Staff Representative Elections 2024

"Empowering minds, shaping futures together"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"I am deeply committed to driving meaningful change to enhance our services and broaden our organisation's membership. As a passionate advocate for continuous improvement, I am dedicated to ensuring that our practices evolve to meet the needs of both our members and staff. Co-production with service users - and staff - is paramount in developing services that truly meet their needs. I want to give a voice for your ideas that can be articulated and built into the organisation strategic decision-making. A key priority for me is supporting employees and management colleagues, especially when someone is returning to work after sickness absence, as well as sustaining their attendance. I believe in creating a compassionate and supportive environment that values each individual's wellbeing. Additionally, I am steadfast in upholding the core values upon which our organisation was founded, ensuring that our actions always align with our original mission and principles. By being elected as a staff representative, I aim to be a voice for positive transformation, fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace that stays true to its foundational values. One that is forward-thinking and resilient - a service that we would be proud for our friends and family to use."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"Hello, my name is Ross and I am excited to stand for election as a staff representative for Navigo. With extensive experience as a leading Senior Employment Advisor, I had the privilege of developing the curriculum and lecturing the course at Liverpool John Moores University, contributing significantly to our service's contribution. Over the years, I have played a pivotal role in mental health services nationally, particularly in employment support. I have developed and lectured a comprehensive curriculum for Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies that has not only empowered many, but also earned our service recognition as a leading provider by both the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). My work has always been driven by a commitment to excellence and innovation in service delivery, as well as staff development. I am passionate about co-production and the importance of evolving our membership to include diverse perspectives. By involving service users in developing our services, we can create more effective and responsive solutions. My dedication to supporting staff, especially in wanting to enhance the return to work process, aligns with my belief in creating a compassionate and supportive work environment. Together, we can build a more inclusive, supportive, and innovative organisation. I am committed to being a proactive and approachable representative who listens to and advocates for all staff members. Thank you for considering my candidacy."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

If elected, I will focus on:

• Promoting co-production with service users to develop innovative and effective services
• Enhancing support systems for staff, particularly in facilitating smooth returns from sickness absences.
• Expanding our membership to include a broader range of voices and experiences.
• Upholding and advancing the core values of our organisation.

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

To ensure members' views are listened to, I will:

• Clear expectation of roles: to consult with co-production managers on clarifying the meaning and understanding of ‘membership’ and the different roles involved, and what the expectations are for each – streamlining the current set up to improve efficiency.
• Regular surveys: Conduct regular surveys to gather feedback and suggestions – as well as measure if they believe the organisation listens to them and their perspectives are considered in decision making.
• Focus groups: Organise focus groups to discuss specific issues and ideas. I would like to tailor these focus groups to deliver a wider voice from the membership demographic, ranging from those who have complex needs to those whom are mild to moderate.
• Consider advisory committees: establish committees compromising members to review and provide recommendations on certain strategic plans and decisions in certain areas. This is to reduce being potentially overwhelmed and unable to articulate opinions, as well as support with scrutinising decisions effectively.

"A rising tide lifts all ships"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"Over the last 14 months of working for Navigo, the nature of my role as your Safeguarding Lead practitioner has meant that, more often than not, our paths only seem to cross when our service users are in a crisis or sadly at risk of experiencing harm or abuse. What is so apparent to me during these moments, is that you, our staff members, are compassionate, caring and you strive to ensure our service users' voice is central to our work and it is this that makes me so proud to be a part of your team. I am passionate that as an organisation, this same care and compassion should be echoed across our workforce to ensure that each and every person feels heard, seen and well-represented, regardless of position or team. Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"If you had asked me at 16 where I would be a 43, I would have confidently and proudly told you I would be the first female Regimental Sergeant Major in the British Army. My vision was very clear and my drive to achieve it, whilst determined, was rose-tinted. I went on to serve eight years in the Royal Signals which saw me deploy on two operational tours to Iraq, live in Germany and work hard to climb the promotion ladder. I left the army to become a mum, my priorities changed and with it, my career. In 2011, I studied to become
a social worker, my vision now to support and lift people in their time of need. The same sense of public duty but in a different arena. I have been an adults social worker for ten years now, which has seen me work for the local authority as a case manager in an initial assessment team, intermediate tier as a senior social worker within a multi-disciplinary crisis team and the local authority safeguarding triage team. I am a Best Interest Assessor and Practice Educator and I am currently your Adult Safeguarding Lead for Navigo."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

