May is Mental Health Month, with the theme of this year being ‘anxiety’.

To shine a light on mental health, CCP are taking a look at the multifaceted approach they take to supporting staff members and the resources at hand which allow mental health to be taken seriously in the workplace.

We were able to catch up with our Workplace Welfare Manager, Jenny Barber, who was able to tell CCP’s story and what inspired her to help others within the charity. The decision was made back in 2020, when COVID 19 was beginning to affect the country. ‘It was a baptism of fire!’ The working world was flipped on its head; working from home becoming the new norm. With this, came new pressures and strains on mental health; loneliness, anxiety to name a few. People were experiencing problems that they had never faced before; the team had their work cut out.

To combat the growing problem, several policies were introduced. One of which being a Health and Wellbeing strategy with an accompanying steering group. Their goals, amongst others, are to: promote wellbeing, challenge poor practice across CCP and mental health within staff members and break down barriers between managers and staff. Each detachment of CCP has a dedicated champion who attends these monthly meetings and ensures all areas of CCP are being catered for.

Stemming from the Wellbeing Policy came many inclusions of positive mental health practises, such as: 1 to 1 internal counselling sessions and a mental health driven perk box, with many more. The positive impact of these implementations can be seen all over CCP.

Take the most recent staff polls:

• 96% said they were happy to be working for CCP
• 91% said CCP puts people at the heart of the organization
• 95% said CCP embraces diversity in its workforce
• 96% described CCP as a ‘compassionate employer’
• 99% said they work in a supportive team

This caring attitude has paid dividends as healthy, happy staff provide a productive, community centred work place! 

‘A lot of people (at CCP) are working hard to support others, it doesn’t take much for life to become complicated … having a space to come and talk, and someone to offload emotions to, really helps.’  - Jenny Barber, Workplace Welfare Manager