This week’s leadership message comes from Sonya Robertshaw and Emilie Akselsen, and our blog is from Nicola Smith

Posted on: 9 August 2024

Emilie Akselsen Hello my name is Sonya Robertshaw and I’m the Workforce Lead for the West Yorkshire Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism (MHLDA) Programme. I lead on collaborative initiatives focusing on recruitment and retention, employee wellbeing, new role development, schools career engagement and inclusive recruitment.

My name is Emilie Akselsen and I am the Recruitment and Inclusion Coordinator at Touchstone. I have managed this collaborative project with the MHLDA programme.

Having a diverse workforce and supporting our staff to be their best at work and flourish is a key priority. Investing in diversity of thought and lived experience benefits both patients and staff, supports retention and helps us to address the workforce challenges that our NHS faces. Over the past two years we have run an award-winning, fully integrated, multi-partner recruitment programme focused on attracting local people from diverse backgrounds and with lived experience into roles in our West Yorkshire Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism trusts.

We ran the project in partnership with local voluntary sector organisation, Touchstone. Touchstone provides health and wellbeing services to diverse communities across Yorkshire and has specialist experience in inclusive recruitment practices. This partnership was key to the project’s success and enabled us to reach communities and diverse groups in a way that large NHS Trusts often struggle to do. We trialled a variety of engagement techniques from 1-1 employment support sessions, virtual events, large scale in person events and smaller hyper local approaches in local community spaces and marketplaces and also ran a series of Employability Workshops. We used a full range of marketing strategies including traditional methods such as leaflet drops, alongside digital campaigns, using TikTok and hosting live Instagram sessions with local influencers.

An evaluation of the work can be found on our webpage here. The data shows that the project did reach diverse groups and high numbers, but that we didn’t recruit the numbers we would have liked. In summary, the project supported 168 people with one-to-one sessions, provided information to approximately 2000 people through in person engagement events, 1300 through virtual events and supported 103 applications and resulted in 45 job offers.

The evaluation provides details of some of the reasons we struggled to recruit higher numbers and explores the barriers to employment. We’ve developed a series of case studies following the journey of the people we supported throughout this project, to learn from their experiences. We want to use this learning to help us drive forward change and challenge some of the traditional recruitment processes that deter people from applying for posts in the NHS.

A particular area of learning that came through from this project and through feedback at different forums across the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, was from our neurodivergent applicants and colleagues. They talked about the challenges they face in applying for roles, feeling comfortable to ask for and accessing reasonable adjustments at the application stage and then once in post being able to thrive and stay well at work. Our candidates we supported also witnessed in some areas, a lack of understanding and awareness about what adjustments can be put in place and how to do this.

To support with this we have developed a series of videos that show how important adjustments are to neurodivergent people in the workplace and how managers can support them. These videos show people across our organisations sharing their experiences and the adjustments that have supported them.

The final part of the project is focusing on developing a recruitment and retention Toolkit, including information about reasonable adjustments, for the West Yorkshire Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Trusts.

Thank you for reading

Sonya & Emilie

Nicola Smith, Housing Co-ordinator (Learning Disabilities and Autism) at Wakefield District Housing

Hello, my name is Nicola. I am the regional housing coordinator for learning disabilities and autism. Nicola Smith

I previously worked for 16 years in a special needs school and had the pleasure of working with some remarkable, characterful and inspirational young individuals. I can honestly say I enjoyed every single day, even though it came with many challenges, the joy of seeing a smile on someone’s face after they have accomplished something outweighed the difficult times. I feel that the time I spent as a teaching assistant gave me valuable experience and knowledge, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

I am a mum of three amazing young men so my home life can be very busy. I have loved raising boys and wouldn’t change a second of it, even the cold winter mornings at the side of the football pitch. I pride myself on learning new skills, some useful some not so much but I like to try new things. Now my boys are a little older I felt it was time to focus on trying a new career path and challenge myself. I did worry how I would balance my new role and family life. The hours were much longer, and I would no longer have school holidays free, but with the incredible support from my partner (we work as a team) it has balanced itself out nicely.

