Adam* said that their compassion, kindness and support helped him during “the darkest days of my life.” Among those nominated for an ‘Above and Beyond’ Award are The Cedars Service Manager Jan Collins, Team Leaders Janice Senior and Ian Hair, and Support Workers Adelle Dunning and Louise Waters.
Regional Director Dhiraj Rijhwani, HR Advisor Faith Oren, Senior Service Manager Nicola Parker and Regional Director (Scotland) and Mental Health Lead David Brand were also nominated by Adam. Adam said:
“I had a complete mental breakdown due to personal circumstances. When I was at my lowest and thought there was no way I could make it out the other end, all these people saved my life. I am truly grateful for their support and believing in me, and this is why I am back at work. I hope this recognition shows how great you all are and how important you are to me.”
Adam’s experience in receiving mental health support, is an example of why Swanton’s work to protect the mental wellbeing of their workforce is so important. There are mental health first aiders in most services now, all trained to support colleagues using mindfulness resources. Swanton also has an Employee Assistance Programme that enables colleagues to access confidential counselling for themselves and their family members.
According to Regional Director Dhiraj Rijhwani, stories like Adam’s show how vital these resources are for Swanton. Dhiraj said:
“It means a lot to me to receive this nomination from Adam and to know that so many of us were able to help him. You never know how much the little gestures we do to be kind and offer help will mean to somebody else. It doesn’t take much to have a big impact, and I’m proud of the wellbeing culture Swanton has built. The people we support and our colleagues are the beating heart of Swanton, and there is nothing more important than providing mental health support and looking after their wellbeing in every way we can.”
*Name has been changed to protect anonymity
