Rachel Writes: Major new contract means Compass returns to Coventry
Welcome to another jam-packed edition of Compass Points, with lots to share and celebrate. Early feedback indicates that you are enjoying the new easy read format; please do keep on sharing your feedback and ideas as to how we can make our newsletter even better.
I am delighted to tell you we have been awarded another new contract in Coventry; a community CYP’s mental health early intervention service based on our Compass Phoenix (North Yorkshire) and MHST models of delivery with a focus of delivering CYPs and parent/carer peer wellbeing champions programmes.
Having been a long standing provider in Coventry up until a few years ago, it is great to be going back, working alongside some fantastic and committed partners and stakeholders. It will also strengthen our wider area offer working closely with Compass’ Connect 4 Health and CYPDAS (Warwickshire). We have one tender outstanding which is a prevention service in Wakefield, with the result expected in December. Given our recent successes, our attention is very much now centred on mobilising and implementing well. Thank you, and well done to all those involved.
Long term strategy
SMT met ahead of its strategic planning day with the Board to review Compass’ longer term direction of travel and future priorities. What’s clearly evident is that Compass is now strongly positioned benefiting from working across multiple inter-connecting health and wellbeing sectors. Our achievements over the last few years have been outstanding, led and delivered by a hugely talented and committed workforce who are driven by a desire to deliver and co-develop meaningful early intervention and prevention services to children, young people and families that are truly CYP-led and values-based. There is more about our priority areas over the next 2-3 years in this month’s SMT Report.
Volunteering aims
Just as with the work we have done on developing core principles that will support a new Emotional Health and Wellbeing Policy, we are in the early days of establishing our volunteering aims that will underpin a new volunteering infrastructure; and integral to understanding its core purpose, benefits and social value. This project will be led by Dom Tooze, our volunteer co-ordinator. In this edition, Dom introduces himself, his background and what his role will entail. Please scroll down to read it. Dom will be launching his own monthly column next month bringing you volunteering news and developments both inside and outside of Compass.
CEO Values Champions
We launch our CEO Values Champions campaign this month with a view to reminding managers about making their nominations. The awards were so successful last year. It is incredibly important that we keep our values in mind at all times.
We asked three colleagues at Compass Be how they like their jobs…
Compass Phoenix begin using pronouns on their email signatures
Compass Phoenix staff will be displaying their preferred pronouns on their email signatures ahead of international pronouns day on October 19th.
Zoe Davis, Team Manager, said: “Pip Nix and Louise Follet, our proactive LGBTQIA+ champions made the suggestion we display our pronouns openly. This was warmly accepted and received as good practice from the rest of the Compass Phoenix team and we agreed that this should be the standard rather than the exception.”
Pip and Lou have already provided the team with some educational materials around the use of rolling pronouns and continue to support and promote the positive attitude of the team towards gender identity and an inclusive none judgemental service.
Raise your hand if you want Dom to bring volunteering to your service
Meet Dom Tooze, Compass’ new Volunteer Coordinator.
Hi Dom, please tell us about your new role
As coordinator on the volunteering project, I will be working with a steering group to devise, implement and deliver volunteering across Compass. This starts with establishing how volunteering fits with our mission, vision and values. In winter and early spring, I will be working to establish volunteer roles, procedures, and support tools/resources.
My experience in previous roles has really taught me the value of involving staff and volunteers when creating and supporting volunteer roles – I look forward to working with people across Compass as part of this.
I will be reaching out to people as the volunteering project develops.
Volunteers will be an exciting part of Compass’s journey, opening up opportunities for people to get involved with our work.
Please tell us more about your background
I’ve been working in volunteer management for around 5 years, including roles at supporting national and local project with the Ramblers and at GoodGym. I am carrying out some site visits in the next couple of weeks, and will be reaching out to services over winter to establish the needs, potential challenges, and potential benefits of volunteering.
What should people do if they want to get involved?
Get in touch! I’ll be gathering information in the coming months to guide the project, but I’m always happy to receive thoughts in an email or chat with somebody about the project – my details are 07570168840 or dominic.tooze@compass-uk.org .
How do you feel about your new role, Dom?
I’m really excited to be part of this project – volunteering is a powerful thing and I look forward to working with people across Compass to see how it can align with the excellent work already happening.
Grateful for the help and support you’ve received from a colleague? Tell us about it…
Just Say Thanks…
Thank you, Alaicha – from all of us.