1. To enhance staff rep visibility across the organisation by streamlining accessibility to staff reps.
2. Speak with staff and gather your views on what is currently working well, explore what's not working well and understand, from the staff member's perspective, how it could be better and what it would need to successfully be better.
3. Create a platform for staff to feel able to share their views and feelings whenever they experience them
4. Promote the implementation of an intranet to help information be passed through the service and be easy to access.
5. Promote awareness of neurodiversity amongst the workforce and explore viable adjustments to make the work platforms more user-friendly and less complicated.

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

• Face-to-face visits to teams
• Create a single email address for staff to have direct contact to the reps
• Offer any staff member the opportunity to meet with me at a time and in a location that suits their needs
• Take the breakfast clubs to the teams on a rotation basis and ensure that all areas of the service are visited.

"Putting the spotlight on diversity"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"Young Minds Matter joined Navigo just over one year ago, and in that time we have settled in and found new opportunities. This is one of those opportunities and I would like to step forward as voice for the membership, especially those who work with children and young people, to make sure that sector of health care is represented. I have a passion for unheard voices and would love to enable more people to have a chance to get their views across. I have a lot of lived experience of being talked over, being queer and neurodivergent, and would like to use this to raise others’ voices up. I aim to bring diversity to the forefront of Navigo and highlight the strength of working differently.."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"My name is Gillian and I'm a psychologist at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Young Minds Matter). I've worked there for around three years and half of that has been under Navigo. Before working as a psychologist, I worked in warehousing where I was a union representative in a staff of 1,000 night shift workers, so I know how to get my voice heard. At Young Minds Matter, I'm the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) champion, as well as an Equality and Diversity champion, and Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) champion. I'm queer and neurodivergent, as well as having lived experience of mental health difficulties, so know a thing or two about unheard voices. I have a passion for equality and delight in diversity and would like to take that forward to make sure everyone has a say in changes which impact them. I know the strength there is in listening to diverse voices and how it can enrich everyones lives."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

"I want to make sure underrepresented voices are heard and to consider ways in which Navigo and associated services can work which take into account differences in staff and those we support. I also want to work with staff and service users, especially those who may face invisible barriers, to provide good quality wellbeing, care, and understanding. I am to ensure Navigo is neuro-affirmative in its approach to staff and the care we provide and welcome ideas from members who are thinking outside the box. I also plan to enhance the voice of Young Minds Matter and to form closer ties between us and other services."

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

"I already help run engagement sessions with young people who represent a number of sometimes overlooked demographics, as well as working with children and young people who have neurodevelopmental differences. This often involves being creative and thinking outside the box when it comes to getting views across. I intend to consider these different ways to allow the membership to express their views to me, and to Navigo as a whole. I intend to set aside time each week to talk to people and to try to be easily accessable and visible to members, and to provide alternative routes for speaking to me or showing views. I intend to be transparent about what I am taking to meetings, and timely with giving feedback. I intend to travel to other departments as needed, and to encourage those who may feel unsure or uncertain to have a voice, showing them by my actions that their opinions and needs are important."

