Staffing
Crisis Area:
As far as possible voluntary peer support to help create the right general ethos for the retreat/sanctuary. There will need to be some paid staff, as with Soteria Network UK, these will be mainly non-medically/mental-health trained. Criteria for choosing staff will include suitable character traits/personality, attitude to mental health issues, previous experience ( eg.they may have been a carer or, in time, have had the support of The Root And Branch Crisis Area themselves in their own time of 'crisis'). All staff will have training in Soteria style support -'being with'- both practice and theory, as well as any necessary health and safety etc.
There will be a need for some professional involvement: an experienced psychiatrist/ psychologist/ psychotherapist(?) attending perhaps one day per week to keep a general overview of how 'residents' are progressing and to give advice/guidance/support to all involved. We also hope to include students training in these three fields who wish to gain experience in alternative treatments/support by volunteering, or make it an integral part of their research.
If a person in crisis has someone that normally acts as their day to day carer they may also be involved
Staffing will be looked at in more detail when we are closer to realising the project
Health And Wellbeing Area
Like the Crisis Area the staffing will be centred on voluntary peer support but the rest of the staff/volunteers will not need to fit as strict criteria as in Crisis. We are likely to need relevantly trained paid staff for the various areas of therapeutic activity ie someone qualified in horticulture/woodland management, arts/music/drama therapist, etc. It is hoped that in time individuals with these skills/qualifications will have come to us for support and then when recovered or in a period of 'wellness' wish to return to contribute their skills.
Where people on benefits are volunteering we could agree to keep track of their hours along with an approximation of how much they may have been paid and what they have contributed. Not only will this be good for their confidence and self esteem, it could also be used as evidence to the government that even though some people may be unlikely to cope with a 'normal/regular' job, given the right opportunities they may contribute a great deal to society in general which will also help in reducing stigma.
As far as possible voluntary peer support to help create the right general ethos for the retreat/sanctuary. There will need to be some paid staff, as with Soteria Network UK, these will be mainly non-medically/mental-health trained. Criteria for choosing staff will include suitable character traits/personality, attitude to mental health issues, previous experience ( eg.they may have been a carer or, in time, have had the support of The Root And Branch Crisis Area themselves in their own time of 'crisis'). All staff will have training in Soteria style support -'being with'- both practice and theory, as well as any necessary health and safety etc.
There will be a need for some professional involvement: an experienced psychiatrist/ psychologist/ psychotherapist(?) attending perhaps one day per week to keep a general overview of how 'residents' are progressing and to give advice/guidance/support to all involved. We also hope to include students training in these three fields who wish to gain experience in alternative treatments/support by volunteering, or make it an integral part of their research.
If a person in crisis has someone that normally acts as their day to day carer they may also be involved
Staffing will be looked at in more detail when we are closer to realising the project
Health And Wellbeing Area
Like the Crisis Area the staffing will be centred on voluntary peer support but the rest of the staff/volunteers will not need to fit as strict criteria as in Crisis. We are likely to need relevantly trained paid staff for the various areas of therapeutic activity ie someone qualified in horticulture/woodland management, arts/music/drama therapist, etc. It is hoped that in time individuals with these skills/qualifications will have come to us for support and then when recovered or in a period of 'wellness' wish to return to contribute their skills.
Where people on benefits are volunteering we could agree to keep track of their hours along with an approximation of how much they may have been paid and what they have contributed. Not only will this be good for their confidence and self esteem, it could also be used as evidence to the government that even though some people may be unlikely to cope with a 'normal/regular' job, given the right opportunities they may contribute a great deal to society in general which will also help in reducing stigma.