Mental Health Awareness at Poached Creative
I joined Poached Creative as a press office volunteer after
three years of unemployment due to mental health difficulties.
I’ve been delighted to realise this is an office where I can
be open about my diagnosis and some of the ways this impacts me, without fear
of prejudice. I am valued for my work
and for what I bring to the organisation, not judged for my historical or
current health status.
It’s hard to express how important this is for me, and how
lucky I feel to have found such an opportunity.
Put simply, it is everything.
In the past I was told by careers advisors that it would be
best if I kept my mental health history a secret from future employers and
colleagues. I know myself, and I know
that doing that would only add to my anxiety in the workplace.
Feeling safe in the office, as I do at Poached Creative,
removes a massive source of anxiety for me and actually makes it less likely to
impact on my work.
I first realised that Poached Creative was going to be a
safe place for me when I applied to join the online journalism course that they
run with The Big Issue and which I completed in April, prior to starting work
with them. Before my interview for the
course I looked at their website, and was impressed to read about Catriona’s
experience with them utilizing the permitted paid work scheme, as well as Deputy
Director Angela’s story of recovery from depression.
This told me that Poached Creative is a place which
recognises the talents of those of us who have had problems with our mental
health, rather than dismissing us. It
told me that I could be open with them, without being defined by my
diagnosis. They would look at me as a
whole person, not just a label.
I now see this evidenced directly each day in the office. Having stimulating and worthwhile work to do
in a supportive office environment is helping me to regain my confidence and
sense of self-worth as well as improving my skills for future paid employment,
and I feel extremely lucky to be here.