"Making changes together to achieve more"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"Over the last 20 years (five of these at Navigo), I have acted as a representative for my caseload of clients, frequently liaising with managers of companies around North East Lincolnshire, often acting as the voice of encouragement, helping to convey ideas and strengthen the understanding of issues, creating openings for change and fostering mutual trust. Now, I would like the chance to offer the skills and passion I use within my role to our members by becoming a staff representative. I’m a proud advocate of Navigo and, having a family member with a serious mental health diagnosis and a broad knowledge of mental health conditions, I understand how decisions can affect the chances of service users and staff. Navigo doesn’t take its responsibility lightly which is why, as a membership service, they offer meaningful involvement and engagement. I believe in the membership scheme as it allows for the formation of services with consideration of the opinions from service users and those delivering services. I feel that my knowledge, experience and passion for co-production will assist me to effectively represent and communicate the views, needs and requirements between members and our organisation."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"I’ve been employed as an employment specialist for over 20 years, the last five years working as the Individual Placement and Support Team Lead at Navigo. My role involves supporting my case load of clients into employment, but also to sustain their employment. This often means helping their management teams understand the challenges my clients are facing, raising awareness of reasonable adjustments and
conveying ideas and solutions to problems. My skill set includes empathy and good communication skills, as well as a positive outlook and a kind sense of humour. I am a solution-focused ideas person, a daughter of an inventor and a proud mum of four grown-up children. I’m motivated and enthusiastic to engage people, listen to what’s needed and then work with all parties to come up with a plan. I want to stand for election because I value Navigo's membership scheme and I feel I can make a positive contribution to membership by raising awareness and encouraging engagement, but also by using my skills and expertise to relay information between members and the organisation. I believe that Navigo is stronger because it values its membership, listens to their thoughts and opinions and actively incorporates these into future service offers and delivery. I welcome the chance to be involved and, importantly, to involve others in supporting this process."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

"I want to actively encourage a wider membership coverage as the effectiveness of a membership scheme is reliant upon active membership. I believe offering the chance to debate service developments is often the way to develop more meaningful services and I would like to look into diverse ways in which members can offer up their ideas and opinions. I want to look at the avenues currently offered to provide a two-way communication between the members and the organisation and liaise with all parties to strengthen these avenues and develop any additional or new ways to exchange information so that as many members as possible are able to offer their thoughts. I would like to expand methods in order to feedback to members."

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

"Initially, I will utilise engagement opportunities that our current membership team have worked hard to establish. Additionally I will reach out to the different sectors within Navigo to determine if there are additional ways I can engage with membership. An example of this may be to explore further drop-in sessions and face-to-face opportunities, and utilise any electronic and digital means at our disposal. I would like to work with our current membership team in order to develop member recruitment opportunities, not only to encourage more memberships, but also to give current members additional information about how they can get the best of their membership. I intend to make myself available to the different sectors of Navigo in order to encourage membership, raise awareness about service developments, changes to services and opportunities for members to vote, but also to listen and discuss any membership views so that I can work with the member on a timescale of when their views will be put forward and when they can expect feedback. I will reach out to members to discover how they wish for me to be available to them and accommodate this, if at all possible. My intention is to attend all meetings of the Membership Board and utilise these meetings to convey members' ideas and thoughts and to be an advocate of the process, the members I represent and the progression of Navigo so that it continues to deliver services that we would be happy for our own family to use."

"Keen by name and by nature"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"Whether you’re a cook supporting our eating disorder service, a business development manager keeping us on track of projects or a senior manager making the big-picture decisions – whatever the level, whatever the role, whatever the concern – your thoughts and opinions should be heard. I want to bring your voices to the places they need to be heard and I’m confident that we can make realistic, achievable but exciting and positive changes together."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"For those of you who know me, you will know that I am pretty straight talking. I often refer to my self as 'black and tatty not pink and fluffy', however this application is a bit of both. I have had the privilege of being a staff representative and non-executive director for the last three years. I have found the role to be a real eye opener into the organisation I have worked within for the last 21 years. I now feel I have a better understanding of the pressures that my colleagues face across the system, both operationally and corporately, and I think we can all agree that there are some opportunities to make a real difference that would benefit both staff and those who access our services. To be completely honest, I simply haven't achieved everything I set out to achieve during my first term within the rep role. There is still work to be done and I feel that we have just scratched the surface. Simply, I would like the opportunity to continue aiding the development journey and hopefully be one of the people to ensure that our staff's voices are heard."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