Thank you for the support and help you have given us. You are an amazing manager, friend and colleague and really a pleasure to have known. You will be truly missed by each and every one of us. Keep smiling wherever you go. 😊 Love from all at the Compass Enfield Sort it! Team. xxxxx – Jennifer Atkinson, Administrator, Sort It!
A moving note of thanks
A HUGE thank you to everyone at Connect for Health. Moving offices is a bit of a challenge. Your flexibility and solution focused approach was very much appreciated – particularly as we had some barriers to overcome – like the kitchen sinks leaking and no working phones! You helped out with a smile on your faces and a willingness to lend a hand. A real team effort all round. You have been fantastic and we couldn’t have done it without you 😊 – Karen Cornick, Service Manager, C4H
Fantastic year
I would like to say thank you to all C4H for a fantastic 1st year in service. Since joining C4H I have felt like part of the team and have been supported personally and professionally. I love being back in school nursing and playing my part in developing the mental heath offer that we can provide our young people in schools. I am excited about the year ahead and taking on the team leader elements for our central team. Compass is a fantastic organisation and one I am proud to be part of. 😊 – Helen Rogers, Team Leader and Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, C4H
Warm welcome
Just wanted to thank everyone from all three hubs for being so supportive. You have all welcomed me and I am grateful to be a part of Connect for Health. Maidei Magege, School Staff Nurse, C4H
Jake, you’re there for all of us!
The Connect for Health team would like to say thank you to Jake Pantony (Healthy Lifestyle Coordinator) for all the support you bring to the team and always being there to help every member of staff! Also, an extra big thank you from Ella (Marketing & Digital Communications Apprentice) for always being so encouraging and helping me through the apprenticeship whilst recruiting for a mentor. Thank you so much😊 – Ella Waldock-Stanford, Marketing & Digital Communications Apprentice, C4H.
Take Good Care –
Your Health and Wellbeing with Danielle Grant
Mental Health Day is fast approaching; every year on the 10th of October the World Federation for Mental Health, draws the spotlight onto Mental Health. The focus this year is ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority‘.
I know that within Compass there are some fantastic activities and awareness pieces planned so it seems like a logical theme for this month’s ‘Wellbeing corner’ to look at the ‘GIVE’ element of the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’.
Perhaps you could give some of your money and buy a World Mental Health Foundation ribbon?
Maybe you could give your ribbon to someone else and explain what it stands for?
Aside from the altruistic action of giving to a charity, it is also important to consider what you can give to yourself. As Compass employees you undoubtedly ‘give’ a lot to the beneficiaries, children and young people around you; but do you treat yourself with the same level of attention, care and compassion? Remember: treat yourself as you treat others.
Here are some ideas of how you can GIVE to yourself:
- Forgive yourself for the household chores that didn’t get finished this weekend. Let it go; give yourself a break.
- Give yourself some self-care, and book a massage, or haircut, or some other pamper treat. You work hard, so you deserve to spend some of your time and money on something that feels good.
- Give yourself a health kick, can you engage with ‘Stoptober’? and who says you can’t use the same principle with ‘Stopping’ another unhealthy habit you’ve formed.
- Give yourself more vegetables.
- Give yourself an early night.
Managers urged to consider their Values Champions nominations
Managers across Compass will soon be invited to submit nominations for our 2022 CEO Values Champions. SMT will consider all nominations in December with our 4 values winners being announced in January 2023.
As before, our CEO Rachel Bundock will get the deciding vote on our winners and will present our values champions with their award in the new year.
Managers are asked to nominate a team member they believe exemplifies one of our four values of Integrity, Valuing Each Other, Being Solution Focused and having a Consistent and Reliable Approach.
Before submitting their nomination, they should get approval from their ADs/Head of Department. So now is the time to get thinking about those nominations!
As a reminder, our “CEO Values Champion” Awards are the top tier of our reward and recognition package. Our “Say Thanks” initiative runs each month in Compass Points giving the opportunity for team members to acknowledge great support and work from others.
There is also the “Everyday Hero” award scheme which gives team managers the flexibility to award individual or team effort of going above and beyond.
Rachel said: “It has been another exceptional year with staff pulling out all the stops to deliver support and care in the best and most innovative ways possible. We want to celebrate and reward peoples outstanding achievements.
“Please can I encourage managers to start actively thinking about nominations so we can really showcase the incredible talent we have at Compass and ensure we have a wide reaching list of nominees across all four categories”.
