NEWS

Aswe progressthrough 2023, we are continuing to offer wellbeing activitiesand support groups, work-related training and employment guidance aswell ascounselling and one-to-one emotional support

Our activitiestake place online and in person, so that every one of our clientshasaccessto the support they need We are proud to be supporting hundredsof clients at any one time

- Oakleaf News

- Fundraising Events

- Testimonials

- Client Stories

- Our Impact

We have expanded our client activitiesand workshops, particularly those taking place in person. Recent activities include our Hope Drama workshop, Spanish Lessons, Women'sGroup, Qigong, Big Breakfasts, our Wellbeing Cafe, our 12-week Kickstart Fitnessand Nutrition programme, Seasonal Yoga and many more. You can view our full client calendar of activitieson our website. Moreover, our 'Pathwaysto Work' Employment Project hasbeen incredibly successful, with 85 clientsreturning to part-time or full-time employment, 56 taking up volunteering roles, and 90 gaining a certificate or qualification since the project began

We are delighted to announce that the Young Adult Safe Haven pilot hasbeen extended for a further year until March 2024 and will continue supporting 18-25 year olds with their mental health and wellbeing Thisisin addition to the Guildford Safe Haven, which isopen at Oakleaf 365 daysa year to anyone experiencing or close to a mental health crisis

To find out more, visit: www oakleaf-enterprise org or if you have any queriesor commentsabout our services, please do get in touch: info@oakleaf-enterprise org

Dave Chawner

We are delighted to announce that award-winning stand up comedian and author, Dave Chawner hasjoined Oakleaf asa new patron of the charity and we are very much looking forward to working alongside him

Dave Chawner isa number one best-selling author, award-winning stand up, presenter and mental health campaigner who sensitively useshumour to explore a variety of topicsincluding mental health.

"I'm so proud to joinOakleaf asa patronfornumerous reasons.Assomeone who hashad mental health problems,I needed help getting back on track;building personal and professional skillsaswell asequipping myself witheverything ineeded to become responsible for myownrecovery.Oakleaf doesall thisand so much more at a time where it'sneverbeenso important."

Additions To Oakleaf Staff

We were extremely pleased to welcome our new Head of Client ServicesRakulan to the Oakleaf team in the new year

"Hello everyone!Myname is Rakulan,Rak forshort.I'm starting myrole asHead of Client Servicesand working with the lovelystaff and clients at Oakleaf.I look forward to working inmyrole and meeting asmanypeople asI can, providing support and being a friendlyface."

MENTAL HEALTH FIRSTAID (MHFA) TRAINING

MHFA are internationally recognised training courseswhich help you manage wellbeing and minimise the impact of mental ill-health on work and life The training coursesteach people to spot the symptomsof mental health issues, offer initial help and guide a person towardssupport

To find out more or book your plac e on an upc oming c ourse, email Jen: jenc lay@oakleaf-enterprise org

We offer the following c ourses:

- MHFA Refresher course (half-day)

- 2-day Adult & Youth MHFA

- 1-day Adult MHFA

- 1/2-day Adult MHFA

Pathwaysto Workemploymentproject

Our 'Pathwaysto Work' employment project, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, focuseson training and mentoring clientsto move forward into the workplace with the help of our Employment AdvisorsMike and Helen, and our Learning Support Advisor Susie We have been running a weekly 'JobsClub' at Oakleaf, where clientscan receive careersadvice and learn CV and interview skills We have hosted several eventsincluding drop-in sessionsfrom CitizensAdvice, our 'Experience Matters' workshop and our 'Learn, Lunch, Learn' eventswhere we offer short, accredited digital college coursesto clientswith a certificate on completion We are pleased pleased to share thishasbeen a great success. Acrossour two most recent sessions, 23 clientshave attended and achieved a total of 25 accredited certificates

Overall, 231 clientshave returned to part-time or full-time employment, taken up volunteering rolesor gained a certificate or qualification.

For more details, please visit our website or c ontac t Mike: mikeover@oakleaf-enterprise.org or Helen: helenlunn@oakleaf-enterprise org

MANDY'SSTORY

?Oakleaf wastruly instrumental in giving me the confidence to apply for voluntary work and paid employment We sat down and talked about what type of work I would enjoy and we looked at my CV and condensed it so that it really showcased my skills.

A few yearsdoing accounting and bookkeeping taught me that I did not like sitting at a desk. Oakleaf helped me update my ITskills and showed me how to search for roles. I secured a role at a local nursery twice a week. I love working with the children and I received flowerslast week I wasnominated employee of the month by my colleagues- the first time thisaward hasbeen given at our branch. It waslovely to be recognised for my contributionsat the nursery.?

Gardening Volunteering

Do you enjoy working with nature? Do you work best as part of a team?

Oakleaf isoffering half day taster sessionsevery Thursday with our gardening enterprise ThisSpring or Summer could be the perfect time to try something new and build up your CV If you do enjoy the day, the gardening team would love to have you join one day a week, where you will learn the essentialsof garden maintenance and plant identification.

To apply or find out more, email Bea: beatric ec urtis@oakleaf-enterprise.org

ASH'SSTORY

At Oakleaf, we are always encouraging people to share their stories and experiences in the hope it will encourage others to do the same We are therefore delighted to share a story from one of our past clientsAsh, who talksabout her experience at Oakleaf and how it helped her return to work.

"I wasintroduced to Oakleaf bymysocial worker;having beenout of the workplace fora few yearsdue to mymental health.I waslooking to prepare to return.

WhenI started going to Oakleaf,I used the ITsuite to refreshmyMSExcel skills,completing the guided course.I re-learned those lost skillsand added some extra ones,so I felt more confident walking into work.That boost to myself esteem reallyhelped inthe first few days.

I'd got into the habit of having a routine.The IT suite wasalso set out like anoffice,which helped me prepare forthe busyoffice environment I would be returning to.

I have now beenworking full time forjust overthree years.I also made the step up from a data analysisrole to a people management role and I believe that Oakleaf'ssupport reallymade all the difference inso manyaspectsof myreturn to the workplace being successful."- Ash

We feel it is so important to normalise those c onversations surrounding mental health to help reduc e stigma within our c ommunities If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please don? t hesitate to reac h out Help is always available

THEHOPEPROJECT- HONOURING OPPORTUNITY & POSSIBILITY FOR EVERYONE

We had a great time celebrating The HOPEProjectHonouring Opportunity and Possibility for Everyone - at Guildford United Reform Church on Thursday 30th March

The project offered a range of activitiesfor clients, including: vision boarding, wellbeing walks, positivity hour and creative writing workshops

The event wasa brilliant opportunity for Oakleaf clientsto meet like-minded individualsaswell assome of our fundersand staff, and celebrate the progress we've made together towardscreating a brighter future.

Oakleaf Quiz Night

We had a wonderful evening hosting our 12th annual Oakleaf Quiz Night on Friday 31st March, which wasgenerously sponsored by Shanly Foundation

With 155 attendees(our biggest turnout to date), we managed to bring in £6,711 - an incredible amount. Well done and thank you to all 17 teamsfor taking part, and a special congratulationsto our winning team, The Victoria Sponges

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the quiz aswell asall of the local Surrey businesseswho very kindly donated to our raffle.

Also a big thank you to our amazing volunteerswho worked incredibly hard to make the night a success We hope to welcome more facesnext year, old and new, to battle it out for the top of the scoreboard!