Mental Health

Another coffee break?????

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Parry and Liam take a well earned break from Growing Talent’s O

Parry and Liam take a well earned break from Growing Talent’s Orientation and Holistic Week. Along with Chyna, Tia, Kerry, Mariia and Norhan. Parry and Liam have been absorbing a lot of information, sharing their views/opinions and ultimately learning together to be more prepared when they go into the next stage of Growing Talent – the in-role mutual evaluation with their future employers and team.

So what have we covered so far?

Exploring what employers want including from our viewpoint if we had our own businesses!

Impact of Behaviours – ours on others and others’ on us! People never forget how we made them feel.

Communication – all components to consider – modes to use, elements to consider, understanding types off conversations, danger of assumptions, what is conflict and how to manage it, the power of I vs You statements, how to have a difficult conversation.

Digital Dementia – what is it, how to manage it and, more importantly, how to prevent it!

Basic finance – exploring different types of bank/savings account, credit rating, modes of payment and when to use them, managing debt, increasing credit ration, budgeting – key things to consider

Personal empowerment – over coming procrastination, brain hack, understanding the importance of sleep, building mind muscle, sketch class

What’s to come?

Nutrition – how to eat well on a limited income, understanding the impact of marketing on our buying choices, the hidden dangers of what we love (sugar)!

Waste & Environment – why it’s important to business and communities. Why can’t everyone recycle? – no, it isn’t just ‘laziness’!

Time to move on – tips and tricks for personal branding, elevator pitch, cv tools, networking

Finally, we round off the week with I-Act’s global proactive programme for Managing and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing course accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

After coffee, back to work!

Soon they go on site as follows:

Chyna, Tia & Kerry – join Lasse, Tam and the team at Pilgrims Risk Management

Parry – joins Breyer Group

Mariia – Joins Honeywell

Norhan – joins Jamie, Pedro and the team at Pertemps

Liam – joins SPS UK & I

Awesome times ahead!

One wellbeing training for all?

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Training should be effective, impactful, deliver life long skills, be uniformed in delivery for the employer – globally as well as nationally – and of course in these times be cost efficient.

But, in reality is it?

Some wellbeing courses are named in such a way that employers believe they are buying an accredited programme that makes their delegates ‘First Aiders’ in Mental Health. The course itself is not accredited but a bolt on, electronic 40 questionnaire gives a trademark ‘First Aider’ status if a minimum of 30 questions are correctly answered – lifelong status!

Having been an Instructor in a variety of well-known mental health and wellbeing courses over the years, I-Act is, in my opinion, head and shoulders above the rest. Here’s why:

It……

  • Teaches critical proactive techniques to build mind muscle delivering the resilience to support self and others.
  • Explores how to start and manage conversations involving emotions encompassing validation, reassurance, signposting as well as exploring boundary statements to stay safe as a listener
  • The actual four hour course is accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists – no bolt on required
  • 3 Year life span of accreditation ensures optimum knowledge remains in place through refreshers
  • 3 CPD points which counts towards higher education applications
  • Utilises tools by Health and Safety Executive including the six management pillars
  • Gives insight into conditions which affect wellbeing – including autism, adhd, developmental issues, learning diversity, menopause
  • Global – same Instructor can deliver nationally and globally delivering uniform experience
  • Robust 168 page manual – also available electronically – for onward reflection and absorption
  • Designed for the workplace – useable in any setting
  • In line with International Standards ISO45003

In the image, University academic and operational staff alongside students and all levels of management from a manufacturing organisation are featured.

What were some of their thoughts?

“I will have much more confidence if someone comes to me with mental health issues.”

“It has highlighted the importance of my own self-care. I will change my ways and allow more time in my day for this”

“Really practical tools that can be used everyday for myself and when speaking with colleagues/students”

“I’m going to make a real effort to introduce the 2 minute ‘fun windows’ into my daily routine”

“A perfect course”

“It gave great insight into mental health/mental illness in simple, easy to follow terms”

“Eye opening, informative, ensures clear guidance for managers to follow in these situations”

“Thank you very much for providing such an informative session about self-care, the causes and effects of mental illness and how one can discuss with people potentially facing such issues.”

 

“I used to ask my team how they were as I walked past them. Amongst everything else I learned, I will now stop and wait for an answer”

If you are considering mental health and wellbeing for your teams – make sure it will deliver the goals you want.

If you are interested in I-Act for your business, why not contact me for an exploratory chat?

Growing Talent – Unity, Strength & Diversity….

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What keeps Growing Talent relevant after 9+ years?

