Derwentside Employment Team (DET), works with Mental Health Employment Specialists to help people improve and manage their mental health so that work becomes an option for them again.
As well as day to day support, special self esteem courses are provided from DET, the course is made up of 1 workshop per week over 4 weeks, including self esteem building, confidence raising , tackling negative beliefs, positive thinking and goal setting.
Our next course is in August 2007 and registrations are being taken now. For more information on Mental Health and Employment call Marnie or Carolyn 0808 178 1898.
The beginning of January saw the arrival of our first Mental Health Employment Specialist, Marnie Ramsey. Employed by the NHS, Marnie joined the team to help people improve and manage their mental health so that work becomes an option for them again.
Marnie who has 4 years experience already in the field of mental health explains “I think it is vital that people get the basics right before they can even look at their route back to employment”
“I am hoping to move people forward, so although my ultimate aim is to support people into paid employment, I am also working to support people to make positive changes in their lives: to get out more, to do voluntary, part time, or permitted work, basically just to widen their horizons and improve the quality of their lives”
Marnie was joined by Carolyn Noddings in April, and together they are helping people build confidence and self esteem, develop skills for life and better understand and manage their mental health.
Some of the techniques they use include; action plans for the future, assessing employment needs, and identifying in-work support needs such as mentoring, help with benefits and travel.
Marnie also works with people who are at risk of resigning from a job, due to an employer not being able to make the necessary adjustments “I begin by trying to work out a solution that suits both the employee and the employer, understanding the Disability Discrimination Act and empowering people to be confident about their rights helps them to be more assertive when asking for small changes to be made”
Marnie has delivered two self esteem courses which are made up of 1 workshop per week over 4 weeks, including self esteem building, confidence raising , tackling negative beliefs, positive thinking and goal setting.
The next course is due to run in September, registrations are being taken now for the September Workshops.
For more information call 0808 178 1898.