"It is essential that staff representatives are not simply seen as the equivalent as a staff comments box. Therefore I would like staff to feel they have a wider voice and I would like to pass on actionable feedback to senior colleagues. I want to continue to develop our staff wellbeing offer, making sure it addresses the needs of our staff and that it has the ability to adapt and change to meet future needs, asks and wants. I want to contribute to growing our own future workforce by creating development opportunities for all staff to aid career progression and staff retention across all areas within Navigo."

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

"I will continue to make myself accessible both in and out of my working hours, including with Breakfast Clubs — everyone loves a free brekkie and a brew! I'll host service-wide activities and events as well as focused staff engagement sessions away from the work area. There will be regular meetings with virtual and face-to-face options — with cake if required. I'll also continue working with the comms team to ensure we are using every available tool and service to be visible and reachable."

"Communication, communication, communication"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"Within my day job, I engage with numerous services and departments so have an opportunity to speak to both corporate and clinical staff. I feel privileged to work alongside staff who, mostly, are truly passionate about working within mental health services — especially Navigo. However, I also pick up the concerns and issues that staff have and are feeling but they don't always feel heard. This is my reason for putting myself forward for one of the staff representative positions. I believe I have the ability, flexibility and confidence to bring other voices forward where they may feel they are not being heard. However, I also believe in encouraging staff to take an active part in making their voices heard themselves by way of membership and surveys, as I have seen the positive impact of this. There will be times where I may have differing opinions and play devil's advocate to have a fair and constructive debate, although I believe I do have the ability to do this objectively. Communication, to me, is the glue that connects understanding and acceptance, but as we all communicate differently, things get lost in translation. I think as staff representatives, this is a priority area."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"Hi, I'm Amanda and don't really like talking about myself, but here goes. Those who know me know I enjoy festivals and spent most of my weekends over the last six years working at them as a First Response Emergency Care Level 3 (FREC3) which has been an eye opener. This year, I'm attending as a festival goer. I used to enjoy scuba diving but haven't done it for a while and whilst I do believe I have a sense of humour, I take supporting others and my role seriously. I started working for Navigo in 2019, firstly with Individual Placement and Support Employment Service, currently known as One Front Door — although we are thinking of changing it to Mr Benn's changing room, a series from the 70s for those who don't know. Sorry, my sense of humour. I have had similar roles in previous employment, I was privileged to be elected employee rep with my previous employer for six years which entailed me travelling to Bristol bimonthly to liaise with the senior management team and represent my colleagues within Lincolnshire. We were instrumental in many changes over that time, such as an increase in mileage payment, changes in holiday entitlement, redundancies etc. We saw an increase of staff survey participation go from around 29% to 79%. I personally spent a lot of time encouraging staff to put their opinions across and allaying the fears that they would be penalised for it. But again it was communication — explaining things are being looked at, assessed and changed and that staff were being heard. Things don't change overnight, but eventually it does happen. Because I believe in staff representation, this is why I am standing."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

"I can't say this enough, but one of my main objectives it to get us all to communicate more — all teams, clinical and corporate — as I feel there is a disengagement. This is not at all deliberate, but due to the increase in services and everyone just trying to get their job done. One of my other main objectives is to increase the number of staff taking part in surveys so there is a true reflection of how staff are feeling and what changes they feel is needed. Again, appropriately communicating changes that have been made because of surveys is key and I dont think we do this enough. There is still the sense of 'nothing changes' and 'nothing gets done', so why bother. Representatives are the key to the communication."

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

"I will attend relevant meetings, promote in team meetings, attend Breakfast Clubs, attend inductions, take part in and facilitate events and projects, work with the co-production team, liaise with all groups and teams and be available and present."