When the opportunity to join WDH came up, I jumped at the chance. I was looking forward to learning new skills and meeting new people. I initially joined the Homesearch bureau, and I don’t mind admitting for the first few weeks I thought I had made a mistake. But soon enough things started to click into place. As much as I enjoyed this role, it gave me a good understanding of WDH housing and the essential knowledge of navigating Homesearch, I did miss supporting individuals with learning disabilities. When the role of housing coordinator presented itself in November 2023, I felt the role was made for me. I was lucky enough to be offered the job and I have never looked back.

My role as the housing coordinator is commissioned through the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and is funded for a two-year period. The post covers West Yorkshire and I support individuals with housing related barriers. This can be as an inpatient or in a community setting.

My referrals come from professionals including social workers and community nursing staff. The referral criteria is that the current property has been deemed unsuitable for their needs or no accommodation available for discharge and the individual will be homeless. Together with the wrap-around support I source suitable accommodation to meet their specific needs and wishes. This can be within a social housing setting, supported living, residential and nursing support. My aim is to provide as much or little support that is needed for them to encourage independence and enriched futures for the individual and their family.

Once I have received a referral I work closely with the support team and the families to complete an assessment, this will ensure I source the correct accommodation and cover all requirements. It is important to stay in communication with the individuals and their families to enable them to feel involved, and that I am there to support and move at a pace they are all comfortable with. The role can offer support with tenancy related issues such as internal standard deep cleans, repairs and minor adaptations. Signposting to other support plays a big part in this role. Referring into well being for WDH tenants and support for tenants with money matters, benefits and budgeting grants.

It can be difficult for families to accept if they can no longer care for their loved ones, so I feel that it is very important to take time to clearly explain all factors of the transition. I know I have an important role to play and having the right home setting I feel is one of the most fundamental aspects of our life. Our home is where we can feel safe and happy, so I pride myself in achieving the best outcome for every individual I support. This role encompasses a great aspect of wrap-around support and I am grateful I get to help and support people in finding a home.

Thank you for reading

Nicola

What else has been happening this week?

Standing alongside each other

The ICB’s chief executive, Rob Webster, has written a message expressing his shock and sadness at the events that have taken place around the country over the last few days, and especially over the weekend. The message includes links to support for all those affected, and more resources are available on the Partnership website including our staff mental health and wellbeing hub, which is open to all health and care staff in the Partnership.

Next week, Fatima Khan- Shah, Inclusivity Champion, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) will be hosting two sessions to give people a chance to talk about any concerns or questions you have. Please share this information and use the links below to join the relevant Teams session:

Monday 12 August, 12.00-1.30 - women only space
Tuesday 13 August, 10.00-11.15 – for anyone in the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, including VCSE partners

West Yorkshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub supports a local sight loss charity

Guide dog and outlookers sign The West Yorkshire Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub were thrilled to support the staff and volunteers of Outlookers - the local sight loss society.

The team were very engaged during the Critical Incident Staff Support Pathway (CrISSP) training for their peer practitioners. Dr Rajinder Dhanjal loved training Woody, a four-legged friend who does an amazing job as a guide dog. Read more about this.

A thank you from the Inspiring Futures Project

Thank you to those who attended the launch of the ‘Inspiring Futures Project’ which took place on 26 June 2024. The event focused on shared commitment to creating brighter futures for young people across Leeds and Bradford.

To get a snapshot of the brilliant launch, you can watch this video to see the highlights.

Find Out How You Really Are – backed by local cricket star

Find Out Who You Really Are is a health awareness and call to action campaign that gives people the opportunity to take steps to understand and reduce their risk of developing diabetes and experiencing a heart attack or stroke. We are delivering this health initiative in partnership with local rugby league clubs and have also partnered with Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) star and all-rounder Jordan Thompson is endorsing the Find Out How You Really Are campaign. Jordan is a Diabetes UK Ambassador and is keen to raise awareness and use his sports profile to help people.

The campaign was most recently on tour at The Shay stadium on 4 August, where more than 20 Halifax Panthers fans had a health screen. These were completed by students from Get Set Goal at the University of Huddersfield and many more engaged by having meaningful conversations with the team down there on the day. Find out more by visiting: www.findouthowyoureallyare.co.uk