World Mental Health Day: The Kindness Project

The London Criminal Defence Annual Conference on October 11 will spotlight the Kindness Project, a key initiative which examines the impact of kindness on mental health in the workplace.

Working with Professor Robin Banerjee (Former Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex and currently Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement) and Nicola Shannon KC (Wellbeing Director for the South Eastern Circuit) the “Kindness” project was initiated by RLC member Valerie Charbit in November 2021. Valerie and Robin conducted research with Judges, groups of barristers and higher court advocates to investigate their experience of kindness, its impact and barriers to kindness in the profession and the workplace. At the conference, Valerie Charbit will provided an update on research carried out by herself, Professor Robin Banerjee and their team on the Kindness Project. This piece of research was sponsored by the South Eastern Circuit.

Valerie said:

“The legal profession, especially criminal defence, often deals with high-pressure environments. When people are stressed, kindness often disappears. World Mental Health Day’s theme of promoting mental health at work reinforces the need for kindness in the workplace and the work of the Kindness project. Through our research, we’ve seen how small acts of kindness can have a profound impact on wellbeing and productivity in the workplace and a wider ripple effect.”

The conference which is produced by the Criminal Law Friends Society will see 14 leading practitioners in the criminal defence field attend including key note speaker Michael Mansfield KC. A number of legal professionals will also be speaking from Law Friends Society, Hodge Jones & Allen, 25 Bedford Row, The Howard League for Penal Reform, Inside Justice, and Keith Borer Consultants, among others.

Valerie Charbit is the Wellbeing Director for Chambers. She has represented the Criminal Bar Association as Wellbeing Director and the South Eastern Circuit on wellbeing and was a former member of the Bar Council’s working party group on the subject: [Valerie Charbit Profile]

Book Tickets here: [Law Friends Society]