Hestia Staff Given ‘Champion’ Status By Mayor of Kingston Hestia Staff Given ‘Champion’ Status By Mayor of Kingston Two members of Hestia staff have been awarded Connected Kingston Champion status in a ceremony hosted by the Mayor of Kingston upon Thames. Eustace Karikari, a Social Integration Worker, and Phoebe Smith, the Good Energy Club Coordinator, who both work as part of Hestia’s Integrated Mental Health Service in Kingston, were handed the accolade during an afternoon tea event at the Mayor’s Parlour on Monday 9th September. Connected Kingston is a new social prescribing programme, offering a whole system approach to social prescribing in the borough. The programme strives to raise crucial awareness of community support systems in Kingston, such as leisure activities, self-help groups and carers support. The programme acts as a tool for frontline workers interacting with service users, ensuring they are well equipped to refer them to other local support groups in order to improve their wellbeing. The inaugural ceremony honoured individuals in the borough who have completed all elements of the compulsory training required to become Connected Kingston Champions. The training includes: Learning about the importance of active listening and observation Learning about types of enquiries that frontline staff might encounter and how to best respond How to monitor and record information and escalate things when necessary How to use Connected Kingston as a signposting tool The new Connected Kingston Champions, the first of their kind, were commended on their dedication to supporting local people to integrate in their community, with the Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Margaret Thompson, presenting them with a Connected Kingston Champion badge. Phoebe Smith, Kingston's Good Energy Club Coordinator, said: “We’re really proud to be considered Connected Kingston Champions, and we know the programme will be of utmost benefit to the work we do and the people we support every single day.” Eustace Karikari, Kingston's Social Integration Worker, said: “It was a lovely afternoon with tea, cake and networking followed by the ceremony, in which we were presented with a Connected Kingston Champion pin-badge by the Mayor of Kingston. It was a really interesting day.” Hestia’s Kingston Integrated Mental Health service provides practical support to over 100 adults with mental health needs in the borough. The service includes a 24 hour supported accommodation premise, floating support workers and the Good Energy Club. The latter aims to provide a space for mental health recovery through physical activity and social integration, facilitated by a timetable of diverse and engaging events. Learn more about Hestia's Mental Health services Read more like this Toolkit Launched To Encourage Conversations On Healthy Relationships Hestia’s Wandsworth Mental Health Service Celebrates First Birthday Dom's Story of mental health recovery: "I feel like I have really come a long way" Manage Cookie Preferences