My time at Place2Be was deeply distressing and has caused me considerable trauma. This trauma continues to have an ongoing effect on my daily life, even after leaving the organisation.
- Lack of support following redundancy: After I attempted to take my life immediately following an email about my redundancy, no one from management checked on me or showed any concern for my welfare until the next day. This was despite my visible signs of distress. I had been saying goodbye and leaving team chats, indicating my struggles. This complete lack of concern for my wellbeing highlighted the organisation’s negligence.
- Invalidation of struggles: When I met with the head of people to discuss the incident, I was told that my suicide attempt was a completely normal reaction to receiving news like that. This dismissive attitude not only invalidated my experience but also reinforced the neglect I had faced from management.
- Serious safeguarding failures: The charity demonstrated a severe breach of duty in their responsibility to protect staff, particularly those with mental health disabilities. I felt isolated and unsupported during an incredibly vulnerable time. I was often threatened with disciplinary action when I was struggling due to lack of support that I regularly reiterated that I needed.
- Hostile atmosphere: I faced passive-aggressive comments from senior leaders regarding reasonable adjustments due to my mental health disability, contributing to a hostile work environment. It took over a year for management to take my requests for support seriously, and even then, there was no internal mental health support available—only referrals to external services.
- Exclusion and favouritism: There was a culture of exclusion and favouritism within the team, where certain employees received preferential treatment, leaving others, including myself, feeling overlooked. I didn’t feel part or a team at all in the end. I feel as though I wasn’t accepted at all because I needed extra support and didn’t work in conventional ways due to my disability.
