Topic Tuesday // Employment and Mental Health // Tues 8th June, 7:00-8:30PM AEST

[Shaz51]

ohh @Daisydreamer , @Ultravox 

my husband has been in the council, roads, ships, coles , ohh soo too many to count and to write down

[Daisydreamer]

@Zoe7 Lots of helping professions there, the women's shelter sounds like a good workplace environment with the flexibility. Isn't it interesting that you can have such different expeirences of supportive workplaces from job to job, and more so industry to industry

[TAB]

ok 1a  few years in Army  (square peg) then a few years in govt as clerk then a lot of laboring factory jobs then got a trade and engineering and mining industry @Ultravox 

[Daisydreamer]

Having that support from your workplaces when you first started to seek help for your mental health sounds like it was really important for recovery @Ultravox. It’s amazing that a workplace can facilitate or undermine wellbeing, and how we are supported during a time when we might need more adjustments is so important.

You also spoke a lot about stigmatizing language in the mental health sector, which makes it really hard for team members to feel safe to disclose lived experience or caring experiences. Disclosure is a big topic and I look forward to exploring this more tonight.

I might answer these ones too!

a) What industries have you worked in before? I started my employment journey working at local sporting clubs, bakeries and retail. I then moved to the construction industry (including doing waterproofing, demo and office management), then landed in the mental health sector as a peer worker.

b) What has been your experience in the workplace when living with a mental health concern?

I have had really mixed experiences. My mental health really went down hill around the same time I was in the construction industry and unfortunately at the time it wasn’t a workplace where being open about lived experience was a safe decision. I had extended periods of time off work, and found it hard to get through the work day. When my wellbeing improved, I struggled to get back into the workforce.  

Later in my employment journey in the mental health sector, I have had some really supportive workplaces who understood and valued lived experience where I have been really supported to take time if I needed it, or to reduce my hours to seek professional support. I’ve slowly built up from 2 days a week to full time work as my wellbeing improved. All in all, my employment journey has been a mixed bag of positive and not so positive workplace experiences 

[Zoe7]

@Daisydreamer There was a distinct lack of knowledge, empathy and management skills from my previous Principal. Unfortnately it made my return to work near impossible so I requested a move and could not be happier where I have landed ...in the end it was her loss.

[TAB]

1 b absenteeism etc as said already, but the one time I remember saying was depressed, ended up with lots of unpaid time off and got sacked basically @Ultravox 

[Ultravox]

Hi Shaz51, I hope that he now has a correct diagnosis. It can take several years for many people to get a correct diagnosis of Bipolar. It is a very treatable mental illness with the right support and many people with the condition  live productive and good lives.

[Shaz51]

@Ultravox, @Daisydreamer 

he has also been stay at home dad, sandblasting jobs, mowing ,aged care etc 

[Daisydreamer]

@TAB lots of experience there, did you find that there were some industries that were more supportive than others?

[Daisydreamer]

So many careers @Shaz51, I love hearing all the different roles