The people winning at work thanks to pioneering Sheffield health project

Working Win is available to people in South Yorkshire who have a health condition and are off sick, or in work but struggling to cope.

Coaches support the individuals and the employers and can offer a range of help.

South Yorkshire Housing Association launched the programme on a trial basis last year and supported more than 1,500 people to get back or stay in work. They are now accepting referrals for a new programme starting next year.

Lisa Berry from Beauchief said her Working Win coaches gave invaluable help when she needed help with her admin job.

"I had a stroke in 2018 and at the time I was 53," she said. "I lost some of my sight so I was not able to drive anymore, I had minor memory issues and also problems working through information.

"I had to build myself back up again and I was off work for six months. I really wanted to go back to work so much but when I went back I struggled because I couldn't do everything I did before.

"My job was very varied and when I returned I found I was better at working on a few things rather than a lot.

"Working Win came at a time when I was struggling and it was getting harder to carry on working."

One of the ways coaches can help is guiding people to write disclosure letters outlining their needs to their employers.

"They gave me ideas on how to speak to my employers, how to sort out issues and helped with writing a disclosure letter which explained what is wrong with my health and how they could address it.

"They helped me with technology and my confidence and they found me a wellbeing coach, some free counselling and free courses.

"I became quite connected with the two coaches I had, they were both inspiring. One helped me cope with how my life had changed and the psychological impact and the second coach helped me look at my career. They really helped through dark times."

Alison Webb from Flanderwell in Rotherham works for South Yorkshire Housing Association as a full time coach.

She said: "What makes us different is we concentrate on making a sustainable working environment and finding work that suits the person.

"We don't just say there's a job on a supermarket checkout, you can apply there, we concentrate on somebody's natural strengths and skills and what they want to do.

"We support them to go into work and we encourage them to have a discussion about how they can get support.

"We have a wellness awareness plan they can share with the new employer about how they may need support and what the employer can do to help.

"We're different from traditional employment services because we help people to stay in work, make it doable and help the employer as well."

Anyone can refer themselves to the service online at www.workingwinreferrals.co.uk or call 0114 290 0218. Referrals can also be made through GPs and other health professionals.

Places are limited and referrals are open until January 31.

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