I have always had an interest in the job market, employment and supporting people into work. This gives me a lot of job satisfaction. I also have a keen interest in mental health and spend a lot of time researching and reading about the subject. I have found that combining the two has been extremely fulfilling.
I am extremely proud of the work I do in my community mental health team and the employment service was awarded the Centre of Excellence after our first successful year. It was incredibly rewarding and reflects how well the IPS model works.
Supporting service users into employment after they feel they have no hope and seeing them flourish is something I feel very honoured to do. I really enjoy my role and am hoping to further establish myself and my reputation within the trust.
One of the main challenges has been addressing the stigma attached with mental health in the workplace, but, in my time doing this job and speaking to employers, I have seen massive improvements in this area.