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Volunteering with the stars

Every year Edinburgh plays host to 11 major festivals.  These provide great opportunities for the people we support to gain invaluable work and volunteering experience.  In their own words, here are the stories of two people who we supported in volunteering placements at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).

Mark Benton, Marli Siu, Ella Hunt. Ben Higgins, Sarah Swire, Chris Leveaux; Anna and the Apocalypse; 29 June 2018; Photograph:Lloyd Smith © EIFF, Edinburgh International Film Festival All Rights Reserved

Allan’s Story

I loved volunteering with the Edinburgh International Film Festival this summer. I found the staff there to be incredibly helpful. They made me feel very welcome in this new role. I had a great experience volunteering at the Press & Industry Centre, the major hub of the festival. My role was to greet famous guests, the press and delegates and make them feel welcome, check tickets and passes and to answer any questions they may have.

I started my application back in April with my Into Work adviser and within two weeks I was invited to their recruitment day at the Filmhouse. I had two interviews with them, you can either choose one role to interview for but I went for two. The first interview I spoke about why I had chosen to volunteer with the festival, what kind of customer experience I had from my previous jobs and what my favourite film is.

It’s not really an interview as such, it’s just to get to know you and what you can bring to the festival. I found out I got two places as a Press & Industry Centre Volunteer and another in Industry Events. I had an Induction day as well that showed me what it would be like to work with them and we got to see a movie that was premiering at the festival as well.

I was given a pass that allowed me to go and see movies for free and the ones at the press and industry screenings too, discounts to different bars and restaurants. The shifts are good as well and only cover about four hours and you get to work alongside learn from some amazing volunteers and staff.

Photo of Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon; Closing Gala, Swimming with Men; 1 July 2018; Photograph:Pako Mera © EIFF, Edinburgh International Film Festival All Rights Reserved

I did manage to see a couple of films such as Anna & The Apocalypse, Hearts Beat Loud and The Incredibles 2. I also went to a different number of events such as How to Network at a Film Festival, the very competitive quiz and the In Person with Rob Brydon, I even managed to get his autograph which was so special.

The Festival is also a good starting point for anyone who wants to get into the Film Industry in general. I even got an interview with a different cinema just because of my experience alone with EIFF and it is also a great way to network with other talented people.

If I volunteer again in the future, I’m going to take time off job, so that I can get involved even more with the film festival, see more film screenings and premieres, take part in more events and gain even more incredibly experiences.

Aside from that fact working with the EIFF is one of best places to volunteer especially if you’re a film lover, I actually loved it so much that I’m now got memberships for both Cineworld and Filmhouse and I’m looking forward to new releases both mainstream and independent.

I also hope that I can also do it for EIFF 2019 and either work or volunteer with them in the near future.

Samantha’s Story

My time volunteering at the Edinburgh Film Festival has been an all-round positive experience.  As part of the Display Team I got the chance to meet new people, gain valuable work experience and to see parts of Edinburgh that I wouldn’t normally go. As well as visiting new places, I also found it really interesting seeing how events are organised from the point of view of the staff rather than the public. Everyone in the Display Team were all very friendly and easy to get along with and I would certainly do it again if I got the chance to.

Midlothian Advertiser – ProjectSearch

Midlothian Advertiser published an excellent article about two our our ProjectSearch interns who have successfully gained employment through the course.

Two local young people have taken advantage of the Project SEARCH programme, which had previously only been open to Edinburgh.

Last year it was opened to all of Lothian, as well as the city. Megan McGraith (18) and Paul Clapperton (22) both took part in the 2017 – 2018 programme as the first Midlothian participants and have become the first from the county to get paid work from it.

Both were based at Western General Hospital and undertook three internships over the academic year; the idea being to try out different things each term. The goal – to be better skilled, familiar and confident enough to apply for and get a paid job when the year was up.

Megan from Loanhead, was advised to go to college after school and it was thought that mainstream paid employment may not be an option for her. Megan has autism and this affects how she interprets information – she may need instructions broken down.

