Congratulations to Senior Vocational Skills Instructor Jason Kells for a 20 year milestone career with Workbridge and St Andrew’s Healthcare!
Jason began his career with St Andrew’s Heathcare on 6th December 1999 as a Health Care Assistant. In 2011 he joined Workbridge and is now the Senior Vocational Skills Instructor in our Light and Heavy Industry workshop at William Wake House, a medium-secure mental health ward at St Andrew's Healthcare.
During Jason's time in Light and Heavy Industry, he has always put patients at the heart of everything he does. The workshop introduces patients to working with wood - woodturning and DT. In their session, patients can learn a new skill and meet new people.
Jason says: “We’ve proven here that people from all sorts of backgrounds can work together – volunteers with patients, patients of different ages with different interests and abilities. If you get the vibe right, everything falls into place”.
“Most of what we do is about creating an atmosphere. Everyone here has a mental illness. They can be low in motivation and skills. We have to work with the patient to break down those barriers. We all work together and the first thing we do is to make each other a tea or coffee before we start!”
Light and Heavy Industry make items out of a range of timber products. Popular activities include creating pallet prints, candle holders and pens. “The pallet prints are popular because the way that we make them makes everyone feel part of the process. We design them a bit like shabby chic so if they don’t come out perfect there is no fault in the item.”
“We make sure we share the items we make with the patients. They put them up on the walls [as a symbol] to break down the barriers. Any items we sell, I make sure to share the photos we receive of them too. We always put thank you cards and compliments up. We've had visitors from Japan with us and our items have gone around the world on holidays including the Maldives. It’s great to be able to show patients the impact they have had!” Jason.
Recalling memories of starting his career with St Andrew’s, Jason says:
“The trees [across St Andrew’s] have changed so much. I was walking through the other day thinking about my 20 years and I looked up and just thought, ‘they’re so big now!’”
