What is mental health stigma?
Mental health stigma refers to the negative attitudes and beliefs directed towards individuals because of their mental illness.
Stigma can lead to discrimination, whether obvious or subtle, and has negative effects such as:
- Making people reluctant to seek help
- Leaving people feeling isolated from loved ones who don’t understand
- Making it harder for people to get work, find housing, join in social activities, and more
- Bullying, violence, or harassment
See our anti stigma rapid review here
This is where
Change the Narrative comes in!
Who we are
Change the Narrative is a citywide programme working to change how mental health is understood and responded to in Leeds.
The partnership brings together individuals, communities and organisations to challenge mental health stigma, amplify lived experience, and change the attitudes and behaviours that shape how people feel supported and included. To Change the Narrative around mental health for good.
Our work is rooted in the Leeds Ambitions and the Health and Wellbeing Strategy with the ambition for “Leeds to be a mentally healthy city for everyone”. To achieve this, Leeds needs to be a place where people feel understood, respected and able to express their needs without fear of stigma or discrimination.
Led by Touchstone and the Leeds Public Mental Health Team, we are working to change the narrative through:
Understanding – building awareness of how stigma shows up across communities, workplaces and services, and the impact it has on people’s lives
Sharing experiences – centring real people’s voices and stories to deepen understanding and challenge assumptions
Challenging – questioning myths, stigma and discrimination, and influencing change in practice, culture and systems
We are encouraging people across Leeds to be part of this work. Helping to create a city where mental health is better understood and stigma no longer stands in the way.
Download our full toolkit here
Get involved:
Follow and share our social media posts
Facebook: Change the Narrative
Instagram: Change The Narrative Leeds
LinkedIn: Change The Narrative
Start conversations
By talking about anti-stigma in your workplace, home, and community, you help shift the culture from the ground up. Use these interactions to help change the narrative, amplify lived experience and challenge misconceptions wherever they arise.
Create spaces for change: events, information stalls and drop-ins
Organise an event or dedicated space to build understanding and centre lived experience through connection and collective reflection.
You could:
- Platform lived experience: Invite guest speakers to share their journeys and challenge misconceptions.
- Host a storytelling or creative session: Use art, poetry, or music to explore new ways of changing the narrative.
- Facilitate reflective discussions: Use campaign resources to lead honest conversations about mental health stigma.
- Visible advocacy: Set up an information stall or noticeboard to keep the campaign’s message present and active in your community.
Display campaign posters and leaflets
Help us get the word out by displaying posters and leaflets in the places where people naturally gather.
Putting up a poster is a simple way to show that your space is open, supportive, and ready to challenge mental health stigma. Whether it’s on a noticeboard, in a lift, or in a waiting area, you’re helping to bring these important conversations into the heart of our community.
Distribute widely: Take leaflets to your local events or meetings to help spread the word across Leeds.
Normalise the conversation: Using high-visibility spaces ensures that message becomes a standard part of our everyday surroundings and helps remind people that they aren’t alone and that it’s okay to talk.
Download our campaign posters here
Post on social media
Help us raise awareness by sharing what changing the narrative around mental health stigma means to you.
Our social media community is a space to celebrate lived experience and show that Leeds stands together against stigma. Using your voice online is a simple but powerful way to help our collective message reach further.
Share your story: Use the hashtags #changethenarrativeleeds or #CTNLeeds to share your own reflections and connect with others across the city.
Use our graphics: We’ve created a range of free, ready-to-use images to help you promote your activities and highlight the positive impact of taking action.
Download our social media pack here
Add the Change the Narrative logo to your emails and materials
Including the logo in your everyday communications is a simple way to signal your commitment to challenging stigma. It helps create a sense of belonging across Leeds, showing that whether you’re an individual, a workplace, or a community group, we are all working together to change the narrative.
In your inbox: Add the logo to your email signature to spark curiosity and spread the message you send.
On your own resources: Include the logo on your own posters or leaflets to show your pride in supporting lived experience voices.
Download our digital pack here
For more information, chat to a member of our friendly team on 0113 248 4880 or changethenarrative@touchstonesupport.org.uk