North Staffordshire
Wellbeing College
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I am a mental health nurse by background. I have worked in North Staffs Combined Healthcare for over 20 years, primarily as a community nurse and manager.
My role currently is to enhance the patient and carer experience through various platforms of involvement and co-production. I am the project lead for the Wellbeing College. I champion recovery values and lived experience contribution to services and our community.
My role is to coordinate The College’s day-to-day operations, establish new and maintain existing partnership and provide support to the facilitators and volunteers.
Prior to working directly for the Trust I worked at a local mental health charity Changes, my most recent role was Service Manager for Peer Recovery Coaches based in CMHTs. I also have experience in delivering psychoeducational workshops and peer support groups, and I live with mental distress myself.
I am deeply passionate about waving the lived experience flag, I strongly believe that “Lived Experience is a Superpower”. I believe that hope, empowerment, laughter and being proud of your story are the way forward.
I joined the trust as an Employment specialist helping those in secondary mental health services to find meaningful paid employment.
My Main priority is to be working in a recovery focused way and one that is reciprocal and tailored to the needs of others. In my current role I divide my work time supporting Peers, facilitating workshops and managing my own caseload.
I joined the Trust as a peer support worker in perinatal mental health. I have lived experience of mental distress; my main goal is to inspire hope in others so that anyone, regardless of their struggles or diagnosis, can be empowered to live the life they want to live.
I am passionate and loud, and I will go to great lengths to support other people and to make a difference.
I first started at the Wellbeing College as a student and I absolutely loved the workshops, the ethos & the positive vibes of the College. Now, I’m lucky enough to be part of the team!
I’m really passionate about mental health and the journey to recovery. I try to use my own experiences of living with a mental illness to inspire others and give them hope as they navigate their own paths to recovery.
Prior to working for the College I trained as a counsellor but wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do – I just knew I wanted to work in mental health and wellbeing. I am also neurodivergent and am passionate about celebrating neurodiversity and promoting inclusion and acceptance.
I first came to the College as a student and meeting likeminded people and being accepted for who I am was exactly what I needed to restore a sense of hope and passion for helping others in their recovery journeys. I’m honoured to now be part of the team and hope to use this opportunity to give back and be a source of hope for others.
Supporting others through difficult times of mental illness, has been a personal mission since beginning my own recovery, and then living with the daily management of the symptoms that used to control me.
Working part time for the College, takes the experiences I’ve lived through on my journey and collaborates them with my educational qualifications, to share techniques, skills and understanding to support peers along their journey.
I served for 10 years in the army and I am delighted to help the Wellbeing College with a course design specifically for the Veteran Community.
I am a postgraduate student at Staffordshire University completing a Master of Business Administration. Now I am coming near the completion of my course, I am starting to pave the way for a future career. Whilst I have experience in administration in other sectors, my passion really lies within the NHS.
Having a physical disability has meant the NHS has become my second home and it is only thanks to all the staff who have worked tirelessly, that I am able to do what I can today. I feel this lived experience of the NHS gives me a strong feel of what it is really like to be on the other side of the bed, and I want to use this experience to give back to an organisation that has given me so much.
If you are concerned about your mental health or someone you care for, you can contact the Access Team at our Crisis Care Centre directly, any time of the day or night, every day of the year and for any age on 0800 0 328 728 (Option 1).
If you have an impairment and are unable to use the telephone, you can text the Access Team on 07739 775202 and the team will respond as soon as possible (please note: this text service is charged at your network provider’s rate).