🎇 Content keeps evolving?
🎇 Structure and format is continually reviewed?
🎇 It’s inclusive?
🎇 Unique applicants every time?
🎇 A robust audit trail to evaluate progress and empower participants?
🎇 Disruption of traditional recruitment practices?
🎇 A mutual test drive to ensure a confident fit?
🎇 Robust pre-onboarding enhances retention?
🎇 Life skills and accredited mental health and wellbeing in line with ISO45003
🎇 Funded by business not Government?
🎇 Completely free for employers to find unique, diverse local talent?
🎇 Mentor assigned for employers and participants?
🎇 Collaboration – employers, unemployed, JobCentre Plus, YouthBuild, Heretoga Ltd, Southwark Care Leavers, Ingeus and Growing Talent?

I’d say ‘yes’ to all of the above – but, for me, it’s the people and their passion across the whole collaboration that makes Growing Talent more relevant today than ever before.

In addition to the great chat with Izzy from Heretoga this morning, a fabulous way to end the day was a chat with Mike and some of his team from Ingeus.

So much passion and drive to get people into work – the energy is contagious!

On behalf of the lives we will change on Growing Talent34 – thank you to everyone involved. 👏 👏 👏 – take a bow.

David SteedsRob MatthewsYOUTHBUILD UK (YBUK)IngeusHERETOGA LTDLiz Obertelli MIEP#MatthewIzekor

Special thanks to our employers past and present including this round:

BaxterStorey
Breyer Group
Honeywell
Pertemps Network Group
Pilgrims Risk Management Group
Portico
SPS

Employers based in London – you have until the 14 July to get involved!

#business#work#collaboration#recruitment#people#team#content#network#energy#london#riskmanagement#wellbeing#audit

Armed Forces Event

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The power of business and military charities working together to really make a difference was all around me at an event hosted by Andrew Ingham and the team ISS A/S this morning at #SierraQuebecBrava in SouthQuays. 

Zeba Lunat was the technical guru for this unique event ahead of Armed Forces Day with speakers in different rooms and dotted around the country, I and the other guests watched in awe as #MartinBurhott, COO ISS A/S UK opened proceedings. Martin shared some startling facts – females make up over 50% of the UK population but only 11.3% of the military population. Why don’t girls consider a career in the Armed Forces? 

Kat shared how important the synergy was between armed forces personnel and ISS’s business. Kat shared the six pillars at ISS’s core – generations, culture, pride, abilities, gender balance and military community. Kat shared ISS’s formula for bonding all staff – diversity + inclusion = belonging for all staff.

Breaking the wall of gender exceptions and assumptions, the next speaker Liz spoke with passion about her career as a member of a Chinnock helicopter crew over a 17 year journey – the only female in the team! – including multiple tours of Afghanistan. Sharing times she should have died not least when the helicopter flew into electrical wires. Liz then shared her poignant silent journey with mental ill health – not speaking up because she didn’t want to let her team down. This silence was almost catastrophic. Liz has now written a book and gives illuminating talks to educate.

How many employers experience silence in the workplace instead of teams feeling confident in sharing how they feel, speak about where their heads are at, and feel secure in asking for help when they need it?

From my work delivering i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training to multiple industries and sectors and the introduction of International Standards 45003 for workplace psychological safety – clearly we all need to be talking about mental ill health much more. Talking about our feelings and giving someone the gift of trying to help us when we need it is a strength – not a weakness.

If you need great talent in your business, see the person before you – not their label. Basing your decision to meet someone on the content of their cv, means you could be missing some great talent.

Lisa from the Employment Forces Charity shared this point with clarity. Service personnel use a different language to ‘Civvy St’. CVs won’t always convey the immense talent someone has. So why are employers still using cvs? 

On Growing Talent, we have never allowed cvs – the hidden talent employers were able to reveal, the social mobility, the diversity and inclusion is amazing!

Ex Armed Forces personnel have solid transferable skills – highly valuable in business. Business opens up a whole new chapter once military life is over – a win, win.

Thanks for inviting me ISS A/S

London calling! – employers, recruit a different way – look at the benefits:

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Can London-based employers afford to ignore this unique opportunity to identify, grow and hire new talent?

At @Growing_Talent we’ve ripped up the traditional recruitment rule book.

Our selection process involves speed dating, a 1-2-1 meeting and minimum four week in role mutual evaluation removing assumptions whilst delivering confident matches.

With almost 10 years history of success on our collaborative journey, almost 200 people from diverse backgrounds have secured roles they have since grown into amazing careers.

Every employer who has taken part, said they would not have recruited their talent via traditional recruitment methods.

Our next @Growing_Talent is open. Deadline for employers to say they wish to fish in our talent pool is close of business 14 July 2023.

Why not DM me for more information on how Growing Talent could work for you?

One programme to deliver for all…..

