How We Took Action
Our MD, Ian Leeding, took the mental health of his staff seriously enough to appoint our first Mental Health Champion, Leisa Curry. Since then, Leisa’s been the first point of contact for over 40 individual cases since the start of 2021, which she refers on to specialist third parties who might offer direct assistance to each person. We now have another addition to our Mental Health Champion’s Team – Amanda Restall, who has challenged stigma and encouraged positive mental health in our organisation and for its workforce.
“It is a privilege for me to be a Mental Health First Aider, to be there for & to support my colleagues at times when they may be struggling with their mental health.
Being the person who listens, cares & can make a difference to their lives, & knowing I have helped someone to see the light at the end of the tunnel gives me immense satisfaction that I’m doing good & giving something back.” – Amanda Restall
We’re now training up 7 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs for short) to help take on the increasing requirement for help around the country.
Mental Health: The Real Thing, Not Just The Buzzwords
What’s the weather like in your head? The phrase ‘mental health’ is mentioned almost in the same breath as the pandemic, so we might find ourselves almost indifferent to the concept because we’ve heard so much about it.
And yet, it’s as real as ever: the shadow side of our new homeworking culture, the hidden chaos behind our workplace pleasantries. And of course, it’s always been there; now it’s more part of the public conversation than it ever was.
And that’s not a reason to let it become just another piece of everyday rhetoric. We need to attend to the individual reality of our mental health, and of those around us, to make the wider conversation about mental health more than just talk.
“The key word here is “assist”, says Leisa. “We’re not trained counsellors, but we listen, support and refer them to agencies who will be able to help.”
The causes of mental ill-health may need specialised treatment in and of themselves: financial hardship, family problems, trauma, bereavement, to name a few. That means offering access to a range of external agencies that can help any employee, whatever their difficulty, or cultural background.
Nevertheless, the MHFA training is very specific, navigating common issues that can arise, such as safeguarding the vulnerable. This helps ensure that an MHFA’s first response when approached is sensitively and appropriately handled. Over time, as third parties begin to engage with each client, the MHFA phases out their involvement.
Expert-Guided Training And Support Isn’t Just A One-Off
Expert training comes with the help of Jayne Differ, who brings years of first-hand experience working for the Police and the NHS on cases of domestic abuse, child abuse, safeguarding the vulnerable and more.
And when an organization offers a support framework like this one, it becomes clear just how many of us struggle with our mental health. As Leisa put it, “You’re opening a pandora’s box. Good preparation for our MHFAs is vital here.” So too is the mental health of the MHFAs themselves.
Part of Leisa’s role is to keep an eye out for their own needs, in case they’re overwhelmed by the needs of those they serve. She cautions that it’s easy to become compassionately drawn into the struggles of others to an inappropriate level, even with the best of intentions. Leisa quotes someone who said that “you can’t help someone out of a well when we are in it with them.”
What’s more, MHFAs may have their own mental health triggers to be wary of. Leisa tries to understand and track these triggers. For example, she might check in with an MHFA around the anniversary of a difficult time in their life, like a bereavement. Her team will need to feel strong enough to help those who are struggling, which is why equipping and ongoing support is vital to their role.
We Point The Way To Specialist Support
Leisa is researching and building a database of agencies that can take on cases of all types, and from all cultural backgrounds. She believes that employers like Samsic UK have an important role to play in mediating these cases where support is otherwise lacking in the public sphere.
Leisa said, “I see it as my mission to offer the rest of our workforce a listening ear, to ensure that they feel more supported in the workplace. There isn’t anything like enough counselling for the vulnerable out there, so we want to compensate for that ourselves until such time as the situation improves.”
Mental Health First Aid: It’s Achievable And It’s Worth It
As we’ve seen, setting up an MHFA program is about identifying needs and passing on the baton of responsibility to specialist agencies that exist for the purpose.
At Samsic, we’ve identified candidates who are capable and motivated. We’re delivering an expert-led training program to equip them to support our people. And we’re offering ongoing support to our trainee MHFAs – if their own needs are met, then they’re ready to meet the needs of their colleagues.
It’ll be worth the effort, because we know we’ll have a safety net to catch us if we fall. And we’ll know that we’ve helped to bring help and healing to the lives of those we work with.
