Celebrating our success
Hi everyone
Our work to maintain our positive Compass culture as we grow and develop is so important to us.
The Your Voice colleague survey last October checked on progress and reported on how we’re doing. It was overall very positive – and we were able to identify some key areas that we could improve on further.
One of those areas was reward and recognition. The announcement that our annual CEO awards scheme is expanding, is in direct response to your feedback – and I am both thrilled and excited that we will be introducing new awards for teams and managers.
We want to create more opportunities to celebrate and reward success across the organisation.
New team and leadership awards
Compass’s annual award scheme for staff is being extended to recognise great work by teams and managers.
Alongside the existing annual Values Champions Awards, there will be an Innovation Team Award, an Outstanding Performance Team Award, a Participation Team Award and a Leader of the Year Award.
And great team work is being further rewarded with an increase in funding for the Everyday Hero award from £2.50 per head to £7.50 per head.
People Team Director, Kim Jones said: “We are delighted to be adding more ways that we can showcase and reward our talented and committed colleagues across Compass and show them how much they are valued.
“Acknowledging and celebrating our colleagues, both as individuals and within their teams through MyCompass Awards is a key component within our action plan to become the employer of choice in our sector.”
Kim said her team was working on a number of different projects to help Compass become an employer of choice in our sector. The extension of the awards scheme is a response to what people said in the Your Voice staff survey, which ran last October.
Kim said: “From the staff survey, one of the areas we are looking to review is “Pay and Perks” – reviewing our reward and recognition policy and adding to this forms part of that action plan for this area.”
Read more about the new awards, who they’re for and how to nominate.
Click here for updated list of all the awards
Say Thanks
For individuals and teams. Anyone can nominate. Opportunity to publicly recognise and acknowledge great support and help from peers and others.
Winners get – Recognition in Compass Points.
Every day hero
Individual or Team award. Nominated by line manager. Intended for line managers to award individual or team excellence particularly in line with Compass values.
Winners get – Letter or card expressing their gratitude Gift or vouchers up to a maximum of £25 (individual only). Food treat such as pizza lunch, cupcakes up to £7.50 per head (team only)
CEO Values Champion
For individuals. Nominated by Line Manager. Nominations to be made of staff who are role models on our Compass values and thus display many of the exemplary category attributes for a particular value.
Winners get – £500 award – An extra day’s leave (to be taken within 12 months of the award date) – Award trophy presented by a member of SLT with a letter of recognition
Leader of the Year Award
For Individuals. Nominated by anyone. To recognise a leader who helps to inspire and motivate others, is inclusive of everyone, and works to improve the quality of Compass services.
Winners get £500 award – An extra day’s leave (to be taken within 12 months of the award date). – Award trophy presented by a member of SLT with a letter of recognition.
Innovation Team Award
This is a team award. Anyone can nominate the team. It’s for a team which has developed an innovative idea to add value or to enable Compass to make a difference. The winning team gets a special celebratory event.
Outstanding Performance Team Award
For teams. Anyone can nominate. It’s for a team which has demonstrated outstanding performance in delivery of its service/department. The winning team gets a special celebratory event.
Participation Team Award
It’s for teams. Anyone can nominate. For a team which has demonstrated great practice in delivering robust and meaningful participation with its key stakeholders. The winning team gets a special celebratory event.
Kim said: “The CEO Values champion awards is directly connected to the values, of course. But the other awards we have added in are also recognising those behaviours we want to encourage and celebrate.”
She explained the purpose of the colleague reward and recognition scheme was to “support the continuing development of a culture whereby we all feel valued for the work we do and are recognised for the contribution we make”.
The scheme’s aim is to ensure that our people feel recognised for things such as:
- Living our values
- High levels of care – be that for children/young people/families, or colleagues
- Going the extra mile or going above and beyond
- Influencing change in practice or innovation to improve health outcomes
- Consistently high levels of performance
- Great examples of participation
- Great leadership
Don’t forget about the “every day” ways to recognise your colleagues via “Say Thanks” in Compass Points each month and “Everyday Hero” scheme for managers to use with their teams.
Iaptus switchover in August
Months of hard work will culminate next Thursday, 8th August, when all mental health and emotional wellbeing Services across Compass will use Iaptus to record and hold CYPF information and to access historical CYPF information that is currently held in EMIS.
Johanne Parker, Head of Data Insights & Intelligence, who has worked closely with Operations and led the project, stated.
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT) was completed by each Service and signed off by Jan as Director of Operations earlier in July.
- All training videos (Orientation, Super User, Reporting Overview and User Training) have now been shared with Service Managers.
- All MHSTs and EWBS’ that had used EMIS Web stopped using EMIS at 17:00 on 26 July 2024.
