breathe
FEB/MAR 22 #3
Pause for Thought by David McCallum, page 3 Boost your mental wellbeing with the Thrive app, page 2
International Women’s Day #breakthebias page 11
hello from the wellbeing team! Are you looking for ways to improve your health and wellbeing? Would you like to find out what services are available to you as a Jersey Public Service employee? Look no further...we’ll be bringing you this every month in your wellbeing magazine. Boost mental wellbeing together… with the Thrive app
What if you could look after your mental health in the same way you look after your physical health, with proven behavioural tools that can become part of your everyday routine? What if you could learn the most effective psychological techniques and cognitive behavioural therapy-based interventions to better manage your wellbeing? The Thrive app, available 24/7, uses computerised cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness techniques and
distraction therapy games to create a tool you can use at your leisure. Thrive works like a day-to-day lifestyle app that also catches rising risks of conditions like stress, anxiety and depression. It’s tailored to the person using it. So, where meditation might work well for one, deepmuscle relaxation or positive-message affirmation may work better for another. Thrive is NHS-assessed for use by individuals and in the workplace. Everything you tell the app about your stresses and concerns will remain confidential and will not be passed on to your employer. You can download the Thrive app from the App Store, Google Play or the website. Sign up using your work email address and when prompted, input the following access code: T21201.
Contact us Rob Dimsdale, Interim OD Business Partner for Wellbeing E: r.dimsdale@gov.je Olivia Gill, Wellbeing Consultant E: o.gill2@gov.je T: 01534 440248 Luana Esteves, Wellbeing Assistant E: l.esteves@gov.je T: 01534 440410 Ben Williams, AXA Physiologist E: ben.williams@axahealth.co.uk
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Pause for Thought
By David McCallum L&D CONSULTANT & ITS TRAINING CO-ORDINATOR, ORGANISATION DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE & CORPORATE SERVICES
I found growing up gay in Manchester during the 80’s and early 90’s a real struggle. The city was just beginning its journey towards becoming the place we know it to be today and conversations around identity, diversity and wellbeing were certainly not topics being discussed at home or with friends. I was, and still am, very fortunate to have a loving supportive family, but it didn’t alter the fact that I spent most of my formative years overwhelmed by feelings of confusion, fear, and shame, and it was paralysing at times. Differences were not celebrated but targeted. There are numerous studies today that evidence disproportionally high poor mental health amongst the LGBTQ+ community and from my own perspective, this comes as no surprise. I spent so many years trying to mould myself into someone I felt others could tolerate, without giving a thought to how this would affect me in later life. How we identify is fundamental to how we live our lives, and when we don’t feel we are able to express ourselves without judgement or fear, the impact on our
wellbeing can be devastating. It has since taken me 20 years to finally reach a point where I quite like the person I have become, but I recognise this is not the same for everyone. Wellbeing for me is about finding balance and perspective. I am a creative person by nature, so I make sure to find time every day to do something that brings me a little joy. So, if that’s sketching in my notebook, reading a few pages from a book, watching an old film, or wandering around a gallery, those moments are mine to savour, and give me space and time to breathe a little slower and reflect on whatever may be troubling me. I am proud to be involved with the Government of Jersey LGBTQ+ Network. A supportive, safe and inclusive working environment is non-negotiable, and we all have a responsibility to foster a culture of respect and equality, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Be an advocate. Be an ally. Be part of the solution.
LGBT HISTORY MONTH 2022
TO READ MORE
CLICK HERE
Wellbeing… What this means to us
Luke Billings
SPECIALIST OFFICER CRITICAL SUPPORT TEAM, CUSTOMER & LOCAL SERVICES
Wellbeing for me starts with finding out what works for you. There are so many options available for looking after your wellbeing that it’s easy to get caught up in something that’s not a good fit. This can easily make you lose interest or think that nothing works for you. It wasn’t until I’d tried a handful of different approaches that I realised that meditation interested me the most and made me want to keep practicing. (I promise it’s not because it’s the option which involves the least amount of effort!) The next most important aspect of looking after my wellbeing is commitment. I really believe that good wellbeing only lasts as long as the time you put into it. I struggled for years to regularly look after my mental health and experienced feeling amazing some of the time but ‘not that great’ most of the time. I now know it was because I couldn’t regularly commit to the self-care practices, even though I knew they would make me feel better. I’ve found this to be one of the most difficult parts of looking after my mental health. Having to take time each week (ideally several times a week!) to commit to exercise or any other wellbeing practice can be a real challenge. This only changed for me once I realised that I needed to spend some time working out how to adjust my life to keep wellbeing high on my priorities. After a lot of trial and error, I worked out the changes I needed to make to allow me to give regular attention to my wellbeing. To be honest it can often seem a bit of a challenge but knowing I find many benefits in what I do, I ask myself ‘what can I do or change to make sure I take some time tomorrow to work out or meditate?’ It allows me to continue working on my mental and physical health which in turn provides positive wellbeing, so it’s totally worth it.
