Working for Health
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Walking into the Working for Health’s main work area, I am struck by the pleasant smells and peaceful feeling that permeate the place. Soothing green and blue tones on the walls welcome me in, and I notice several books on the astrological sign Sagittarius, next to books on business marketing and self-improvement. An interesting mixture, if I do say so myself. My kinda mixture.
On the window sill, a lone plant stands still, reminding me of the Chinese Bamboo Tree, which Mr. Ricky Newton, my work recovery coach told me about, which, having been watered and fed continuously, finally breaks free through the surface and grows to around 80ft high...some five years later. Just like any endeavour or meaningful work, it may take time, but the end result will be more than worth it.
Working for Health is a CIC company established with the aim of promoting a healthy environment and methodology in which to help find work for people who have mental health problems.
The organization was only recently established in late 2017, and comes on the heels of co-founder Mr. Ricky Newton’s involvement with Positive Assets, a branch of the NHS dedicated to the same purpose, and joins organizations such as Remploy and Hull CVS in helping to find work for those with a disability of some kind.
Working for Health primarily stands apart from these organizations in its focus on mental health, a growing area of awareness for many in our society, who are beginning to (finally) recognize its importance to our overall wellbeing, and this company aims to address the problems that people with mental health conditions may find in going back into the work place.
My own involvement with the organization began in early 2018, when I was referred to them by my Universal Credit work coach, almost as a casual, last-minute question, and I began the formal process of approaching them and working with them on the 5th February, 2018.
After an initial phone conversation and meeting with Ms. Diane Heaven, another key member of staff, following by an open day to get to meet everyone there, I began the gradual process of becoming involved with them and found the main work environment they have to be quite unique. This is mainly due to its accessibility to other companies who are in the very business oriented environment of the Enterprise Centre at the University of Hull.
I then began working with Mr. Newton - who I knew personally from another group we both used to go to outside of work matters - and through a series of incredibly positive meetings, we quickly identified what my strengths and personal goals where through a mind-mapping, five-star point system and personal goal writing process, and all of these helped to form an overall picture which has contributed to the beginnings of an action plan.
I won’t say it’s all gone smoothly - there have been times, especially today at the time of writing, where it has been incredibly challenging, and I have felt myself at odds with Ricky over our points of view on certain things, but I don’t think this is anybodies fault in particular - I believe I was not in a good place generally, and he seemed to be in a less than ideal situation himself due to other circumstances beyond his control.
He also has made it clear to me upfront that there would be times when he would challenge me on certain things and I might leave feeling a little bit different than my usual self, but which all forms part of a process of trying to change my mindset into more of a positive one, which will eventually lead me into a better place personally, and I commend Ricky for his honesty, frankness and most of all support and sincerity in wanting the best for me and everyone who go there.
I will say that since coming here I have felt a positive shift in a good direction, and believe Ricky and the team have my best interests at heart, and would definitely recommend the service to anybody with a mental health problem who feels that they are ready and willing to work.
The environment itself is a nice and positive one. The staff are friendly, and the ethos of it being a “peer-led” community, with the opportunity to work with others in a similar position, in a group or one to one basis; not to mention the access to cool tech companies like VISR-VR (in the same building) make this a very attractive proposition and organization, and one I could heartily recommend to anyone looking to get back into the world of health and increased wealth.