Swansway appoints new mental health first aider

Car dealer group that owns Blackburn Audi, Preston Audi and Volkswagen Van Centre Lancashire, Swansway Motor Group has recently strengthened its mental health support for team members by adding a newly qualified mental health first aider, adding another to their team.  

Marketing executive Philipa Wynne has recently received confirmation of her Level 3 Supervising for Mental Health First Aid. Keen to undertake the training, Philipa cited wanting to encourage her colleagues to open up about how they are feeling and offer support to those who need it as reasons for doing the course. 

When asked about what the course entailed, Philipa commented: “The training covered several topics, from understanding more about a range of mental health disorders to learning how best to approach someone who you believe is struggling. There was a lot of emphasis on how to have conversations with someone when they are discussing their experiences with mental health, something which is important.”

The Mental Health Foundation states that 1 in 6.8 people experience mental health problems in the workplace and evidence suggests that 12.7 per cent of all sickness absence can be attributed to mental health conditions. These statistics alone highlight the need for employees to be able to access mental health support when at work. 

Along with offering employees access to mental health first aiders based at sites across the group, Swansway Motor Group team members also have access to a BUPA-provided Employee Assistance Programme where they can access a 24-hour counselling helpline. 

Swansway Motor Group head of HR Donna Winrow added: “Our mental health first aiders are a fantastic addition to our employee wellbeing offering. The concept of having expertly trained employees in mental health signposting, that other employees can talk to in confidence, really resonates with our brand values of caring, honest and proud, it’s my ambition to have one or two per site.”

If you would like to find out more about Swansway Motor Group and its current vacancies, visit https://www.swanswaygarages.com/careers/