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Dr Fiona Nelson
CONSULTANT OBSTETRICIAN & GYNAECOLOGIST HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Wellbeing is a combination of physical and emotional health and working in a hospital can easily take its toll on both. Whilst Obstetrics and Gynaecology is an amazing and privileged speciality, ranging from the highs of delivering a healthy baby to the lows of dealing with the loss of a baby, or breaking the news to someone that they have cancer, it can also be physically demanding with long hours spent at the hospital and being called into the operating theatre or labour ward in the middle of the night. To balance these issues and avoid ‘burnout’ I commute to work by bicycle. I love the freedom of being on my bike and the headspace it provides. I am a fair-weather runner, enjoying 5k runs when the sun is shining, and I go to the gym a couple of times each week. Music is my passion, having studied piano and violin from a young age. I play violin in the Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the Jersey Chamber Orchestra, and I also return to Edinburgh to play in concerts with my former orchestra, Scottish Sinfonia. In the summer months, my husband and I enjoy sailing around the Channel Islands and France on our sailing boat. To be far out at sea and out of mobile phone range is a luxury! I feel very lucky to have some truly wonderful friends and catching up for chat over a cup of coffee or having a long telephone conversation with a special friend is priceless and great for my wellbeing. Especially in Covid times, I do think it is important for everyone to acknowledge their own physical and emotional health and not to feel guilty for prioritising their own needs at times. I believe this allows me to be emotionally resilient and give better care to my patients.
Gabriel Powell
APPRENTICE (MECHANICAL ENGINEERING) TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING & ENVIRONMENT
I believe looking after my own wellbeing is imperative to succeeding as an apprentice and life in general. My role as a Mechanical Engineer requires hard work, lots of focus and concentration, the ability to absorb information and learn lots of new things and most importantly, be prepared to learn from the mistakes I make so I can improve next time. It can become quite stressful at times so looking after myself and having a clear head is a must, especially when operating heavy machinery. I look after my own wellbeing by going to the gym, eating well (which I believe is the most important part of looking after yourself ) and aiming to get 8 hours of sleep each night. This keeps me in good shape physically and mentally so I can deal with problems that may arise or communicate with people at work or outside of work in a positive way. I think making time for recreation is important. I meet my friends at least twice a week to do things as a group which provides connection and I enjoy making and tinkering with things too last summer I made a BBQ out of an oil barrel; it felt great in the end when the project all came together. I’m also a member of a shooting club which I really enjoy. I like to set goals and aims for the future and working towards them helps my wellbeing by making me feel like I’m progressing or highlighting areas that I need to work on, which keeps me positive knowing that I’ll achieve my goals eventually. Having a supportive team at work is a blessing especially as an apprentice, knowing that I can talk to experienced members of the team and get help if I’m ever feeling unsure which helps to relieve the stress that comes with learning on the job.
