Bournville Village Primary: giving staff somewhere to turn
Matt Rogers, Strategic Operations Manager, at Bournville Village Primary School about the benefits of having the Education Support Employee Assistance Programme as part of their offering to all staff.
Matt, and Headteacher Amy were looking for a programme that would help staff feel supported inside and outside of work. They tell us why our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) fits the bill. Matt says:
“When we both joined the organisation in January, we found absence high and staff wellbeing low on the agenda. The council EAP was not really delivering, and people didn’t know much about it.
We sought out Education Support, as their support is tailored for the education sector and they understand the trials, tribulations and pressures and stresses that exist for our kinds of staff specifically.
When I spoke to Education Support, their understanding of why the programme is so important to us as an employer rang true to me. They could see why we were trying to introduce it – not just to reduce absence or pay lip service to wellbeing but that we really wanted our staff to feel that if they are going through something, even if it’s external to work, that we are here to support them, in any way that they need.
In the presentation to our whole school, Education Support were specific about who they are as an organisation and what they stand for which is great. Rather than being a for-profit they are driven by providing practical support to teachers and education staff, and that’s what came through.
I have had a member of staff feed back to me about the service. She contacted Education Support for some mental health support and said just knowing that support was there was reassuring. Which is more important to us than anything, knowing that people know if they are struggling, they can reach out to someone.
The service provides value for money as well. As their services are tailored to education and have that background, they are not talking from behind a brick wall or from an ivory tower, they understand the needs and requirements of us as an employer of educators.
It is a double-edged sword. I don’t want anyone to have to need Education Support, but if they do, I’m confident they could give them some level of support that would help them.”
Find out more about Education Support’s Employee Assistance Programme www.educationsupport.org.uk/eap