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…Talking about a proactive mental health and wellbeing programme which delivers first responder steps, is accredited, delivers 3CPD points is available in 11 different languages – why would employers choose anything less?

No, I don’t know the answer!

Do they think other programmes deliver more? Have they done a comparison? What is their goal in rolling out mental health and well being training – just a tick in the box? or do they want to really make a difference to their employees and business?

Without answering these questions, the wrong choice will be made.

Early this morning, I had the pleasure to work with delegates based at diverse locations from the same global employer on their journey to become in-house #I-Act instructors. At the end of our session, all became accredited in the manager version of I-act and continue their Instructor training.

I-Act Managing and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing can be delivered to global employees at the same time. No need for country licences. All get a uniform experience enhanced by learning what is going on in different countries within their business from peers.

There is a non-managers version available for those who do not manage others – delivering the same critical steps. Understanding and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing delivers accreditation as an I-Act Practitioner.

Delivering the lifelong knowledge of how to instigate personal, non-negotiable pro active self-care into hectic schedules across different cultures along with the critical first responder steps of how to start, manage and end conversations with team members who may be experiencing challenging emotional thoughts whilst setting personal boundaries to stay safe was interactive and inspiring.

Employers looking to secure an effective training programme in this critical field of workplace psychological safety – checkout how I-act can benefit you, your employees and business.

Contact me to learn more…..

People are unique – their training should be too!….

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Excited to be devising a new 8 week programme for a team of people who will be looking after teams across multiple supply chains.

First programme draft in for discussion!

In the melting pot to be considered is:

  • How do you impact others? Do you really know?
  • Make your connections better
  • Identify your conflict styles – do they change in different situations?
  • Don’t focus on what you think is the obvious!
  • Putting you first!
  • I-Act Managing and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing – global accredited course
  • Conversation work book – consider what to say and how to say it
  • What words? Use effective words when building sentences to connect with someone

Who knows where we’ll end up. A regular forum of support, maybe additional training – the options are endless!

I am always inspired working with clients who recognise the power of collaborative training for their greatest asset who are always willing to disrupt the norm. #inspiring #energising

Watch this space!

It’s said a picture is worth a thousand words……

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I’ve been delivering both @Iact_training courses – Managing and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing for those managing others & Understanding and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing for non-managers across diverse industries within the UK and globally for a little over two years.

Diverse industries commissioning this training include higher education, engineering companies, corporates, facilities management companies and community groups.

Following collaboration with a client a little over a year ago, I introduced a couple of tools for the client to see any change in knowledge and outlook from where they were before the course compared to after. These took the form of a scale of the importance of proactive self-care and the scale of confidence in starting a conversation with someone who could be struggling with their emotions as key elements of their evaluation. In, addition a generic multi choice before and after poll is carried out.

Over the past couple of days, it struck me how powerful if could be to put the before and after scales scores into a graph to give a strong visual on change delivered. A lot of increased knowledge was revealed.

Below are the resulting scales from one higher education client based in the UK with international students over the past year. Students – all levels, academic staff, operational staff and FM team members and management have collaborated on the powerful tools and learning of @Iact_training.

The rare instances of no movement below illustrate people who hold senior posts in the mental health and wellbeing sector. Although, they did indicate new learning on their evaluations forms with the new way to look at, introduce and action proactive self-care (fun) windows into really tight personal schedules!

In these trying times, it’s even more critical organisations spend their money wisely and confidently see results.

Deloitte’s UK Mental Health Report 2022 states for every £1 invested in workplace mental health and wellbeing, £5.30 is returned.

Click to access deloitte-uk-mental-health-report-2022.pdf

A question I’d be asking is what’s the cost if that investment is not made?

Is it worth the risk?

Welcome……………

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Meet the latest accredited Practitioners in the global I-act Understanding and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing course.

With over 50 tools to use on themselves and those around them – at home and work – coupled with the steps to consider in having a conversation on emotional pain – and how to compose boundary statements to always stay safe – all are now empowered to recognise a change in someone, start a conversation, enabling them to get the help they need and deserve whilst ensuring personal safety.

Delivered in four hours virtually – the course is ideal for any work environment across any industry.

How psychologically safe is your workplace?

Tell them…..

Jane JamesLeave a comment

In these economically critical times, investment in the right training is crucial. Selecting a training programme that meets your employees needs’ to maintain their optimum wellbeing levels is clearly a ‘no brainer both for them and your business’.

But how do you know the training you’ve invested in meets the desired goals?

Well, first you have got to ask your delegates to give their robust and anonymous evaluations, but as delegates, we have got to tell our employers and instructors what we thought – even when we aren’t asked . It’s the only way, training will be effective.

Next time you are on a training course, don’t wait to be asked your thoughts on the content, tools and instructor……

tell them!