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Mary Munns TEAM MANAGER
SAFEGUARDING ADULTS, HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES
For me, wellbeing encompasses my physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Contributing factors to my wellbeing are a harmonious family life, feeling settled and happy in my own home life and having friends who I can have fun with and who provide unconditional acceptance. My role in Safeguarding in Adult Social Care is very interesting and I work with valued and respected colleagues. It is important to me to feel I am helping individuals and making a difference to people in my day-to-day work. It is important to me that the work I do is congruent and in line with my values and beliefs. This contributes positively to my wellbeing and provides a sense of purpose and fulfilment. I like to have plans in the future to look forward to. I have been fortunate enough to go on exciting holidays and I tend to love something that includes an element of adventure - Cambodia and Central America were my favourites and I am hoping to travel more in Asia in 2022. At the start of every year, I write down my goals for the year and the following new year I review to see what I have achieved. I like having a challenge to aim towards. This year for my 50th birthday I will be attempting the Round Island Walk. My husband is an ultramarathon runner, so he is enlisted as my personal trainer, whether he likes it or not! Certainly, as I have got older, I put a lot more consideration into my wellbeing. After a significant period of ill health with a back injury 5 years ago I certainly don’t take my physical wellbeing for granted as I once did. I aim to eat a good diet and do some yoga or Pilates when I can. I believe that focusing on what I have in my life rather than what I don’t have is important to enhancing my wellbeing and living on a beautiful island such as Jersey, I find it is easy to do.
National Apprenticeship Week 2022
As we celebrate National Apprenticeship week on 7-13 February, we’d like to share with you what we are already doing within Jersey Public Service… Gabriel Powell, Apprentice Mechanical Engineer, tells us what wellbeing means to him on page 6. Apprenticeships give aspiring professionals real world experience. They allow people to earn while they learn, avoid the level of debt typically associated with university studies; and provide practical and relevant experience Increasingly, the apprenticeship route is proving to be a much more attractive choice for those who are motivated to get started in the job market. An apprenticeship is an excellent way of gaining essential experience, start developing a career and building psychological engagement with an organisation. That’s why we’re adopting an ‘apprenticeship first’ approach to help build our future talent pipeline and support employee wellbeing. Our newly adopted ‘apprenticeships first’ strategy will ensure that all roles of Civil Service grade 6 equivalent and below are considered for apprenticeships and therefore allow us to create a widespread offering of apprenticeships across Government. We have already made inroads in expanding our offering and most recently launched a twoyear Professional Commercial Apprenticeship – not only a first for the Government of Jersey but also for the island. Business Partner for Talent, Donna Beadle, said: “This is a really exciting time for us as a Talent Team, by working with departments and Skills Jersey, we’re enhancing our offer of apprenticeships within Government to have a truly holistic offer for those wishing to embark on an apprenticeship.” To read more click here. For more information contact Donna on d.beadle@gov.je
National Apprenticeship Week 2022 Starts Monday 7 Feb
We recommend...
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Interim Business Partner for Wellbeing, Rob Dimsdale, recommends a book called In Harm’s Way by Doug Stanton. Rob describes the book as a story of people responding to horrifying circumstances in a variety of ways. What Rob took away most from the book, was not only the incredible capacity for survival that people can show, but the compassion and commitment to others, that people can be capable of, even when faced with a living nightmare. With World Sleep Day coming up on 18 March, Wellbeing Consultant, Olivia, recommends the “Benefits of good sleep” on MyDevelopment portal. This module looks at why sleep is important for your health and wellbeing and help you to identify habits, behaviours and environmental factors which could be affecting your sleep. Visit MyDevelopment and search “Benefits of good sleep”. If you don’t already have access to the portal, email ODteam@gov.je Wellbeing Assistant, Luana, recommends Netflix documentary, A Life on Our Planet, narrated by David Attenborough. David recounts the evolutionary history of life on Earth, shares experience of humanity’s impact on nature and provides insight as to what the future might bring.
Flex Positive The Flex Positive project is making great strides in implementing flexible working across Government. Early pilots are proving that flexible working offers many happy returns such as improved mental health, better work life balance, improved productivity, boosted morale, and higher engagement. It also helps to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace. As an organisation we want to offer more choice in how, when and where people work depending on what suits your service area, and encourage managers to talk to their team about what may be possible. To find out more about the project, click here or contact Jenny Winspear on j.winspear@gov.je
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month March 2022
March is Ovarian Cancer awareness month. Dr Kathleen Gillies, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist for Health and Community Services, explains that Ovarian cancer develops in the ovaries/ fallopian tubes and lining of the abdomen and pelvis. Transgender, intersex and non-binary people who have ovaries are also at risk of Ovarian cancer. It’s important to look out for the symptoms, regardless of your gender identity. You can find out more by visiting Ovacome.
