The events combine outdoor activities with mental resilience coaching, enabling the participants to accept what has happened in the past and start to find a new way forward. They offer specific events for NHS staff members, with the most recent example being a five-day trip to the Lake District in October, which included activities such as kayaking and climbing.
Nicol Whiteside, Health and Wellbeing Coordinator at DBTH, said: “I feel a huge sense of achievement getting the Climbing Out Charity into DBTH, putting forward our colleagues who have been through any sort of trauma or life changing conditions. It shows our commitment to looking after our people and targeting those who could really benefit from the programmes. The feedback from our staff is enough for us to keep working with the charity as we have had people return from a long-term illness who can now sleep at night. They feel like they can finally move forward with their life.
“I have been on a Walk and Talk Day myself, and I saw first-hand the incredible work that the Climbing Out team do. I am really looking forward to getting more colleagues signed up to the 2022 five-day programmes and hearing their feedback afterwards. This is a wonderful opportunity and I believe we are leading the way here at DBTH!”
Lisa Walker, a nurse in the Department of Critical Care at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, took part in a Climbing Out Event in the Lake District from 18-22 of October in order to help both her physical and mental health. Reflecting on her time on the event, she said: “Going back to work after having completed this programme I found myself feeling much more positive about life in general. Through learning about different ways of coping and building a better relationship with myself and others, I now know I have gained the tools to help me along through my life. I also feel my personal resilience has improved, which is massively important in the job I am in. The programme has highlighted that I need to have those days outdoors, as it lifts my mood and makes me feel 100 percent better.”
“I completely recommend this programme to every health professional in the NHS. It has changed the way I view things and helped me overcome certain aspects of my life I was struggling with. I also made life-long friends from the group I was in, which is truly amazing.”
Climbing Out also gives staff members access to life coaches and councillors who will support them, helping them to feel better in themselves.