Sarah got her mental health diagnosis last September, after what she described as a “hard year.”
Now, with World Mental Health Day on 10 October, she told how an organisation called Future’s Positive helped her when she was struggling at work.
“Things were looking rather bleak; I was off work and didn’t really know where to go with my life. I didn’t want to return to the workplace I was at, but then felt the pressures of society, thinking I had to,” said Sarah.
Sarah’s GP suggested Future’s Positive to her. The organisation is Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s Employment Support Service and works with various mental health services across Nottinghamshire to support people with mental health issues to find paid or alternative employment.
Through Future’s Positive, she met Debbie.
“She was an absolute star!” Sarah described Debbie. “Firstly, she listened to my story and encouraged me to talk about it. This helped as I didn’t feel so alone”
Sarah described that she was anxious at work and going through staged sickness in meetings, leaving her fearful she was going to be dismissed.
“I didn’t want that on my record, I wanted to go on my terms not theirs.”
Debbie Fleet has been an Employment Specialist with Future’s Positive for just over a year. Before that, she worked for a charity helping vulnerable young people into work.
“If you’re in work, colleagues can sometimes be very scathing and judgemental about mental health unfortunately, but you can get back with the right support and encouragement.”
After more meetings with Debbie helping Sarah update her CV and applying for jobs, Sarah had seen her confidence and self esteem grow.
“That was all thanks to Debbie”, Sarah said.
Sarah now works full time in the public sector.
“My advice, from one person who has gone from a hard place to finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, is ask for as much support as you can get. It really does make that little difference to your journey of recovery.”
In 2019-2020, depression or anxiety accounted for 51% of all work-related ill health and 55% of all days lost due to work-related ill-health.
Colin has also received help from Future’s Positive. He suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic cluster headaches, anxiety and stress which has left him ‘housebound” for a long period of time.
“Without a job, I felt like I had lost a part of myself. I didn’t know who I was or where I fit in society.”
Following his referral Colin met with Younis Hussain an Employment Specialist with Futures Positive. Younis helped Colin to update his CV and supported him to search and apply for jobs.
“Colin had always had a strong work ethic and working background before suffering from mental health difficulties” explained Younis.
“Loss of employment caused him to lose hope. He felt helpless, like he was a burden on others. [When he got the job] I felt proud of him, of his resilience, his motivation and what he had achieved. He has a sense of belonging, not only from working, but also by helping others with mental health difficulties. He can also provide for his family and feels a better father because of it.”
Colin now has a new role as a Healthcare Assistant in a hospital and is applying for roles in peer support to give back and to help others.
* Future’s Positive work as part of the local mental health teams across Nottinghamshire. Referrals can be made by consultants, community psychiatric nurses or occupational therapists. Self-referrals are also accepted along with a completed risk assessment. Names in the article have been changed.
