The third sector has evolved because individuals and communities have coalesced around a passion for helping service beneficiaries, and as such our focus is generally on the wellbeing of service users and wider communities. While the results of our hard work and passion for helping others is inspiring, many care sectors find that the wellbeing of our third sector workers and volunteers can slip through the cracks. This has become more pressing in the aftermath of covid-19, with Awan et al. (2022) urging the healthcare community to address the mental health needs of health care workers, and Shreffler, Petrey & Huecker (2020) emphasising that to ensure continued quality care, our workers must be encouraged to look after their mental health.
Helping the Helper (HtH) is a pilot project that aims to become a sustainable network of support for anyone working in the third sector. HtH provides a range of services that can be catered towards a company’s trustees, their employees and volunteers, or a combination of the two. It is hoped that this project will enable our workforce to stay healthy and well; ensuring safe, effective service delivery and reducing staff absence and turnover.
