Joe gradudauted from our Trainee Programme in 2021 and is now working as a Psychological Wellbeing Practioner at the Maudsley. Joe featured in our 2020 TV apparence on the Russell Howard Show and this month we caught up with him to see how his Employment journey has progressed.
"I joined Pause & Paws in Autum 2020, I have had a history of bipolar affective disorder episodes with mania and psychosis since my 20s and have been hospitalised under section five times between the ages of 26 and 39.
My last serious episode requiring hospitalisation was in October 2015 and due to taking my time over eight years to explore the work I really wanted to do and try different things and take time to heal from my mental illness, I have not (touch wood) relapsed since then. From my teens I used drugs and alcohol as a means of escaping my feelings and managing my mood. I had experienced two major traumatic losses; one of my mum and another of a man I was very much in love with, Karl who had died suddenly in an accident. Taking drugs and drinking pushed down my feelings of grief and anger and with the help of Twelve steps I went into recovery when I was 36.
Recovery after my last bi-polar episode was slow. I often felt depressed and anxious. However, I maintained my sobriety, and volunteered doing what I had always done which was fundraising.
However, I came to the realisation that I wanted to make a change and when I saw the advertisement for volunteers at Paws, I leapt at the chance to put myself forward to offer my services to this formidable social enterprise.
Jodie and Grace are wonderful leaders, managers, and advocates for their volunteers. They welcomed me with open arms and immediately I felt happy and comfortable to work with them and other members of the team. I worked with the dogs which was therapeutic and I met other volunteers who had similar journeys to me. Going there each week gave me a purpose. I was given responsibility for a range of tasks. One of my favourites was to organise the ‘away day’ which was a curry at base with a session of laughter yoga beforehand. I absolutely loved it! It was so much fun. We all could not stop laughing for a full hour.
As my confidence grew, with regular review meetings with Grace to plan getting back into paid work, I started to realise that fundraising was definitely not what I wanted to go back to and that I wanted to help people who had had similar life experiences to me.
I have lived with HIV for 15 years and had been volunteering as a peer mentor to support other gay and bisexual men. I wanted to somehow utilise this skill I had trained for and developed.
It was serendipity when I saw an ad at King’s College Hospital (15 minutes from home) for a peer mentor in the HIV department. I spoke to Grace who was supporting me and we worked together to write an application and work on interview techniques. Grace was knowledgable and encouraging. With her expertise she offered guidance and advice and gave me three practice interviews. For someone with low confidence and self-esteem this was was invaluable support which I had not been offered before.
I got the job! This was my first paid work in seven years and I worked there happily for two years.
As I grew in my role, I discovered an opportunity work at The Maudsely opposite King’s which (even though I had been sectioned there a few times), was a dream job working as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. Understanding that this was competitive to get, again with the help of Grace we looked at the job spec and Grace supported me with the interview - even after I had stopped volunteering. This proves to me how dedicated Paws is at supporting their staff beyond graduation.
I am pleased to say that I have just finished my training year with SlaM and UCL and have secured a permanent position there. I am happier than ever and so grateful for all the support from Grace and Jodie whilst I was at Paws and Pause.
I would highly recommend Paws and Pause to anyone thinking of volunteering. The team understand mental health, they understand substance use, they understand dogs and how they provide comfort and love, but predominantly they understood my needs and also how to help me get back into work. I will be eternally grateful for the time with everyone.
I have to give a special shout out to the furry friends. Throwing balls, going for walks, cuddling, playing and stroking the dogs all contributed to improving my wellbeing. The four legged fluff balls made my time volunteering fun and pleasurable and I want to send a warm loving woof to them.
If you’re thinking of volunteering then do it. It was the most life affirming and skills focused programme I did whilst I was recovering and I wil always have fond memories of my time there."
Love Joe xxx
To donate to Paws & Pause Training CIC and support more people into placements like Joe donate here!
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