We are delighted to be able to announce that Somers Town Community Association has been awarded the Gold Standard in the Workplace Wellbeing Index 2020-2021.
This means that as an organisation we have successfully embedded mental health into our policies and practices, utilising a variety of best practice approaches and demonstrating a long-term, in-depth commitment to staff mental health.
A huge well done to the whole team who have taken mental wellbeing into the core of all that they do and how they do it, this one is for you.
Mrs S Elie MBE
‘The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly’
By Buddha
In times such as this a very wise quote, see below for some support services available in Camden from
Mind Camden
https://www.mindincamden.org.uk/
The Community Programme serves to support members in identifying and accessing local community organisations through a tailored programme of free activities.
The programme works with adults 18+ who may be struggling with their mental health, isolation or social exclusion, supporting them to reconnect with their community. Members have access to a wide range of workshops, social spaces and courses accessible for free for Camden residents.
For members who require additional support accessing the programme, volunteer navigators offer 1:1 sessions to create a personal development plan identifying members’ individual needs, goals and barriers to enable them to access the sessions they want.
Healthy Minds 2022 January - March
We strongly believe in community and community is built on relationships. For people who struggle with their relationships or want to know more about how they relate to others, we run a 12 week Healthy Relationships Personal Development Group.
The Group runs twice per programme year and is open to eight members. The Group is co-facilitated by two senior trainee Gestalt psychotherapists.
Your Journey at Phoenix
The Phoenix is a flexible service that can support you through difficult times and connect you to opportunities to live life beyond them.
STEP 1 - Understanding your journey: We will spend time with you to explore how you got here, as well as what you enjoy, need and hope for. We’ll help you create a unique plan.
STEP 2 - Participating (about 18 months): We will offer you the support and encouragement you need to follow your plan and modify it as needed. We will also help you build sustainable links with fellow members and your local community.
STEP 3 - Moving on and staying connected: When you move beyond Phoenix we will help you to identify your support network and keep those connections and interests you love. You are welcome at our Peer Support Groups and may wish to volunteer with us.
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Checking in on your family, friends and colleagues is always important. But as the coronavirus pandemic continues, this is more important than ever.
If someone’s feeling anxious or worried, you don’t need to be an expert on mental health to support them. Think about using these top tips:
1) Check in
If someone doesn’t feel ready to meet face-to-face, picking up the phone, having a video call, starting a group chat or messaging someone on social media lets them know you are there to talk and ready to listen.
2) Listen and reflect
Whether you have a mental health problem or not, this will be a challenging time for our mental health and wellbeing. If someone opens up to you, remember that you don't need to fix things or offer advice. Often just listening, and showing you take them seriously, can help someone to manage.
3) Ask questions
Ask how people are managing, and ask again if you're worried they aren't sharing the full picture. Asking again, with interest, can help someone to open up and explore what they're feeling.
See below for ways to wellbeing
Five Ways to Wellbeing
Connect
There is strong evidence that indicates that feeling close to, and valued by, other people is a fundamental human need and one that contributes to functioning well in the world.
With this in mind, try to do something different today and make a connection.
Talk to someone instead of sending an email
Speak to someone new
Ask how someone’s weekend was and really listen when they tell you
Put five minutes aside to find out how someone really is
2. Be active
Exercise is essential for slowing age-related cognitive decline and for promoting well-being.
But it doesn’t need to be particularly intense for you to feel good - slower-paced activities, such as walking, can have the benefit of encouraging social interactions as well providing some level of exercise.
Today, why not get physical? Here are a few ideas:
Take the stairs not the lift
Walk when you can and try to walk with someone – so you can ‘connect’ as well
Get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the final part of your journey
Organise a sporting activity for your friends/family/work colleagues
Have a kick-about in a local park
Do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, before you leave home to start your day
3. Take notice
Reminding yourself to ‘take notice’ can strengthen and broaden awareness.
Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few ideas:
Get a plant for your home/workspace
Have a ‘clear the clutter’ day
Take notice of how your friends/ colleagues are feeling or acting
Take a different route on a journey you make every day/regularly
Visit a new place
4. Learn
Continued learning through life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interaction and a more active life.
Why not learn something new today? Here are a few more ideas:
Find out something about your neighbours/colleagues
Sign up for a class
Read the news or a book
Set up a book club
Do a crossword or Sudoku
Research something you’ve always wondered about
Learn a new word.
5. Give
Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing.
At Somers Town Community Association we are committed to improving the wellbeing of our users and staff/volunteers; our programme of activities/classes/services has been developed to support this aim and that of the 5 ways to wellbeing, email Jodie@somerstown.org.uk or sarah@somerstown.org.uk for more information.
As part of our commitment to supporting our staff and volunteers we have signed up to Mind’s Wellbeing Index 2020-2021 https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/workplace-wellbeing-index/ and our two new Wellbeing Champions are launching their first virtual coffee morning this month, following training & support from Mind Camden, whose work with our Champions has been amazing.
Hello!
We wanted to take a moment to say hello, introduce ourselves as Wellbeing Champions in the team, and to tell you about the coffee breaks that are going to be starting to help us all come together and make space for wellbeing in our lives.
Who are we?
Mohamed and Gabrielle. You probably already know us from our other roles at the STCA, but thanks to this initiative we’ve been spending time over the last few months learning more about wellbeing and mental health with an amazing trainer from Mind in Camden. We are delighted to be supported by Sarah and the management team at STCA in starting this initiative to promote wellbeing.
What are these coffee breaks?!
Everyone is included! Whether you are a full-time staff member, a volunteer, or work at the STCA on a part-time basis, you are most welcome. This will be a regular space (online at the moment) for us to come together and make space for wellbeing in our lives. Our intention is to make this a safe space and we will all make some ground rules together. We want it to be a space which is confidential, kind and non-judgmental – where we can share what we feel comfortable sharing, talk about what wellbeing means to us, and make the human connections with each other that we miss so much from pre-pandemic life.
We will sit down together via Zoom and make some time in our lives to talk about what wellbeing means to us all and share ideas for making space for positive wellbeing in our lives. Spending time with each other in a friendly and supportive environment, and taking the time to have a cup of tea, coffee or juice and chat together is a great way to start that.
We are lucky to have a supportive management team who are reinforcing the importance of wellbeing at work and giving us the time and space to do this. You are not only allowed but encouraged to take time out and attend, and senior management won’t be attending these so that they remain a space that’s different from the team meetings we already have for other reasons.
When is it?
The first one will be on Thursday 21 January from 12 pm for forty minutes. You don’t have to stay for the whole session but it will be helpful if you can arrive on time at 12 pm so we can start together, introduce ourselves and agree our ground rules for how the coffee breaks will run.
Later sessions are likely to run for 30 minutes, with optional drop-ins after that. We will send you all a Zoom link so that you can log on. Please let us know in advance if you need help getting on Zoom or using it!
We are really looking forward to seeing you all there!