- All MHSTs and EWBS’ that had used EMIS Web have since then, recorded information in Word documents that are securely saved only in the specified folders and never outside of the AVD.
- All data from EMIS Web will be moved into Iaptus and all information in EMIS Web will be available READ ONLY until 04/11/24.
- From 8 August 2024, all mental health and emotional wellbeing Services across Compass will use Iaptus to record and hold CYPF information and to access historical CYPF information that is currently held in EMIS Web.
- On 8, 9 and 12 August 2024 there will be a series of online Support Sessions from Mayden that anyone starting to use Iaptus on 8 August 2024 can drop into and Service Managers will share details of those if they have not already done so. At the same time, colleagues are encouraged to contact the Mayden Help Service from within Iaptus and for any lower-level support, please do stay in touch with DII (Data Insights and Intelligence Team) here at Compass via iaptus2024@compass-uk.org
- Between 8 – 30 August 2024, all MHSTs and EWBS’ who start to use Iaptus in August 2024 will need to move their caseload to appropriate care pathway stages (following instructions from the Service Managers about how their local pathway maps into the system’s care pathway) and complete input of data captured in Word documents
- The (new) Iaptus Super User Network (Iaptus-SUN) will be formed and meet for the first time in September 2024, to be coordinated by DII and support all Iaptus users across Compass. Once established, this group will, together, provide support to all Iaptus users at Compass.
Rachael raises money for Compass Phoenix
Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner at Compass Phoenix, Rachael Cawte has passed her target of raising £250 for the North Yorkshire service.
Rachael set off to hike the 96 mile West Highland Way, which runs between Milngavie, near Glasgow and Fort William. See Rachael’s JustGiving fundraising page here.
Her team leader, Lotty Jarvis said: ‘We are completely overwhelmed by what Rachael is doing for our service. Rachael has set herself an almighty challenge and we are incredibly proud of the example she it setting to our young people by taking it on.
“Rachael has smashed her target for fundraising already and her generous donation of funds will help towards restocking the resource bags all of our direct intervention workers have, and pay for some additional promotional Buzz Us Stickers to share with our local schools and colleges. Both are things that only really exist because of the kind donations of people just like Rachael but make a huge difference to the young people we care for.”
And she added: “Well done, Rachael, thank you so much for what you are doing, we are very proud of you and the brownies are on us this time!”
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Grateful for the help and support you’ve received from a colleague? Tell us about it…
Graduation success!
A huge well done to our EMHP graduates Alana, Deborah, Carolyn, Becky (below) & Salma and our Supervising Practitioner graduates Alison & Adele (below, right.) who celebrated their graduation at Edge Hill last week. A massive congratulations from the Compass Bloom team! – Carla Hickman, Data and Admin Team Leader, Compass Bloom.
Appreciated
We’d like to say a big thank you to Hayley Spies for all her hard work, support & compassion. She goes above and beyond for our schools and our team and we really appreciate it. – Locality 5 – Birmingham MHST
Opening their door
We would like to say a huge thank you to the Birmingham Admin team for their warm welcome and support in opening their doors to allow us to shadow the use of IAPTUS. Your help, advice and guidance has been very helpful in preparing us for the move over and enabled us to see the system in action. Your offer of continued support will probably be taken up and is appreciated. – Julie Crossland & Amy Chappell, Admin Team, Compass Be
Amazing
We just wanted to say a huge well done and an even bigger thank you to the whole of the Compass Phoenix team who have worked tirelessly to reduce our waiting list. In just 18 months they have reduced the number of young people waiting for intervention from almost 600 to under 100! They have been so committed to the task and have been so solution focused and creative in finding ways to overcome the endless obstacles but have not let the high standard of care we deliver slip. They are amazing!!. We have said it before and will say it again we are just so lucky to have such an amazing team!! Thank you all! Zoe, Rachael & Lotty – Lotty Jarvis, Team Lead (Clinical), Compass Phoenix
Generous
Thank you to Louis Yarrum for all of your support at Birmingham MHST in relation to the academic element of the trainee EMHP roles. Many trainees have made me aware that you have been supporting them individually, but also the drop-in you facilitate is very welcome! Thank you for your generosity.