"Supporting the roots of care"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"I am passionate about becoming a staff representative because I believe I can provide invaluable help and support across our organisation. My experience as an employment advisor has given me a deep understanding of employee issues, enabling me to offer practical advice, information, and guidance. I am committed to delivering quality services and maintaining high standards of care. I recognise that the staff at the heart of our organisation are essential to establishing a solid foundation for growth. It would be a privilege to listen to staff concerns, challenges, and compliments, and to be involved in making positive changes. I believe every staff member deserves to be heard, and I am eager to advocate on their behalf. With strong support in place, our organisation will thrive. I am approachable, genuine, and caring, and I always strive to take a fair, nonbiased, and holistic approach, valuing diversity and challenging inequalities and discrimination. I am enthusiastic about current and upcoming projects that enhance our services and benefit our service users. By leveraging the unique strengths of our staff and addressing challenges effectively, I am confident we can continually improve our service standards for the betterment of our staff and service users alike."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"With 20 years of experience in health and social care, my journey began as a volunteer with Tukes, before eventually joining Navigo. Over the years, I have worked across various mental health sites within Navigo, gaining extensive experience, including in learning disability services, where I excelled in event organising despite the challenges. Currently, I serve as an employment advisor within NHS Talking Therapies, supporting employees and employers with a holistic, person-centered approach. I am also leading on delivering on creative employment programmes to recruit new talent across the whole of the health and social care sector, who are motivated to deliver high standards of care and support. I am known for my kind, caring, and approachable nature, always striving to provide and advocate for high-quality services.

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

If elected, my key objectives and goals for the forthcoming term include:

• Site visits and networking: I aim to visit different sites and network with staff to gain a comprehensive overview of Navigo, understand the services better, and identify areas for improvement.
• Engagement in projects: I am eager to be involved in upcoming projects, leveraging staff strengths for future developments.
• Idea sharing and listening: I will actively share ideas and listen to new suggestions, fostering a collaborative environment for positive outcomes.
• Promoting holistic wellbeing: I will support holistic wellbeing in the workplace, ensuring both employees' and employers' wellbeing needs are met.
• Advocating equality and diversity: I will promote equality and diversity, actively challenging discrimination to create an inclusive workplace

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

To ensure that the views of both staff and service users are heard and valued, I plan to implement a multifaceted and creative approach to engagement:

• Listening and sharing ideas: I will prioritise active listening and foster an environment where new ideas are welcomed and shared. This will ensure that everyone's voice is heard and considered.
• Open coffee mornings and breakfast clubs: I will organise regular, informal gatherings such as open coffee mornings and breakfast clubs – following on the success of the current setup. These events will provide a relaxed atmosphere for members to share their thoughts and ideas.
• Site visits and safe spaces: By visiting various Navigo sites regularly, I will create safe spaces where staff and service users can comfortably express their views and concerns.
• Virtual and in-person meetings: I will offer a variety of communication channels, including Teams meetings, face-to-face interactions, and email correspondence, to accommodate different preferences and ensure accessibility.
• Interactive workshops and focus groups: I will host interactive workshops and focus groups to delve deeper into specific issues and gather detailed feedback.
• Anonymous feedback channels: Establishing anonymous feedback channels will encourage members to share candidly without fear of repercussions, ensuring that all voices, even those less comfortable with direct communication, are heard.
• Newsletter and updates: I will provide regular updates through newsletters, highlighting ongoing projects, upcoming initiatives, and summarising the feedback received, demonstrating transparency and accountability in addressing members’ concerns.

By combining these methods, I aim to create a dynamic and inclusive engagement strategy that ensures all members feel valued, heard, and actively involved in the continuous improvement of our services.

