Scheme launched to train agent mental health 'champions'

Five agents will initially be chosen to take part in the Get Travel Talking Champions scheme, part of the next phase of the Get Travel Talking campaign – launched by TTG in September 2020 to raise awareness of, and increase support for, mental health challenges facing travel staff.

After partnering with Abta LifeLine in May to host Get Travel Talking Week, this latest step will create a network of mental health ambassadors with the knowledge and confidence to make a real difference. 

The programme will fully fund places for agents on a two-day mental health first aid course run by St John Ambulance. 

After completing their training, agents will become Get Travel Talking Champions and act as ambassadors for better mental wellbeing, whether that’s in their own workplace, with agents in their local area, among fellow consortia members, or by providing support to someone new. 

The voluntary role is about being there to listen, offer support to those who need it, and guiding people to the right services – such as Abta LifeLine – when more specialist help is required. continued support.

Tom Parry, TTG deputy news editor and Get Travel Talking founder, said: “It’s a privilege to continue our collaboration with Abta LifeLine and keep up the momentum around such an important subject.

“We wanted to create this opportunity for independent agents as we know resources have never been tighter, and because the need to keep looking out for each other is equally as vital.

Our hope, in time, is to forge a network of Get Travel Talking Champions to support and encourage others and create something positive and useful out of such a difficult time for the industry – and especially frontline agents.”