More information on the schemes including the nomination process for “CEO Values Champion” can be found here U:\HR\Forms & Templates\Managers\MyCompass Awards
Free flu jabs available for all staff
Compass is once again offering free vouchers for staff to get flu vaccines.
Jordan Soondar, Clinical Governance Lead /Designated Safeguarding Officer, said staff should contact their managers for a voucher if they do not receive the jab through their GP.
Jordan said: “It is that time of the year again. Every year, we at Compass feel it important and right to support staff to get the flu vaccination.
“We are offering flu vouchers to all staff free of charge. We are happy to send you a voucher code via email for you to arrange to receive the vaccine at your local Boots pharmacy. We have a responsibility to protect our young people, your family and yourself.”
And Jordan added: “I will never forget the year I prioritised everything else and did not have the flu vaccination. Boy, was I unwell. If you had put a £50 note on the floor, I would have left it there!”
SMT Report: Immediate priorities and long term aims discussed
In September SMT held two meetings. The first to discuss the immediate challenges we are all facing with increasing workloads and competing priorities. It was agreed that although everything is important, we can’t do everything. And that we must focus on those activities which either have a direct and immediate impact on the children, young people, and families we serve and those tasks which are strategically important to us in achieving Compass’ long term objectives. We agreed that following were the most critical:
- Continue to deliver high quality interventions to children, young people, and families.
- Complete recruitment to all local and central vacant positions.
- Complete current initiatives around staff wellbeing including training and the rollout of restorative supervision.
- Finalise the upgrade to the client management system, EMIS, for all our mental health services.
- Complete the migration to the new client management system, Theseus, for all our substance misuse and risky behaviour services.
- Mobilise the new services in Derbyshire and Coventry and continue to support the implementation of the Central and West Lancashire MHSTs.
At our second meeting we discussed our more long term objectives. This meeting differed from previous years where our focus had been predominantly on business development and winning new contracts, whereas this one centred on consolidation and strengthening our governance and quality structures, systems and processes as we grow, and implementing new services well and be in a strong position to push forward and flourish. We agreed our priorities over the next 2-3 years will be centred on workstreams that enable Compass to:
- Holistically evidence the effectiveness of its services.
- Become an employer of choice.
- To meet challenges arising out of the high levels of inflation.
- Further improve quality and governance.
- Further develop integrated models and innovate.
- Continue to grow by winning well and implementing well.
These priorities will form the basis of SMT’s strategy day with the Board in November.
Charity Worker Discount
As prices rise in the shops, this may help…
Charity Workers and volunteer discounts and vouchers available for shopping, travel, motoring, gym memberships, mobile phones, and utilities…
Those are eligible are charity staff, volunteers and office based staff to register all you need is your name, postcode and the charity you work for.
Click the image to learn more,
Don’t forget, you have a free confidential helpline.
Just click the image to access it…
OUR FREE and confidential EAP service 24 hour confidential helpline is available for advice on matters
such as financial wellbeing, consumer advice, family & relationship advice and confidential counselling sessions.
Access it via the App or Wellbeing Portal to My Healthy Advantage with the following login credentials:
Employer code: MHA180081.
Access the Wellbeing Portal
Username: Wellbeing
Password: HomeLineCard20
Refer a Friend Scheme
DO YOU KNOW someone who would like to work for Compass?
Would you like to earn some extra money by referring them?
We are running a six month trial for ‘Refer a Friend’ scheme whereby if you successfully refer a
friend, family member or known contact to Compass for a vacant role at either Job/salary grade
B1 & B2 or Clinician Scale A, B or C you can earn yourself a referral award!
You can find further information in the Refer a Friend Scheme Policy in the Policy Central drive.
Tell us all about the events you mark in your service
Awareness Days 2022
Upcoming in October
| All | Black History Month | https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/ |
| 10th | World Mental Health Day | https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/world-mental-health-day |
| 24th | Diwali | https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426 |
If you mark any events and religious festivals in your services, please remember to share it with
Compass Points.
We know that services have already established events they mark which may not be on our calendar.
We’re really interested in hearing about all you do and aim to include your events in the overall calendar so it builds over time.
Tell us your news.
The Deadline for stories and pictures for the next issue is
Midday on Monday, 24th October. Please send submissions with
Compass Points in subject line to cliff.edwards@compass-uk.org