The leaders of almost 20 mental health organisations have said supporting the health of frontline workers, including those in the voluntary sector, “must be a national priority”.
In an open letter to people working in health, care and formal and informal education, the chief executives of charities including Mind, Samaritans, Rethink Mental Illness and Young Minds acknowledge the pressures faced by frontline workers in the UK.
“We are grateful for your courage, resilience and humanity in the face of ever-changing circumstances and relentlessly difficult choices,” the letter says.
“We also acknowledge the pressures on your mental and physical wellbeing. Supporting you must be a national priority over the coming months.”
It says that while the leaders of some organisations have prioritised the wellbeing of their staff, “this has not been a universal experience”.
It goes on to say that it is vital that excellent mental health support is available in all organisations, and it wants workers to be aware of the help that is available through a service called Our Frontline, which offers one-to-one support by call or text for all health, care, emergency, education and key workers.
“This is a heartfelt message of recognition and solidarity with you and your families,” the letter says.
“It is important to take the wellbeing of key workers seriously, both now and for a long time to come. We will work tirelessly to ensure your mental health is at the heart of the recovery.”
Our Frontline can be reached between 7am and 11pm on 0800 069 6222 for people in England, or 116 123 from anywhere else in the UK.
People can also text FRONTLINE to 85258 at any time.
This week’s episode of the Third Sector podcast looks at how charities can support their employees in the current circumstances.
In the latest weekly episode of the Third Sector Podcast, editor Emily Burt and features and analysis writer Rebecca Cooney look at what voluntary organisations can do to mitigate the impact of the third lockdown on their workers and volunteers.
While we might be relieved to see the back of 2020, realistically there’s still a long road ahead of us in battling the pandemic, especially as we settle into being in a national lockdown for the third time.
There has been confirmation that mental health staff are included as ‘frontline’ workers and will be in the first category of those receiving the covid-19 vaccine. The guidance from JCVI (Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation’s) explicitly highlights:
“Staff who have frequent face-to-face contact with patients and who are directly involved in patient care in either secondary or primary care, mental health, urgent or emergency care and community settings [should have priority access to the vaccine].
It is expected that Trusts will complete covid-19 vaccination of all frontline health and social care workers as quickly as possible. Trusts will focus on achieving maximum uptake, with the expectations to have made significant progress by the first week of February and to provide vaccinations 7 days a week.
By mid-January NHS Trusts (including acute, mental health, community and ambulance trusts) will be established as “hospital hubs” with a responsibility for COVID-19 vaccine delivery to all individuals within JCVI cohort 2b as set out in the updated Public Health England Green Book 2. JCVI recommend that within this group, you should give priority to frontline staff “at high risk of acquiring infection, at high individual risk of developing serious disease, or at risk of transmitting infection to multiple vulnerable persons or other staff in a healthcare environment”.
This includes but is not limited to:
• staff working on the vaccination programme
• staff who have frequent face-to-face contact with patients and who are directly involved in patient care in either secondary or primary care, mental health, urgent and emergency care and community settings
• those working in independent, voluntary and non-standard healthcare settings such as hospices, and community-based mental health or addiction services
• laboratory, pathology and mortuary staff
• those working for a sub-contracted provider of facilities services such as portering or cleaning
• temporary, locum or ‘bank’ staff, including those working in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, students, trainees and volunteers who are working with patients
• frontline social care workers directly working with vulnerable people who need care and support irrespective of where they work (for example in hospital, people’s own homes, day centres, or supported housing); or who they are employed by (for example local government, NHS, independent sector or third sector).
Look out for information from your local authority on when and where you can get your vaccine.
The Sanctuary is for people who are experiencing a mental health crisis but do not require hospital admission. We are open from 5pm – midnight, 365 days a year.
How to Access Support
Call 111, select option 2
Your needs will be assessed and could be that you are referred to the Sanctuary. You details will be forwarded to the sanctuary team and they will make contact with you as soon as possible. You will be provided with an empathic ear for you to talk freely.
You will be provided with information around coping strategies and how to access the help you need.
We can only accept people who have been referred into the service, there is no drop-in.
During lockdown we are offering mainly video and telephone support, however if this is not possible a visit to the sanctuary can be arranged.
Have you got a message you want to get out to the Essex Community? Do you have services that will help to support people in these difficult times? Look no further.
Simon at Essex Coronavirus Action will promote relevant and appropriate services through the ECA Facebook page. If you have anything you feel will be a benefit or any opportunities you may have. share them with Simon via email [email protected] and cc in Kirsty – [email protected].uk
Essex County Council are integrating a new trauma informed therapeutic training programme as a way of renewing their commitment to securing the best outcomes for children in care.
The training will be available to anyone who may come into contact with a child in care – giving them a ‘trauma lens’ to better understand their experiences and how they can support them. Essex County Council have adapted quickly to the challenges of Covid-19 with the training sessions being switched to online delivery.
