Helpline FAQ
Find out more about our new trial and how to take part.
What is the trial?
We are looking for organisations to work with us, to offer their staff access to a free, confidential 24/7 helpline. The longer-term plan is that this will be rolled out to support people working in any sector of the caravan industry.
The main aim is to support mental health and wellbeing, with direct access to telephone counsellors and if required a series of six face to face or telephone counselling sessions. In addition, the helpline will also be able to provide financial and debt advice, legal advice and relationship and family advice.
Why take part in the trial?
The helpline is a free, confidential and impartial resource that can be used to promote care and support for your employees. The helpline can be used by everyone in the organisation from a referral tool for HR and managers to self-referrals when someone feels they have no-where else to turn.
Why run a trial?
As a small fund, we need to ensure that we spend our money wisely, using it where there is the most need and where it will have the biggest impact for people in the caravan industry. We know that mental health and wellbeing impacts on both individuals and businesses. A trial will ensure that we assess the need and impact that this service has for those in the industry, before committing to a large-scale project.
Who can take part in the trial?
The trial is open to organisations of all sizes in the following sectors:
Manufacturers
Dealers and Distributors
Suppliers and service providers
Holiday and residential parks
Who will be answering the calls?
We will be working with Care First, an accredited employee assistance provider. Care First are a registered provider with the EAPA. As a registered EAP provider they have to meet strict criteria relating to EAP standards, professional practice and delivery. All calls to our helpline will be answered by a BACP accredited counsellor, who will be able to immediately begin providing support to the caller. There will also be access to a team of specialist advisers who can help with financial, legal, benefits and family and relationship issues.
What if I already have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)?
The Benevolent Fund helpline can be an excellent addition to an existing EAP, so even if you have an EAP provider it is still worth taking part in the trial, as the helpline may be able to support different or additional requirements.
As a completely independent charity, employees can sometimes feel more comfortable using an independent service in the first instance.
What will I need to do?
We ask that you promote the service to your staff, we can provide materials to help you do this. We also ask that at the end of the trial you ask your staff to complete a short survey.
Will you provide me with information on my employees?
No, this is a completely confidential service, and all personal information remains between the individual and the counsellor. For measurement, the NCC Benevolent Fund will receive anonymised data and numbers around service usage. We will provide an overview of the service as part of the end of trial impact report.
How long will the trial run for?
The trial will run for 6 months from December 2019 – June 2020.
What happens at the end of the trial?
We will be assessing the trial throughout the trial period, should it meet the KPI’s that have been set, we will roll out the trial to the industry. If the trial is not successful, we will notify you that it has ended, anyone that is in or about to start counselling sessions at the end of the trial, will be able to complete the sessions.
How will the trial be funded?
The trial will be funded by the NCC Benevolent Fund, through generous donations from organisations and individuals.
How will you fund a longer-term programme?
As above, all of our work is funded by generous donations, and we will continue to fundraise to support this program. There will be opportunities to sponsor the helpline, should the trial be successful. If this is something that you are interested in contact [email protected]
How do I sign up?
To sign up for the trial complete the registration form.