"Reaching out, kindness and fairness"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"I would like to be a staff representative as I enjoy and thrive on supporting staff. I enjoy listening to ideas, feedback and concerns and being able to do something about it. I have enjoyed my first term being a staff representative and I would love to continue doing so, encouraging people to tell me what is going on and how I can help them provide a service they would be happy for their loved ones to receive."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"I have worked for Navigo for over five years in the training and development team, as well as being a bank health care assistant too. I also support other areas too, such as supporting with the flu vaccinations campaign every year. I love working with everyone within Navigo, and thrive on being kind, supportive and a great listener. In three of those years I have been lucky enough to be your staff representative. I want to stand for election again for many reasons. I enjoy listening to people's thoughts, ideas and concerns and being able to take this further and drive change for areas. I want to stand for election so I can support areas, as well as ensure everyone's voice is heard. I also like attending Membership Board as a staff representative to gain knowledge of what is happening in the organisation to feed back, as well as ensuring raised items are being actioned in a timely manner, too."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

My objectives and goals I want to achieve are:

• Supporting staff with their wellbeing
• Ensuring all staff are listened to, ideas/projects are discussed and actioned where possible, and ensuring concerns are easily raised and resolved too
• Increasing awareness of the membership is also a goal of mine, encouraging more staff to join, and ensuring staff are getting the most out of the membership too.
• To ask staff or champion a way for staff to tell me what matters to them and what they want me to achieve on their behalf.

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

There are many ways I would like to engage with membership to ensure everyone's views
are listened to:

• Attend team meetings
• Attend away days
• Site visits/area visits/face to face drop ins
• Breakfast Clubs
• Share views with the representative team, and raise issues with Membership Board
• Emails/Microsoft Teams and anonymous feedback forms

"Committed to continuously improve service delivery"

Why would you like to become a staff representative?

"I believe I have the ability to motivate others to work together in order to obtain desired goals of the organisation and to communicate how change can be implemented effectively to benefit the services that are offered to our service users. Throughout my different roles within Navigo I have developed numerous skills. I am a critical thinker and I am able to integrate information, evidence, outcomes and experiences and translate them into effective plans and solutions which are beneficial to the services we provide. I understand the main aims and objectives of service user care as well as the wider aims and objectives of the organisation. I work well as part of a multi-disciplinary team and I have the ability to support and collaborate with other members of the team whilst respecting others roles and duties. Some of the staff I have the pleasure of working alongside within an inpatient unit have some really fantastic ideas and being present on the unit gives me access to those staff who may not always have the confidence or the know-how of how to voice their ideas for the present and future. I would be honoured to represent them."

Please give a brief introduction to you, your experience and why you want to stand for election.

"I have worked within Navigo since February 2011, starting as a domestic and going on to being a support worker in December 2012. I have worked as the housekeeper at The Gardens since October 2020. In that time, I have seen many changes and massive expansion within both the older people's service and the wider organisation as a whole but my pride and passion for helping service users — especially older people — has never wavered. I believe I could channel some of that pride and passion into also helping members, volunteers and other staff members within the wider organisation. I firmly believe working within such a diverse staff force within older people's has given me good insight, knowledge and a greater understanding of what people expect and deserve of the organisation."

If you're elected, what are your objectives and goals for the forthcoming term? What do you want to achieve?

"My aim as a staff representative would be to share information and to facilitate consultation and discussion with those I would represent. I understand the need for confidentiality and would show loyalty to all by always presenting the differing positions in a well thought through and positive manner. I would like to reach out to those staff who may not be aware of staff representatives and their role and help empower staff to share their views and vision on how they can help Navigo go forward."

How do you intend to engage with the membership to ensure their views are listened to?

"I would like to commit to regular (at least monthly) face-to-face drop in sessions for all areas and staff members within the organisation. I would liaise with my line manager to identify dates and times I could visit different sites to make myself accessible to all staff so I could listen to their ideas, concerns and visions for the future of Navigo. I would aim to be the critical link between staff, members and management, helping all understand the other's views and perspectives, especially during times of change, helping others to improve the quality of planning and decision making, keeping staff informed, on board and providing a route for challenge in a diplomatic and professional manner."