This International Women’s Day we’ve been talking to our female employees about their role at Oxfordshire Mind, how they look after their mental health and who inspires them.
Name and Job Title
Lisa Harle-Ward, Service Manager for Localities and Information Service.
What is your role?
I support the managers of our Locality Teams and Information Service to provide high quality support to our service users through peer support groups, short courses, options sessions, wellbeing check ins, talks and answering queries on the Information Line.
What do you value most about the work that you do?
Knowing how much of a difference we are making to improve the wellbeing of the residents of Oxfordshire. Hearing from our service users that we have provided a “lifeline” through the pandemic; see them build connections through peer support to improve their recovery and see them move on from our service to volunteering, employment or achieving many other goals they have, is extremely rewarding.
Your top tip for maintaining good mental health?
I do a daily meditation, swim and walk my dog. Being in nature or in the company of friends always gives me a boost.
Is there a woman that inspires you as role model for good mental wellbeing?
Having been a service user of mental health services myself and dedicating a lot of energy to my own recovery and continued wellbeing, I am proud of myself and like to think of myself as a role model to my family. In terms of who has inspired me, Sarah Peyton, author and neuroscience educator who has battled through depression and anxiety and helps others make sense of their own experiences of trauma.
Name and Job Title
Jemima Lewis, Housing and Recovery Worker.
What is your role?
Facilitating and equipping clients with skills into a smooth transition from a hospital setting to a role of value and worth in the community and every day life.
What do you value most about the work that you do?
I value and respect the power my role has to facilitate a person from dark days into lighter days.
Your top tip for maintaining good mental health?
My top tip for maintaining good mental health is to surround yourself with a solid foundation of a support system. This can come in the shape of pets/friends/forums, just someone that has your back!
Is there a woman that inspires you as role model for good mental wellbeing?
The artist Frida Kahlo has always been quite inspirational due to her resilience to come back up after numerous physical and emotional knock downs, and to still have a sense of humour at the twists and turns of life.
Name and Job Title
Alessia Goglio, Safe Haven Worker.
What is your role?
At Safe Haven, I support any individual who is experiencing a mental health crisis or who is trying to prevent one.
What do you value most about the work that you do?
What I value the most in my work is that I have the opportunity to make an impact, by supporting someone at one of the moments when they need help the most.
Your top tip for maintaining good mental health?
My top tip for managing mental health is to have self-compassion and to speak kindly to yourself.
Is there a woman that inspires you as role model for good mental wellbeing?
One of my role models for good mental health is my colleague Katy, who always inspires me to create opportunities out of challenging situations.
Join us!
If you have been inspired by our employee experience stories why not have a look at our vacancies page or find out more about our volunteering opportunities.