Thank you to Sue Berry, Jan Smith and Saffron Mason on behalf of everyone that is either in training or supporting anyone in training at Birmingham MHST. Your proactivity in addressing the challenges we were experiencing as a team in relation to meeting course requirements whilst being a new service was not only a huge support, but also a huge learning opportunity for me. – Rachel Haynes, Clinical Operations Manager Compass Birmingham MHST
Passion and determination
A huge well done to every single person at Compass Bloom! Over the last 6 months you have all worked so hard to develop and strengthen the work that we do. From small focus groups and the larger SDIP day to putting plans into action, while always showing amazing teamwork, passion and determination. It has been truly awesome to watch you all grow and develop our service. We have not only met our targets for Q1 but we smashed them and you should be so proud of yourselves and Compass Bloom. Of course targets matter but what really matters is that each number we count is a person, a family, a life. Compared to Q1 last year we have worked with 333% more children, young people and their families – that is simply amazing to think of all those lives that YOU have made a difference to – because you really do make a difference! Imagine how many more lives we will reach this year – super proud of you Compass Bloom 😊 Anne Haines, Service Manager – Compass Bloom
Amazing sessions
Thank you to Lauren Taylor, Ailis Carey and Anisah Akhtar for our amazing Clinical Skills sessions – I’m going to miss our little team! Best wishes, Zoe – Zoe Heathcote, EMHP, Compass Changing Lives MHST
Express gratitude
I would like to express gratitude to Compass Birmingham! A special shout out to the Specialist Team; Marissa, Latisha, Chante, Fizz, Yve & Shareen. Also, Jessica Heseltine, Summayah Murphy, Renita Paul, Wave 10 – and everyone else in the Team (too many to name I’m worried I will miss someone out)! You are all a wonderful bunch and I will miss you!’ Chloe Daplyn, Assistant EMHP, Compass Birmingham MHST
Help and support
Carn Truscott and Marrissa Mellors. Thank you to both of you for your help and support in the mammoth task of circulating our logo competition to over 500 Derby and Derbyshire schools. I really appreciate it. I could not have completed this before the school finished for summer without you both. You are both amazing 😊 Mel Johnson, Engagement and Equalities Practitioner, Compass Changing Lives MHST
Feel so welcome
I want to say thank you to all of the School Nursing staff at Connect for Health and the Stratford upon Avon team in particular for making me feel so welcome on my return to the service earlier this year. It has been great to see people I had previously worked with again and find out about all the really good work that has been going on in the intervening couple of years. There have been challenges with staffing but colleagues still remain upbeat, support each other all the time and are determined to do the very best job possible for CYP and each other. It has felt a bit like coming home! – Eilish Flambert, Team Leader – South, C4H
Well done, team!
A huge thank you to the Chorley team and Assistant EMHPs at Compass Bloom, they have worked so hard over the last three months to make sure that we can reach even more young people through 1-to-1s, targeted groups and Whole School Approach. The team have been creative in coming up with great ideas to increase our reach, designing new resources and being flexible and adaptable in delivering this. This has contributed massively to us hitting our targets over the last 3 months and meant that even more young people in Chorley are receiving support for their emotional health and wellbeing. Well done team! 😊 – Mia Leyland, Team Leader, Compass Bloom
Being there
I would like to thank Ashleigh in the Phoenix team for her support recently, both as a colleague and a friend I really appreciate you being there when I needed you, thank you! – Pip Nix, Training & Consultation, Compass Phoenix
Forever juggling
Thank you to the HOAdmin Team, Emma, Eliza and Sarah for your continued support and the forever juggling of the many inboxes and requests we get from across the organisation. I couldn’t do it without you. – Sue King, HO Team Leader
Big shout out
A big thank you to all C4H staff. Within a blink of an eye, we are at the end of the academic year once again. 12,500 children have been weighed and measured, 12,222 HNA completed and 1,937 safeguarding meetings and assessments completed. Just a few things you have achieved. C4H couldn’t achieve this without a fantastic team effort. I just wanted to let you know that the things you do do not go unnoticed. A big shout out to each and everyone of you for the work you do each and every day. Thank you for your efforts. – Karen Cornick, Service Manager, C4H
Kept grounded
A huge thank you to Katie Driscoll for being such a supportive clinical supervisor. You have kept me grounded and sane during the last few months and I feel lucky to be your trainee. You are amazing! – Donna Viner, TEMHP, Compass Changing Lives MHST
Thanks after outage
I would like to thank everyone for their patience and support whilst our internal team worked hard behind the scenes with system partners to get back to business as usual following the global Microsoft outage. Particular thanks to Johanne Parker, Kim Jones and Jane Wright for their co-ordination of efforts centrally.- Rachel Bundock, CEO
Welcomed
Thank you to Compass Safe East team who have welcomed me into the team.
As the training and implementation lead, I look forward to facilitating the training for the Drug Use Screening tool ( DUST) which has been created for practitioners to use to support Young people participating in substance misuse as well as promoting our Compass Safe east Health and wellbeing services. – Shakira Lawal, Training & Implementation Lead, SafeEast
Simply amazing
Carla is simply amazing! I’m sure many of you will already be aware of Carlas dedication to Compass and her strive to help everyone with everything she does. She takes everything in her stride and nothing is too much trouble. She’s worked so hard in getting us ready for the IAPTUS transfer alongside everything else she is juggling. We would all be lost without her and just want to say a heartfelt thanks for being a huge support not just to me but to the rest of our team – it doesn’t go unnoticed and we appreciate you SO much! – Sarah Nicholl, Administrator, Compass Bloom
Jan Smith, Compass Designated Safeguarding Officer
Understanding Victim Blaming Language
This month’s safeguarding feature is talking about Victim Blaming Language in a professional context.
