Avantages
I’d been aware of Second Step for a while before joining and admired - and continue to admire - the work they do to support mental health.
Staff are passionate about what they do and committed to doing their best for their clients.
Inconvénients
Unfortunately, I didn’t find the team I worked in to be inclusive, supportive or collaborative.
Direction from my manager was unclear and there was often overlap in responsibilities between team members which caused confusion and frustration. There was also an over-reliance on instant messaging vs in-person meetings or video calls, which added to the confusion.
I found it particularly challenging that, although I adapted flexibly to the needs of the part-time team, that effort didn’t feel reciprocated or appreciated.
In fact, I was told to slow down my speed of work and advise colleagues outside of the team that there was a lead time of several weeks for even straightforward requests.
Although positive to start with, my experience working in this team affected my confidence and, ironically, my mental health.
That said, I enjoyed working with others across the organisation and wish Second Step all the best for the future.