Ovarian Cancer Action - Walk in Her Name: Step Challenge
Dr Gillies tells us that it is often difficult to diagnose due to vague symptoms but has highlighted some below: • • • • • • •
Swollen tummy (abdomen) or bloating Feeling full quickly or loss of appetite Pain in your abdomen Needing to wee more often or urgently Tiredness that is unexplained Weight loss that is unexplained Changes in your bowel habit or symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, especially if this starts after the age of 50.
If you experience any of the above symptoms more than 12 times in one month, it may be worthwhile seeing your GP, who can carry out some tests and assess the reasons for the symptoms. Often, patients who seek help from their GP and do not have ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer now has several newer treatments including surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapies which allow patients to have better survival rates and live longer with a good quality of life, even if the cancer is still present. For more information about Ovarian cancer, visit Cancer Research UK here.
Every year, 295,000 women around the world are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and only half will survive beyond five years. You can help change this. Walk In Her Name and join Ovarian Cancer Action’s Step Challenge and take 295,000 steps across March (one for every woman diagnosed) to fund life-saving research. You can walk, run, dance or even jump your steps and record your progress on your online fundraising page. Get sponsored for your achievements, raise funds for the next generation of ovarian cancer research and save lives.
National Apprenticeship Week 2022 Starts Monday 7 Feb
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On 8 March, we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). This year the theme for IWD is #breakthebias. Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where differences are valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias. Nina Cornish, Environment Manager in Infrastructure, Housing and Environment, tells us about her experience with the menopause, supporting the movement to enable and normalise conversations around the menopause and create a supportive, inclusive workplace where our colleagues feel confident to raise issues about their symptoms and ask for support and adjustments at work. Watch the video here.
The Menopause Café, an employeeled network, has recently been set-up by Jersey Public Service employees who want to elevate the conversation around menopause, to dispel myths, educate and
raise awareness. If you would like to join please email DEI@gov.je – everyone is welcome.
CAFE
Nina also talks about the ‘Inspiring Women into Leadership and Learning’ (I WILL) programme. I WILL is a employee developed and led network that aims to increase the number of women in senior leadership positions, and to develop opportunities for women to connect and network across Jersey Public Service and other organisations. Nina tells us how it has supported her and other women in the workplace, describing her experiences and how having an open forum, with a network of supportive employees has made a difference to her wellbeing. The I WILL programme is always looking for new members and new ideas to ensure it continues to be as relevant and wide-reaching across the organisation as possible. If you’re interested in getting involved, please email us at: IWILL@gov.je For more on the I WILL programme, turn the page…
The Inspiring Women in Leadership and Learning (I WILL) programme will continue at pace this year, with a refreshed offering in respect of our core workstreams, and some exciting new initiatives under development.
and experience, including Digital Jersey, Jersey Finance, Jersey Financial Services Commission, Visit Jersey, Jersey Heritage, States of Jersey Development Company Ports of Jersey, Jersey Telecom, Jersey Post and Jersey Water.
Skills Jersey will assist in running the I Will Mentoring scheme in 2022, with fantastic plans to grow the initiative, including launching quarterly CPD and matching events, whilst also making it easier to access for both mentors and mentees.
The aim of the scheme, which is internationally run and has a success rate of over 75%, is to upskill board apprentices so they gain the knowledge and confidence to take on full board positions at the end of their placements. The I WILL team will be launching the second round later in Q1, underpinned by a fuller communications campaign in February.
We plan to introduce an online directory to help people identify a mentor, which will compliment and support departmental employee engagement and performance development activities aligned to our People Strategy commitments. We’ll be reaching out to our existing cohort of mentors in the next few weeks, as well as recruiting new members to support the scheme. Board Apprentice has been a really positive addition to the I WILL programme, with 10 places being offered to staff on our arm’s length organisations and states-owned boards. The boards have provided access to a diverse range of industry exposure
I WILL is pleased to announce our first set of Inspirational Speakers, including Stephanie Liston - Chair JCRA, and Lara Stoimenova – NED JCRA (March), Jill Britton – Interim Director General JFSC (May) and Lisa Springate - Chair IoD (June). Our speakers will reflect on their personal experience of working across different industries, share pivotal moments in their careers, and their learning and top tips for overcoming challenges in the workplace, and succeeding in their chosen professions.
