A new pilot programme has been introduced by WellBeing World in partnership with Jersey Business to support small business leaders and self employed sole traders coping in uncertain times, thanks to the generous support of a local Foundation. “Supporting the health and wellbeing of small business owners, entrepreneurs and self employed sole traders as we move into the rebuild stage following Jersey’s safe exit from lockdown will be essential,” said Beverley Le Cuirot, Founder of WellBeing World.
“We have endured a seismic collective shock and our stress and anxiety levels have been heightened like never before in the lifetime of the working population. For small business owners in particular their challenge has seen a fight for survival to save their businesses, hold on to their employees and pay their bills. The learning from the pandemic will put us all in a stronger position to weather the storm of future crises which may of course arise at any time, affecting the economy overall, our sectors or our individual businesses.”
Graeme Smith, CEO of Jersey Business commented: “As we move towards planning to rebuild our economy it is essential that business leaders take time to look after their own mental health and wellbeing. As such we are delighted to support this programme which I believe will be a vital part of our island recovery strategy and will help business leaders feel back in control and mentally fit to plan through this next phase.”
The pilot perfectly aligns with the objectives of the Foundation to support education, entrepreneurship and employment in their local areas. They are particularly keen to see measures in place which will develop the strength and resilience of this valuable element of the local economy, and it is their firm belief that a structured wellbeing programme will help to boost confidence and enable small business owners and self-employed sole traders to flourish.
The Jersey pilot will be offered initially to the members of the growing Small Business Support groups on Facebook and WhatsApp which were run by Mrs Le Cuirot during the pandemic.
She said: “This is really good news and a major investment on the part of the Foundation. It is the first example I know where a Foundation has supported small businesses and self-employed individuals in Jersey with their own wellbeing. The Foundation is inspirational and leading the way. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to pilot this programme and to do everything we can to support the wellbeing of small businesses in Jersey.”
Natalie Cummins of Serafina will join Mrs Le Cuirot in administering the pilot, and there are many WellBeing World Practitioner Members and international experts on-hand to lend support specifically in dealing with stress/anxiety, overwhelm, guilt, financial wellbeing, decision making, self-care, avoiding burnout, and helping people flourish and gain confidence. One of the first steps will be to issue a brief questionnaire to find out how the members of the groups feel the pilot can best support their own wellbeing and resilience.
The pilot will run for an initial period of three months from July to September during which time the engagement and results of the scheme will be assessed.
WellBeing World is a membership body which represents and promotes health and wellbeing practitioners primarily based in the Channel Islands. Through its Practitioner Members they can offer access to more than 180 categories of wellbeing, including Health and Wellness, Fitness including Gyms, Personal Training, Yoga, Pilates and Spas, Mindfulness, Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Counselling, Allied Health Professions including Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Optometry, Acupuncture, also Health Kinesiology, Stress Management, Indian Head Massage, EFT and TFT Tapping, Resilience, Mediation and Resolution, Financial Wellbeing, Leadership Development, Coaching and Mentoring, and more.
To complement these services, they have negotiated with the UK creators of the NHS approved mental health app, Thrive, to provide in-depth tools to detect, prevent and treat mental health conditions for the owners and employees of small businesses, and for self employed sole traders. Previously only available to large corporates, the app is now available in the Channel Islands via WellBeing World to employers with 1-999 employees.
They have also published the magazine, WellBeing World since 2012, and are in the process of developing an online version. Many of their international expert contributors are available to support the group online, and are also due to be in Jersey for the Leaders in WellBeing Summit scheduled for 1st October. They are therefore able to offer an extensive range of wellbeing services, together with a comprehensive library of resources for small business leaders and their employees.
The team will also continue to work with other agencies such as MIND Jersey, JACS, Citizens Advice, and departments including Jersey Business and Government Ministers and Officials, as is appropriate, signposting and building relationships in the process.
