Bell’s Let’s Talk Event Benefits Mental Health

Approximately 1 in 5 Canadians will suffer from mental health issues in their lifetime and this staggering statistic drove Bell to create a CSR business program to help those inflicted. Now in its second year, Bell’s Let’s Talk Day takes place on Wednesday February 8th, 2012 and is an event held with the purpose of breaking the stigma that is associated with mental health issues. By breaking those preconceived notions and opening the topic up for discussion more people might be willing to seek the help that they required. Or at the very least, know they are not alone.

Clara Hughes image courtesy of letstalk.bell.ca

Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes is the spokesperson for the campaign. In the ads that Bell is running she opens up about her own battle with depression. Joining Hughes as the Québec spokespersons are author, composer and performer Stefie Shock, as well as actor and comedian Michel Mpambara. Both Shock and Mpambara will also share their own battles with mental health during the campaign.

This CSR business program that Bell has started is part of Bell’s five year $50 million mental health initiative. Let’s Talk is based on four pillars: “anti-stigma, care and access, research, and workplace best practices.” It is apparent that Let’s Talk is the centrepiece of the campaign and deals head on with the task of changing the perception associated with mental health issues. Bell’s program delves deeper than just breaking down social mores; they are funding research hospitals and grassroots organizations.

Let’s Talk is a multi-platform program and a large part of that is cross-media promotion. Bell is running ads on television, print, radio and via social media channels along with other media outlets to spread the word that this is something people should be discussing. However, the campaign culminates on February 8th, 2012, which is Let’s Talk Day.

On this day Bell will donate $0.05 cents to mental health organizations for every text message and long-distance call that Bell and Bell Aliant customer’s make (standard rates still apply). In 2011, Canadians rose to the challenge making a total of 66,079,236 long-distance calls and text messages. This translated into $3,303,961.80 which Bell donated. If non-Bell customers want to get involved in the campaign they can via the “Twitter [account] @Bell_LetsTalk and join in retweeting the Bell Let’s Talk Day message on February 8. For each such retweet, Bell will donate an additional 5 cents.”

“Canadians really stepped up to talk about mental health on last year’s very successful Bell Let’s Talk Day, and the conversation has only continued to grow since then,” said Ms. Hughes, Canada’s six-time Olympic medalist and the smile at the forefront of Bell Let’s Talk. “Open and honest discussion of how mental illness impacts each of us is crucial to driving the awareness, acceptance and action needed to make a real difference in mental health. So let’s talk Canada!”

Bell is Canada’s largest communications company and it is using its resources and considerable clout to raise awareness about a problem that is plaguing 20% of the population and that still has a degree of shame attached to it. CSR business programs such as these can truly change and save lives and the whole idea of reaching out to people is in-keeping with the core competence of the Bell brand. Overall this is a groundbreaking CSR business program as they are tackling a touchy subject matter in a manner that brings to light the best of the brand.

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional professional fundraising including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.