Devon Air Ambulance is a future-focused organisation. We believe our people are the key to our continued success. We seek to recruit, train and retain the best talent, and we follow industry best practice guidelines to ensure we attract people with the knowledge, skills, and values to match our requirements and our culture.  

Maintaining good health and wellbeing is central to keeping our people happy and to help them to succeed in their work. Here are some of the ways the health and wellbeing of colleagues is supported. 

The 87% app 

Only 13% of adults report living with high levels of good mental health; the 87% app is there to support the remaining percentage. The app, which was designed to help users to build healthy and positive mental health habits, was introduced initially for emergency workers to assist with looking after their own mental health during the pandemic and has since been extended from our clinical team to everyone across the organisation. 

Walking Group 

Our walking group is a great place for colleagues to meet informally to connect, chat and get out into nature which, as we all know, is restorative and beneficial to maintaining and enhancing both mental and physical health.  

Being active and taking notice of our surroundings is good for us and doing so in relaxed company is also a great way to bond and to build friendships beyond work. 

Wellbeing Channel 

Our staff wellbeing channel features abundant resources relating to pastoral support, and signposts mental health and wellbeing resources. We also offer staff the support of Pastoral Care Volunteers and a confidential self-referral service for counselling. 

As a Mindful Employer we care about the challenges colleagues face both at work and in their own lives and we take seriously the challenges that may prevent a colleague feeling their best at work. 

To become a Mindful Employer we signed the Mindful Employer Charter, which recognises employers that are working towards better mental health in the workplace. 

We seek to go beyond the requirements of the Charter through offerings such as the pastoral support and other wellbeing facilities like the Wellbeing Group and Walking Group. 

Our annual staff Sunday Times Best Companies Survey helps us to respond to staff needs and anticipate solutions to help enhance staff wellbeing. 

Wellbeing Working Group 

A number of our managers are being trained in mental health first aid and we recognise the importance of integrating wellbeing into our daily work at all levels. Therefore, colleagues representing departments across the organisation have joined together to pool ideas and plan for events and training that help to improve staff wellbeing.  

Social Committee 

Our social committee comprises colleagues from across the organisation who work on quality-of-life-enhancing organisation-wide projects  such as social events and our Christmas party. 

The group works creatively to plan for events and activities that will enrich and enhance colleagues’ experience of working as part of the organisation. We are always responsive to the needs of staff and receptive to new ideas about how to continually improve the staff experience. 

Read more about working with Devon Air Ambulance