

Lucy Powell, The Film and TV Charity’s Community Support Lead said: “Working as a freelancer in our industry can be incredibly challenging, with a range of factors from long hours to loneliness and little formal support all taking their toll. Our Let’s Reset campaign is about demonstrating that everyone has a role to play in supporting themselves and those working for them, whether that’s familiarising themselves with the support available and breaking the stigma of talking about mental health, or ensuring employees and freelancers have access to the help available. This new resource is a key part of the programme we developed in response to our research, helping to make sure that individuals feel that the difficulties they are encountering are being seen, and ensuring that everyone can find clear support and guidance. This is an innovative approach to support for contractors and freelancers and we’re pleased to see the industry coming together to support individuals in this way, ensuring that all of our creative workforce feels valued and encouraged to seek out the help they need.”

The Hub has been designed to empower individuals as part of the Charity’s dynamic programme aimed at improving mental health outcomes for people in the industry, and sits alongside the pledge made by industry leaders, as part of Let’s Reset, to directly address the underlying causes of poor mental health.

The Freelancer Wellbeing Hub and all of the Charity’s support services can be accessed via filmtvcharity.org.uk/freelancer-hub

Anyone working in the industry who needs support can call the 24/7 Film and TV Support Line on 0800 054 00 00 to ask for professional advice and be connected with the best person to help.

Businesses can find out how to support the Let’s Reset campaign and help shape the future of TV and film and visiting filmtvcharity.org.uk/letsreset

About The Film and TV Charity
The Film and TV Charity works behind the scenes of the film, television and cinema industry in the UK, supporting the predominantly freelance 200,000-strong workforce. From research to writing, through casting and production, to editing, publicity, distribution, broadcast and exhibition, the charity supports the lives of everyone involved. The charity’s free and confidential Support Line 0800 054 00 00 provides 24-hour guidance and support for everyone working in the industry.