EYST has always sought partnerships throughout our history and Time to Change Wales were the ideal partner for us. Their work has been so powerful over the last few years. We were so excited to work with them on stigma and stereotypes around mental health. We know that mental health is an ongoing challenge for the communities we serve for both individuals and their families, which is why we are keen to help break down the barriers of stigma in ethnic minorities communities where mental health is often not openly discussed. We know from first-hand experience how the power storytelling and role modelling can impact lives and we believe that showcasing representation and sharing lived experience can be an effective way of encouraging more open dialogues around mental health. We are hoping that this work will help people to start talking about mental health in a more open, honest and safe manner with those they trust around them.
Adapting to change and facing uncertainty can be hard to say the least. As an organisation, the last three years has seen a constant flow of uncertainty and change at an unprecedented pace. From COVID-19, remote working, isolation, home-schooling, Zoom fatigue to an increase in the digitisation of our work. This was then followed up by our long serving CEO of 17 years departing for a new challenge, before rolling straight into a cost-of-living crisis. It is safe to say we have faced a decade of change and uncertainty in a three-year span. It is impossible for these changes not to have an effect on our staff and their wellbeing.
This is not to say that life was a bed of roses before. Third sector organisations are often used to funding uncertainty; not knowing if projects and roles will continue, whether there will be job losses or if we will be starting again with new projects and ideas. Organisations and long tenured staff can be weathered and desensitised to this, but it can be very difficult for newer staff. As an organisation, we have historically worked at a fast pace, using every inch of our resources, time, effort, and skill to make a positive impact in the lives of others. All these factors combined can make it very challenging for staff.
The change and uncertainty of global events coupled with our internal dynamism can result in a high intensity environment for our staff to work in. Over the last 5 years, we have sought to improve the support we provide to staff – both informally and formally. Whilst there are many ways to support staff on a range of wellbeing and mental health issues, one thing has become increasingly clear to us: to support staff, you need to provide staff with the space to talk to a trusted colleague, who is ready to listen in a safe environment. Wellbeing and mental health are incredibly complex topics, but if you boil the support to its essentials, it is all about communication, time, and care. For us, listening is the most important element of communication which is often generally overlooked. This needs to be complemented by giving our time, which is a precious commodity we have. The final element is care; there must be a genuine concern for all staff members.
We don’t always get this right, but we are striving to provide the best support possible. Working with Time to Change Wales has empowered us to encourage staff to talk as we work to reduce the stigma around wellbeing and mental health. If we are asking others to do the same, we must learn look to ourselves to not just to talk the talk, but to walk the walk.
