How we challenge discrimination

Time to Change is an ambitious programme combining different approaches to challenge discrimination. This is based on international evidence of what works.

Discrimination is complex and deep-rooted and challenging it is not a simple task.

Evidence has suggested that the best approach is to combine the enforcement of legal rights with work to engage the public, alongside grassroots projects that bring people with and without mental health problems together.

We can change public attitudes and behaviour around mental health by:

• Involving people with direct experience of mental health problems in all of our work
• Combining national programmes with local, community activities
• Sending out clear, consistent messages to specific audiences
• Monitoring and evaluating all our work

We believe we can really challenge stigma and discrimination through:

• A major marketing and awareness campaign
• Targeted training programmes that educate people and change their attitudes and behaviour in specific settings – for example our Education Not Discrimination programme that provides training for student doctors and teachers
• Empowering people with direct experience of mental health problems to challenge stigma and discrimination themselves – through Open Up
• Creating opportunities for people with and without mental health problems to meet, which has been proven to break down stigma by helping people understand mental health problems better (see our information on social contact). We do this through Get Moving, END, and our local projects
• Enforcing the legal rights of people with mental health problems through the law – through Time to Challenge
• Time to Change has national reach through our campaign, grassroots activity in many regions of England and works with specific targeted groups of people.

By combining all these activities, we believe that over four years we can make a real difference.