ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE IN THE UK SUFFER SILENTLY WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

With new statistics from The Annual Health Survey highlighting 1 in 4 people in the UK currently experience a mental health issues, employment and skills specialist, Seetec want to shout about the work they do across the North West to help individuals thrive in life, and not just survive to help raise awareness during Mental Health Week (8th-14th May) 

Seetec, who was awarded the Investors in People (IIP) Good Practice award earlier this year, which recognises the impact of mental health issues in the workplace, and shines a light on the effectiveness of management practice, culture and support services in promoting staff wellbeing. This award highlights that Seetec practices what it preaches by not only supporting its customers and partners but also ensuring its own staff are supported by best practice. 

Seetec has accrued over 30-year experience in providing mental and physical health advisory services for customers through the delivery of the skills, employment and criminal justices services. Working with people from all walks of life, Seetec assists customers to manage their conditions, promote healthy living and provide support in the customer’s development into recovery.

Samantha Rope, Group HR Director said, “The achievement of the IIP Health & Wellbeing Good Practice Award demonstrates Seetec’s commitment to its people. Having a supportive culture pays off. We are investing in effective employee health and wellbeing knowing it will encourage innovation, growth and sustained performance by unlocking the potential of our people.” 

With statistic showing only 43% of people are willing to talk about mental health concern with their employers, Seetec wants to help increase this by highlighting the number of people it has helped not only get back into employment but also support with their mental health issues. 

Ryan Drysdale from Oldham suffers from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)and anxiety which stopped him from finding employment. Along with skills and employment advice, Ryan needed additional help with his mental health issues, which were severely affecting his confidence and ability to work. 

Bharti Misty, Ryan’s advisor from Seetec in Oldham said: “Ryan had been waiting for an appointment with ‘Health in Mind’ since September 2016 and felt that he was unable to progress further without this level of support. I contacted ‘Health in Mind’ on Ryan’s behalf earlier this year to explain Ryan’s situation and the frustrations he felt as a customer who wanted to move forward but not being able to at present without the level of support they can offer. Now Ryan has a very positive attitude towards employment and during all our 1-2-1 appointments discussion has always taken place in regards to employment and how frustrated he is, as since leaving college he has worked.”

Ryan said: “After my initial assessment I’ve now started my CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) sessions with the first one taken place last week, I have now been offered 12 sessions with ‘Health in Mind’. It’s such a relief to have started the course of CBT and I know if Bharti hadn’t helped me I would still be on the waiting list. 

Ryan added: “As well as supporting me with my anxiety and PTSD, Seetec have really helped with CV and I’m now considering a new career path. Working with Seetec has been a great opportunity and I would advise anyone who has the chance to work with Seetec to take it with both hands.” 

As well as working with people who are looking to get back into the world of work, Seetec continues to support the customers once they have found a job. Lisa Rutter from Wigan found full-time employment with the help of the employment, skills, and rehabilitation specialists, after four years of searching.

Lisa needed additional help with her learning disabilities, which was severely knocking their confidence and holding her back from finding employment. Lisa struggled with reading, writing, and maths, with her main issue being spelling. She also had no IT skills, which was massively hindering her job application process. Along with many others from across the North West, Lisa turned to specialist employment, skills, and rehabilitation company Seetec, for the additional support she needed to help them to return to work; developing new skills, understanding complicated information, and interacting with new people. 

Seetec supported Lisa on a two-week Gateway programme to undergo training on her pre-employability skills, which helped her to interact with new people, develop her confidence, and work on her ability to interview confidently. Lisa has since found a permanent full-time cleaning role with Cole Security Services Ltd working within a school. Lisa said; “Before coming to Seetec I thought I would never find another job again – I’ve been to other employment specialists and they didn’t help, but my advisor, Hayley, found me a new job after just three months. Working with Seetec has given me so much more confidence; I can now use the computer on my own, I feel comfortable as part of a group and with new people, and my general confidence in myself has improved.”

Lisa’s advisor, Hayley Fisk, said: “Lisa has been an absolute pleasure to support. She is enthusiastic about working and completed every task set to the best of her ability. I’m over the moon that she has found work again after four years. Lisa still calls into centre weekly for help with accessing her emails so she can access her pay slips.  She attends here every Wednesday for help with anything like that.”

Seetec is one of the largest and most experienced providers of welfare to work, skills and rehabilitation support across the UK and Republic of Ireland . Supporting over 100,000 customer’s every year fulfil their full potential.

About Seetec: Founded in 1984 Seetec has grown by focusing on high quality delivery and service user outcomes to be one of the largest employee owned business service providers across welfare, skills, justice and public services in the UK and Ireland. Our portfolio of contracted programmes spans numerous Government departments and local authorities including the Departments for Work and Pensions, Justice and Business, Innovation and Skills in the UK and the Department of Social Protection in Ireland. 

Seetec supports over 5,000 businesses, large and small across the UK with their employment and skills development programmes including apprenticeships. For large businesses, Seetec delivers a managed service tailored to the organisation’s needs, incorporating the apprenticeship levy into the businesses’ Learning and Development strategy. Seetec’s FY16 turnover was £82m and employs c.1250 individuals across 115 delivery locations in the UK and Ireland.