Before Project SEARCH she gained qualifications at college which included work experience placements in retail. However, Megan was keen on the idea of working with children or adults and did really well in the caring internship roles she was placed on. She started by helping patients waiting to leave hospital and progressed to work in a specialist ward; working independently over time as her confidence grew.

With her natural ability to reassure patients and having become confident in delivering personal care, she was very highly thought of by her colleagues and managers.

Megan has since broken new ground to become the first ever Project SEARCH intern to apply and get a job as a clinical support worker. Megan said: “I’m so happy. I proved to people I could get the job I wanted and I’m now saving up for driving lessons.”

Paul is from Penicuik and has a learning disability which affects how he understands and processes information and he can sometimes find visual information confusing.

However, this has not stopped Paul from progressing. Before project SEARCH he started with temporary catering work in care homes after doing a college course. However, when this work ended he struggled to find a job by himself. He did keep busy though, volunteering in charity shops but he needed help to get a permanent job.

Paul had the opportunity with Project SEARCH to try administration work, which he really wanted to do. His internships involved reception; dealing with patients and visitors as well as background admin work. He had shown in the training room that he had some IT ability on which to build experience.

His subsequent internship review reports were glowing and he was actively encouraged by his NHS managers to apply when vacancies came up. Paul has recently started his career in admin – with a position in clinical oncology after interviewing for four NHS jobs in total.

Paul said: “I always wanted to work with computers but I never thought it would happen. It’s my dream job. I couldn’t have done it without Project SEARCH.”

https://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/megan-and-paul-no-longer-left-searching-for-a-brighter-future-1-4767979

 

World Mental Health Awareness Day – 10th October

Photo of Rowena Diggle

Article by Rowena Diggle, Into Work Employment Adviser. 

Today is World Mental Health Awareness Day, which falls on 10 October each year, and this year’s theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health is…

… Mental Health in the Workplace

Chris O’ Sullivan from the Mental Health Foundation states “Mental health is something we all have”. He goes on to say “Workplaces that challenge us, support and develop our sense of purpose, and support us when things are hard can play a massive role in protecting and building our mental health.

A mentally healthy workplace can be built on the back of good basic line management relationships, clear HR policy and engagement of staff in decision making.  Prevention is key – we need to enable everyone to flourish, those in distress to access help quickly, and those who have recovered from mental health problems to stay well and enjoy successful careers”.  However the bigger picture shows that much more needs to be done to prevent mental ill-health and promote mental well-being in the workplace.

At least 1 in 4 people experience some kind of mental health problem each year, ranging from symptoms of stress and anxiety to more complex mental health conditions. Latest figures show that over 70 million working days in Britain are lost each year due to mental ill health, costing £70-100 billion annually. So it is evident that the impact of poor mental health in the workplace is massive, not only for employees but also for employers, and there is an urgent need to address this.

Evidence shows that although there is an increased understanding of good mental health and the benefits of a mentally healthy work place, it can be difficult to know how to go about taking effective steps to improve workplace mental health. The good news is that there is an ever -increasing availability of good advice and resources for both employers and employees to help promote and achieve more healthy workplaces.  Taking steps forward to achieve this may not cost anything, and can be as simple as starting a discussion.

We know that people with mental health conditions can and do pursue successful careers with the right support. People with a mental health problem have the highest ‘want to work’ rate of all disabled groups. I am an Employment Adviser with Into Work, a supported employment charity based in Edinburgh, and we have a great track record of supporting individuals with mental health conditions to find and sustain work.  Many people come to us low in confidence. One client, a 21 year old man, who had experienced 5 years of crippling anxiety and depression and had never had paid work, recently started a job and wrote to me to say:

‘It’s going good so far. Learning a lot which is keeping me busy and I’m definitely seeing a major difference in my mental health too! Finally the future is looking good😊’ .

His story reflects what is often the experience of the majority of people with mental health conditions – that appropriate employment actively improves mental health and well-being.

