Mental health is everyone’s business, and sometimes, support starts with something as simple as listening. World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to reflect on how we can better support our own mental wellbeing and the people around us.
At St John, we are part of a family that cares for one another. Supporting mental wellbeing is an important part of that care, for our colleagues, volunteers, frontline responders and the wider community.
Mental health challenges do not always announce themselves. They can follow a traumatic incident, a major life change, repeat exposure to difficult situations, caring responsibilities, grief, or simply a period when life becomes overwhelming. That is why creating environments where people feel able to speak, seek support and ask for help can make such a difference.
This World Mental Health Day, we’re sharing stories from across the St John family that demonstrate the power of listening, connection and early support.
Listening can be the first step
Sometimes, supporting someone does not mean having all the answers. It can mean noticing that someone isn’t quite themselves. Asking how they are. Giving them the time and space to talk. And, when they need more support, helping them find it.
Mental Health First Aiders can play an important role in creating that first point of connection. Today, we’re sharing the story of Shaun Cardwell, whose Mental Health First Aid training helped him support a colleague through an incredibly difficult period.
Shaun’s experience is a reminder that we don’t always need to fix someone’s problems. Sometimes, being willing to listen can be the first step towards helping someone access the support they need.
For more on Shaun’s story click here.
When you notice something isn’t right
St John Ambulance trainer Ross Comer was driving home with his family when he noticed a man sitting on the wrong side of the barriers on a bridge. Ross had a feeling that something wasn’t right. Rather than continuing on his journey, he stopped to check on him and stayed with him while emergency services were called.
The man explained that he had lost both of his parents within a short period of time. Ross listened, kept him talking and gently encouraged him to move somewhere safer. For Ross, the experience showed that helping someone in crisis does not always require the perfect words. “As long as you’re trying to be kind and empathetic, you can’t really say the wrong thing.”
For more on Ross’ story click here.
Supporting those who support others
For frontline responders, mental wellbeing can be particularly important. Ambulance crews and emergency workers routinely encounter trauma, grief, serious injury and loss. While supporting others is at the heart of what they do, they also need opportunities to pause, process and look after themselves.
Today, we’re also sharing the story of Dogs 4 First Responders at St John WA. We’ll meet Angus, a five-year-old golden retriever who supports ambulance crews and hospital staff following difficult and sometimes traumatic events, alongside his handler, Karen “Hoppa” Hollings, a former paramedic.
For Hoppa, the programme has a deeply personal connection. Her own experience of PTSD showed her first-hand how connection, sometimes in unexpected forms can help people through difficult moments.
For more on this story click here.
Moving towards early support
Supporting mental health also means looking beyond individual conversations and considering how organisations can identify and address challenges earlier.
For frontline teams, prevention and early intervention can be particularly important when people are exposed to cumulative trauma and other psychosocial risks over time. Our third story explores St John WA’s Psychology and Wellbeing Services (PAWS) and its move towards a more preventative approach to workforce wellbeing.
With a focus on early detection, psychosocial risk management and accessible support, PAWS demonstrates how organisations can work towards creating environments where people are encouraged to seek help before they reach crisis point.
For more on this story click on the link above.
"We are here for each other, when it comes to mental health."
In a special World Mental Health Day message, Fainet Mumbi, a volunteer with St John Ambulance Kenya, reflects on the importance of hosting a debrief with her team, after attending a national incident.
Fainet reminds us that we all have mental health, and we all have the responsibility to check in with ourselves and our team members.
The power of the smallest gesture
For Mark James, becoming a volunteer with St John Ambulance has been shaped by his experiences as a parent and carer to his son, Thomas.
Thomas suffered a severe brain injury in a road traffic accident when he was just 11 months old and now lives with complex disabilities and support needs. Mark reflects on the lasting impact of that experience on their family and the importance of creating opportunities for Thomas to experience happiness, connection and a good quality of life.
Through his experiences with St John, Mark has also seen how much small gestures can mean. A lift to the airport or a conversation can help him and Thomas feel valued and included.
Those experiences inspired Mark to become a volunteer himself, with a belief that sometimes the most important thing we can give another person is our time.
For more on Mark’s story click here.
Five stories, one message
These five stories explore different aspects of mental wellbeing from the power of a conversation, to the importance of connection, to the role organisations can play in providing support earlier.
They also show that there is no single way to support mental health. Sometimes it starts with a colleague who is prepared to listen. Sometimes it starts with a therapy dog creating a moment of calm and connection. And sometimes it starts with an organisation changing the way it approaches wellbeing.
This World Mental Health Day, we’re sharing all three stories to highlight the people, programmes and approaches helping make mental wellbeing a priority across St John. Listen. Connect. Prevent. Because looking after mental health isn’t something we do just once a year. It is something we can all contribute to, every day.
