As hybrid and remote working becomes the norm, housing association Stonewater’s Mental Health First Aiders support staff wellbeing, offering a listening ear, signposting and support when it’s needed most. Here, four of the volunteer team share why the scheme is so important and how it’s having to evolve to a changing world of work.

Originally established in 2019, Stonewater’s Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) are part of a national scheme run by MHFA England.

The social housing provider has recruited a network of 22 externally trained MHFAs who are quietly making sure no one feels left to struggle alone. The team are much like physical first aiders, trained and equipped as a first line of defence, supporting and guiding colleagues through difficult moments before problems escalate.

And in an increasingly digital working world, they’re becoming an essential part of the support that Stonewater offers.

A post-pandemic world

For Paul Mummery, Housing System Specialist, becoming a MHFA six years ago was about spotting when someone seemed not themselves. “It was much easier to be visible then; we even had badges inviting people to talk to us.”

But he says the pandemic changed the way they worked. “Remote working meant people weren’t sitting next to each other in offices and often in virtual meetings, they had their cameras off. You just couldn’t see how someone was really doing,” he says. “Since that shift in the way we work, especially with Stonewater being a remote and hybrid business, we’ve had to rely a lot more on referrals.”

The team has also seen a shift in the causes of people’s anxiety and poor mental health. “Before, work issues may have dominated conversations. Now, it’s turned more to isolation and external pressures being common threads.”

Paul has seen that men in particular are not great at asking for support and is working to support a men’s listening group to tackle this. “We’re missing the kitchen chats. In the office, you start talking about the weather and it might turn into something deeper or provide an opportunity to bring something more difficult up. That doesn’t happen on Teams.”

“I’ve struggled myself, but I know I have people around me to talk to, not everyone does,” he says.

Ensuring no-one feels alone

Peter Davies, Stonewater’s Leadership & Management Development Lead, says the motivation to become a MHFA was personal, after experiencing his own mental health struggles nearly a decade ago, at a time when support like this didn’t exist. “If this had been around then, it would have been a very different experience for me. Just knowing someone was there to talk to would have made a big difference,” he reflects.

Peter now wants to ensure that others don’t face those struggles alone. “You don’t realise how much it can help just to listen – we often don’t feel like we’ve done very much, but it does have an impact.”

He continues: “It’s about enablement – finding out what support networks people already have and helping them use those where they can. Sometimes people just don’t know where to turn, or they’re overwhelmed. We’re there to listen, signpost and do some checking in.”

Trained as a Grief First Aider, as a number of the MHFAs are, Peter also helps colleagues process bereavement and loss, much-needed emotional support that has become more prominent since the pandemic.

Awareness and action

The intersectionality of groups and networks is something that Lisa West, a New Homes Executive, sees as vital to the wellbeing provision within Stonewater.

Helping to evolve the programme’s reach and relevance, she’s passionate about ensuring the team is better connected with wider wellbeing provisions. “We don’t want to be a standalone group,” she says. “Mental health connects with everything – disability, gender, domestic abuse; we’re working on being more visible and accessible.”

Training as a Domestic Abuse Champion, Lisa wants to ensure this is integrated with the MHFA scheme. “The two are undeniably linked. If people are working from home, and that home life is not good, we need support services that can spot that.”

Growing up with a parent facing mental health challenges, Lisa’s own background fuels her drive. “You can’t stop seeing red flags,” she admits. “But being online makes connections harder. It’s not like the office days, where you’d notice someone staying late or skipping lunch. Now, it’s quieter. But that doesn’t mean the need for help isn’t there.”

Lisa is also keen to promote Stonewater’s suite of wellbeing resources – from counselling to flexible benefits. “There’s loads of great support available and we need to make sure it’s really straightforward to find and access help.”

Real-life conversations

Caroline Light, Homes Business Support & Systems Manager, brings two decades of experience at Stonewater to her MHFA role. She’s a team player, a mentor and, as she puts it, a “mum and a woman” – making her aware of how many people quietly carry the emotional weight of work and home life.

“Some colleagues live alone and work from home all day. That isolation can really build up,” she says. “Others are surrounded by people but still feel no more supported as they juggle family, work and other responsibilities. People have different home lives, different pressures. We can provide a space to let it out.”

Caroline champions initiatives like Stonewater’s Menopause Group and the Colleague Voice Group, recognising that mental health is never just one thing – it intersects with physical health, family dynamics and broader inclusion efforts.

“We all need to feel connected. If someone has their camera off a lot, we check in. Sometimes it’s just a bad day or not wanting to be on screen. But sometimes it’s more than that. We need to be aware.”

Stonewater has introduced a ‘Green Days’ scheme, which recognises that some days are harder than others and allows colleagues to have their camera off in meetings if they choose or ask for help with something, without having to explain.

A culture of care

All four MHFAs agree that awareness is only the beginning. Along with the rest of the volunteer team, raising the profile of mental health support, especially in a hybrid environment, takes consistent work.

Whether it’s joining team meetings to introduce what MHFAs do, setting up drop-in chats, or supporting specialist groups, it’s about being present, even if that presence is virtual. At Stonewater, this team of committed MHFAs is working behind the scenes to ensure that a culture of care is being built one confidential conversation at a time.

“There’s always someone available,” says Peter. “And often, the most powerful thing we can do is just listen.”