Workways - Will's story
The Listening to Experience session at our latest Board meeting was provided by colleagues from our Workways service, which is based at New Leaf in Exminster. Lynn Aggett, Workways Manager, gave an overview of this vital service, explaining that as well as the MINDFUL EMPLOYER scheme and a small job retention team for Exeter, East and Mid Devon, Workways' main role is in the field of Individual Placement and Support (IPS).
The service works closely alongside people with mental health needs to help them find employment and, in the last three years, the team has helped more than 400 people into work. Last year alone, the team worked with over 700 people and supported people into 169 jobs. The IPS service is open to anyone who is in the care of one of our teams. It has Employment Specialists based within each of our core mental health and STEP teams and can accept self-referrals as well as referrals from key workers.
Zoya Paterson-Watts is an Employment Specialist with the team and she talked passionately about how rewarding it is to work with people and to see the effect that employment has on their recovery and many other aspects of their life. Evidence shows that meaningful employment can help reduce a person's symptoms, improve their social interactions, confidence and quality of life and reduce their reliance on health and social care services.
Zoya has worked with Will Ferdinand over the last few years and Will shared his own story with Board members, which was incredibly powerful and moving. From being detained, unemployed and in a 'very bad place', Will now works as a Healthcare Assistant at The Junipers (PICU) in Exeter and at other locations across the organisation with NHSP Bank. Also, as an Expert by Experience, Will has provided training and support in a host of services including Salus in Torbay, Dewnans in Dawlish and the Additional Support Unit (ASU) in Exeter. He said: I can't speak highly enough about the support I have received from Zoya. I believe that meaningful employment saves lives and my life has been transformed by the Workways team. In addition Will's dog, 'Scamp', has now been accredited as a Pets as Therapy (PAT) dog and will soon be seen on our wards giving comfort and enjoyment to the people in our care.