At Into Work we recognise the need for key factors to be in place to ensure a successful employment outcome for a client. However as everyone’s experience of a mental health problem is different so is the support that may be needed. For example, not all clients wish to disclose their condition. Managing mental health in a work place effectively involves promoting the well-being of all staff, to prevent stress or poor mental health and also to effectively tackle the causes of work-related mental health problems. For employees experiencing mental health problems, policies on reasonable adjustments can be vital as can appropriate support from a line manager. Links to further resources and guidance are listed below including how to support employees with a mental health condition and rights at work for people with a mental illness.

So, on Mental Health Awareness Day, what can you do to make a difference to promote improved wellbeing in the work place you may belong to? Spend some time becoming better informed. Start a discussion with your colleagues. It only takes small steps to make a difference.

GENERAL GUIDES

BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY:– Mental Health toolkit for Employers A free online toolkit to help employers take positive actions to build a culture that champions good mental health and provides a greater understanding of how to help those who need more support. https://wellbeing.bitc.org.uk/all-resources/toolkits/mental-health-employers

MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION:- Managing mental health in the workplace – an e-book looking how to encourage good mental health in the work place https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/managing-mental-health-workplace

TIME TO CHANGE: Creating mentally health workplaces – A report addressing the steps employers can take to create mentally healthy workplaces, based on feedback from employees and national best practice. https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/news/new-report-creating-mentally-healthy-workplaces

DELOITTE CENTRE FOR HEALTH SOLUTIONS: At a tipping point? Workplace mental health and wellbeing (March 2017) A report addressing the importance of mental health in the workplace; the changing environment for workplace wellbeing; the challenges in implementation and in changing employer and employee attitudes and offers solutions to current and future challenges. https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/public-sector/articles/workplace-mental-health-and-wellbeing.html

ACAS: Promoting positive mental health at work:- a report including what you can do to promote positive health at work, the mental health continuum, information on the Equality Act 2010 and Reasonable Adjustments http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/i/o/Promoting_positive_mental_health_at_work(SEPT2014).pdf

 

GUIDES FOR SUPPORTING AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM

MIND:’Resource 4 – How to support staff who are experiencing a mental health problem’ . A guide on steps an organisation can take to support staff at every stage of the mental health spectrum https://www.mind.org.uk/media/550657/resource4.pdf

A LINE MANAGER’s RESOURCE: A practical guide to managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace http://www.ncl.ac.uk/hr/assets/documents/mhfa_line_managers_resource1_update_oct_13_jes.pdf

 

GUIDE TO RIGHTS AT WORK FOR A PERSON WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION

RETHINK: ‘What’s reasonable at work?’ – A guidance at rights at work for people with a mental illness https://www.rethink.org/resources/w/whats-reasonable-at-work

OTHER

SCOTTISH CENTRE FOR HEALTHY WORKING LIVES: guidance on mental health advice and a provider of employer mental health awareness training. http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/advice/workplace-health-promotion/mental-health

Meet our new Employment Advisers

photos of new staff

Three new Employment Advisers have joined our team – David, Jordan and Jo. They have now completed their induction and are ready to start supporting people into employment!

Here’s a little bit about them (in their own words):

David:

I have been working in the charity sector for the past 7 years.  I started off volunteering at Autism Initiatives and it was there that I began to take a real interest in Autism, and Asperger’s specifically.  After 6 months of volunteering I decided I wanted to become a support worker full-time.  Part of my job was to help individuals access Into Work’s services.  I received such positive feedback from them that I decided it would be a good move for me to apply for one of their Employment Adviser positions.

Jordan:

I used to work in retail and banking industries so this is quite a change for me. I have a lot of personal experience of disabilities as I am a carer for my younger sister. I have found the induction very insightful. I have learnt so much and I’m excited to be able to put this into practise.

Jo:

I graduated with a Bachelor of Laws, and throughout my time at university I took a keen interest in employment law.  As my time at university came to an end, I was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and faced the difficulties of trying to find employment whilst having an Acquired Brain Injury. Shortly after graduating I started work at the reception desk at Norton Park. It was from there that I saw the amazing work everybody at Into Work does, and I really wanted to be a part of it. So, when the opportunity came up for me to use my personal experience of finding employment whilst having a disability and my background in employment law, I had no choice but to go for it!

 

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