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Stuart Barette BUSINESS PARTNER
BUSINESS SERVICES IMPROVEMENT, PEOPLE & CORPORATE SERVICES
As a transgender man with disabilities, managing my wellbeing is a key part of making sure I can live my best life and do so as my authentic self. My transgender journey has been a long one, from a small child in the wrong body, through puberty and adulthood. There have been many challenges such as waiting for male hormones to kick in and delays in accessing treatment in the UK, which have taken their toll on me mentally. That’s why a key tool in my wellbeing arsenal has been learning to cope with disappointment at setbacks and managing my own impatience. I do this through keeping a type of diary of my progress, from the date I made my decision to transition onwards. On the days that are tough mentally, this allows me to put things in perspective by looking back at how far I have come in my journey through life. I also focus on setting small goals to achieve, to distract me from being impatient whilst waiting, which also seems to work well. These same tools that I use with my transgender journey, have also helped
with managing frustration and coming to terms with losing some of my mobility and lacking in energy through my disabilities. I have also used something I learned from diets when I was younger, where you swap more fattening foods for more healthy ones. I swapped more energy requiring activities, such as playing the drums, for ones using less energy, like playing the guitar. This allowed me to still get pleasure from playing music, just in a different way, rather than focusing on losing the ability to play the drums. My horses also help me identify and manage my emotions, through their body language responses, lifting my mood and I also benefit from being in nature, breathing fresh air and listening to the relaxing sound of them munching. Animals can offer an extraordinary amount of emotional support. Beyond the pet-owner relationship that I have with my horses, they often help me to navigate challenging emotional experiences, providing a sense of peace with no threat of bias or judgement.
TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY 2022
THURSDAY 31 MARCH
Events and dates for the diary... 3 February – Time to Talk Day Mental Health Quiz, with Mind Jersey at 3pm Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. It’s the day that friends, families, communities, and workplaces come together to talk, listen and change lives. To find out more click here.
ADD TO CALENDAR
Mind Jersey will be hosting a virtual quiz, for all Jersey Public Service employees! There are prizes to be won. To get involved, please add the event to your calendar. Double click into the event to find the link to a SharePoint form where you submit your answers. Don’t worry if you can’t see anything on there just yet – it will be there for you on the day. Good luck!
18 February – Cancer Awareness Webinar 12 - 1pm
ADD TO CALENDAR
With World Cancer Day on 4 February, AXA Health Physiologist and Nutritionist Tom Rothwell, will be delivering a cancer awareness webinar which will help to improve your understanding and awareness of cancer – from knowing the lifestyle choices that can increase your risk to being aware of the symptoms to look out for. Click on the calendar icon to add to your Outlook calendar.
16 March – Sleep your way to better health Webinar 12 - 1pm
ADD TO CALENDAR
With World Sleep Day on 18 March, AXA Health Physiologist Sam Brazier will be delivering a sleep webinar which will provide you with the tools to help you understand how poor sleep is affecting you and put you in a better place to do something about it. Topics will include: the body clock and sleep phases, what poor sleep does to your body and mind, tips on how to get the best shut eye and how stress affects sleep and the ways to reduce it. Click on the calendar icon to add to your Outlook calendar.
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Jersey Recovery College Jersey Recovery College is a community-based independent mental health charity, developed from the States of Jersey Mental Health Strategy: ‘A Mental Health strategy for Jersey (2016 – 2020)’, that offers education and training opportunities to people experiencing mental health difficulties and the family, friends and professionals who support them. The courses support adults to enhance their knowledge and understanding of mental health conditions, recovery, wellbeing and life skills. All courses work to provide hope, opportunity and empowerment to our students. Every course is co-designed and delivered by a peer trainer, with lived experience, and a co-trainer, with professional expertise in the topic area. Please follow this link to access the Spring 2022 courses, for more information and to enrol.
No smoking day 9 March 2022
It won’t cost you a penny. The Help2Quit Service provides free support and free nicotine replacement therapy if suitable for you. Click here for further information
Wellbeing Contact Details E: wellbeing@gov.je AXA Portal Technical Support: 01323 436727 Employee Assistance Programme: 0800 072 7 072 (24/7 support) Please get in touch if you would like to share your stories, or have any ideas on what could feature in future issues of Breathe.