LEES – Mentor and Support

Lived Experience Employee Support (LEES)

MENTOR

Mentor and Support Ltd., also known as MENTOR, is an innovative mental health charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) based in Sydney. MENTOR is led and run by people with lived experience of mental illness who have developed and deliver recovery services for people with lived experience of mental illness, with the goal of mental health recovery. MENTOR is a community based/managed organisation.

The aim of MENTOR is to provide recovery-oriented, evidence-based, trauma-informed mental health and well-being services. The service supports individuals with mental illness, trauma, substance abuse, and addictions, especially those who are vulnerable and hard to reach.

The MENTOR team (https://mentor.org.au/team-3-2/)delivers the Lived Experience Employee Support (LEES) program. The benefits of LEES include improved work practice, enhanced well-being, professional growth, and organizational benefits.

About LEES

Lived Experience Employee Support is an employee support and supervision program designed for people with lived experience of mental illness in the workplace.

The focus is on providing tailored support and supervision to enhance employees’ professional development, mental health, well-being, and work practice within their work environment.
LEES differs from traditional workplace support and supervision by acknowledging the unique perspectives and potential impacts of lived experience of mental illness at work, while also addressing potential biases and challenges that may arise.

The Role of the Mentor

The mentor provides support and supervision to the employee. The mentor has lived experience of mental illness and professional skills similar to the employee, fostering a sense of compassion, equality, and understanding.

Benefits of LEES

Improved Practice: By addressing personal experiences and potential challenges, support and supervision lead to more effective work practice.
Enhanced Well-being: Support and supervision positively impact the mental health and well-being of employees.
Professional Growth: Facilitates professional development and acquisition of new skills relevant to the employee’s role.
Organizational Benefits: Well-supported employees with lived experience contribute significantly to a more inclusive and effective workplace.

Key Aspects of LEES

Safety and Trauma-Informed: Support and supervision provide a safe space for unpacking workplace experiences and aligning practices with lived experience values, principles, ethics, skills, and approaches.
Acknowledging Ongoing Impacts: Workplaces need to understand that lived experiences are not solely historical and may have ongoing impacts, requiring appropriate support.
Addressing Unconscious Bias: Provides a space to address potential negative biases, stigma, judgments, or assumptions colleagues might have about those with lived experience.
Purposeful Disclosure: Discusses and establishes guidelines around the purposeful disclosure of lived experience when working with co-workers and clients.
Building Trusting Relationships: Creates a trusting relationship between the mentor and employee, which is crucial for open communication and sharing experiences.

Call to Action

MENTOR is:

Seeking state and federal funding to deliver LEES in the workplace.
Accepting donations to recruit and train mentors to provide supervision.
Looking to corporate and community partnerships to support employees with lived experience of mental illness.

Vision

At MENTOR, we believe that people with lived experience of mental illness deserve services that foster hope and promote dignity.

We believe that the LEES program addresses a significant need: people with lived experience of mental illness feel valued in the workplace, leading to higher job satisfaction, increased motivation, and greater engagement.

We are committed to helping people achieve mental health recovery — we are determined to make every opportunity count!

Contact Information

Email: charlie@mentor.org.au
Phone: 0422 9144 20
Website: mentor.org.au

This information uses language to describe and discuss themes and concepts relating to mental health and well-being. It is acknowledged that others might use different words to communicate mental health and well-being experiences which are also valid.