The programme has been developed due to the overwhelming evidence that the outcomes for children who have suffered trauma are much better if they live with families and are parented in a trauma informed way.
Fostering can be transformational for children who have experienced a traumatic upbringing but it can be just as life changing for the foster carers themselves.
We are continuing to work with Anglian Water to distribute grants from between £5,000 and £20,000 to local projects which are having a positive impact on communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anglian Water operates at the heart of the community, and its employees live locally too, so they are committed to making this region a great place to live and work.
The pandemic has shown that community has never been more important, and that’s why Anglian Water created this Fund.
The funding programme is now open to receive applications from community organisations working in the Anglian Water supply area in Essex, that are supporting vulnerable, isolated and older people during this time.
Thurrock Soup event, taking place virtually on 12th February, on Zoom. See attached the flyer. To book on please visit www.thurrockvsoup.eventbrite.co.uk, we will again send the Zoom link to everyone who books closer to the date.
Its Virtually Soup!
Thurrock Soup is a fun, relaxed evening where you can have the opportunity to pitch your business idea to fellow contestants, for the chance to win money for your idea!
Hear from local experts in the business sector who can help make your business dream a reality!
Thurrock Soup is an innovative and inspirational series of events that help generate transformational social enterprise and business ideas from local people and create a way for them to receive seed funding to help turn ideas into realities.
The event will take place online, on Zoom. Everyone who books will be sent a Zoom login link to join the meeting via email closer to the date.
Typically everyone buys a bowl of soup and a roll for £5, the money goes into a pot, people pitch their ideas, then everyone votes on their favourite and the winner takes the money. However, this time there is already £250 waiting in the pot for the winner! This is thanks to our sponsor the Port of Tilbury.
Since the first event over 4 years ago, nearly £2,000 has been raised by the community and awarded to the previous winners. Read Thurrock Council’s press release on the inaugural event.
Click here for more information on the networking event.
The post of CEO/Operations Manager will be central to the growth and development of ISS and will play a leading role in the promotion of positive policies and practices on issues relating to Migrants, Refugees and other BME groups. Integration Support Services is a small charity based in Harlow, West Essex which consists of a small team of paid staff and volunteers.
The charity provides various services for the local community of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and BME groups living in Essex and Hertfordshire. The examples of the services provided by ISS are English lessons for adults, social events, talking groups, immigration advice, women’s group, children’s Saturday club, hate crime report centre, etc.
The CEO/Operations Manager will have executive responsibility for the strategic development and management of the organization, the preparation and implementation of the ISS strategic plan as developed, and for the growth and expansion of the organisation, under the supervision of and with the support of the Board of Trustees. Reporting to the Chair and the Board of Trustees/Directors, the CEO/Operations Officer will have overall responsibility for service delivery, advocacy, policy development and research programmes.
The Covid 19 pandemic caused the charity to move all its services online. Previously we had a predominantly face-to-face service delivery model. We are financially stable with good funder relationships. Integration Support Services has a track record of good service delivery since it was founded by a group of migrant volunteers in 2007. This is due in no small part to the dedication and hard work of our staff and volunteers.
ISS board of trustees keenly anticipate the challenge of 2021 and beyond: we are looking for a Chief Executive who can share this challenge by planning strategically, delivering change, providing leadership and piloting us confidently through rapidly changing times. The board are confident that with the right leadership ISS will be able to overcome all
difficulties and turbulent times in our way.
Nearly two-thirds of people think that community groups and projects, volunteers and charities deserve more recognition, according to new research.
The results published today by The National Lottery Community Fund suggests the coronavirus pandemic has helped to reignite people’s interest in their local community and sparked a desire to be more involved in 2021.
The survey of more than 7,000 UK adults asked they were feeling about their community and their ambitions for their local area for the year ahead.
It found that almost seven in 10 people said they felt part of their local community.
About a third said Covid-19 had increased their sense of belonging, with a similar proportion saying the pandemic had made it more important for them to feel part of the community.
Slightly more than a third of respondents said more support for community projects and charities was one of the things they most wanted to see in 2021, and 30 per cent said that they planned to get more involved in their local community.
A greater appreciation has come with a firmer sense of the challenges their community faces and what will be important over the coming year, the figures indicate.
Top priorities that people wanted to see addressed in their community over the coming year were reducing loneliness and isolation, identified by almost 47 per cent of respondents, followed by helping the local economy and supporting mental health.
Many of the changes people would like to see are also behavioural, with half of the people surveyed saying they should care and look out for each other more in 2021.
Faiza Khan, director of engagement and insight at the NLCF, said: “Last year so many communities up and down the country demonstrated the amazing things people can do to support each other during challenging times.
“This research shows the power of that collective endeavour and the profound impact on how we feel about the areas we live in and the people around us.”
For more community and charity information visit Third Sector.