Victim Blaming Language can sometimes be used or perpetuated without conscious thought but is terminology that implies the child or young person is in some way complicit in, or responsible for the abuse they have experienced. Victim Blaming Language can creep into professional contexts at any time but is common when working with young people who are victims of exploitation.
When victim blaming language is used amongst professionals this increases the risk of minimising the child’s experiences of abuse and reduces the likelihood that they will receive an appropriate response and adequate future safeguards.
In criminal proceedings the police have a duty to disclose any material that might assist the defence and in these circumstances Victim Blaming Language in our professional records could significantly undermine successful prosecution.
Examples of Victim Blaming Language include:
- ‘Involved in Child Sexual Exploitation’
- ‘Promiscuous’
- ‘Contacting adults on the internet’
- ‘Drug running’
- ‘Has a boyfriend who is over 18’
Language used in this way implies that the child is responsible for being at risk, or that they are choosing to be abused. As professionals we should recognised that the child is being abused and that an adult is facilitating this contact.
A child cannot choose to be exploited an adult is exploiting the child.
Practitioners and Clinicians should always reflect the voice of the child in records and remember, the child is the victim and may not realise they are being exploited or abused. Avoid using language that suggests the child is complicit or responsible for the crimes against them and always challenge victim blaming language when you see it or hear it.
Managers and Supervisors should always review language used in the CYP notes and during record keeping audit. If victim blaming language has been used discuss this with the practitioner so that this is not repeated and that practice is reflected upon and developed. Always challenge where victim blaming language is when you see it or hear it.
REMEMBER: Exploitation and abuse is NEVER the victims choice or fault.
If you have concerns about a child, young person or vulnerable adult please discuss them with your local Designated Safeguarding Lead or contact Compass Designated Safeguarding Officer jan.smith@compass-uk.org.
Please see availability as follows:
Safeguarding L3
Weds 4th Sept – limited spaces available. Thurs 17 Oct – plentiful spaces available.
BLS Training
Weds 18th Sept – Limited spaces available
Courses beyond Sept I am awaiting the decision from L&D steering group as it may go to f2f training
People Management Training – anyone who manages colleagues
2/3 Oct – Preston, 16/17 Oct – Sheffield
Waiting times
At our July meeting, we reviewed progress against our business plan 23/25 objectives and key priority workstreams that include changes to corporate systems, actions to become an employer of choice, implementation of new services and preparation to defend some existing contracts as they come up for tender in the next few months.
We also reviewed the real progress being made across our emotional health services and MHSTs to tackle waiting times – which is one of our biggest operational challenges at present. These priorities are updated quarterly by SLT and reviewed monthly to ensure sufficient progress is being made and to address emerging risks swiftly.
Social value
Work is well underway to change the focus of Positive Effect from a trading arm to a social value arm. The aim is for local and central services and teams to be supported in how we collectively engage with local businesses in the areas that we serve to develop local corporate partnerships.
The idea being that we engage with businesses and organisations who can support our work with children, young people and families: They may give us equipment, resources or their expertise free of charge which will enhance the interventions and programmes that we deliver within communities. We may also receive donations and volunteered time.
In addition, through the Positive Effect team we plan to offer support to local businesses and the wider local authority by helping to deliver on their social value priorities. Typically, these include actions to help reduce economic and workforce inequality, fighting climate change, improving community health and wellbeing and integration. We are currently in the process of re-branding Positive Effect. Our aim is to pilot these changes with a couple of services in the first instance to get the process flow, communications and reporting right before we consider Compass wide roll-out.
Know our Senior Leadership
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People Director.
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Assistant Director (Operations). Click pic for more info.
Contacting your People department
General People Team queries: peopleteam@compass-uk.org
Recruitment and onboarding queries: recruitment@compass-uk.org
Training queries: training@compass-uk.org
2024 Awareness Calendar.
Compass head office staff have produced a new Awareness Calendar for use in services.
U:\Staff Updates\Awareness Calendar and newsletter
Compass Points email address.
You can get in touch with Compass Points via our email address. It’s compasspoints@compass-uk.org.
If you want to say thank you please remember to start the subject line with Just Say Thanks
Tell us your news…
Next deadline for Compass Points is Thursday, 22nd August, 2024.
Please note that sometimes, we may not publish all stories in the month they are submitted. Because of the volume of Say Thanks messages, we ask that they’re as brief as possible. We may need to edit any submitted content.