Who We Are

History & Aims

Oakleaf has been helping the community to manage its mental health since 1995. Following the Care in the Community Act 1990 an occupational therapy unit at the old local Victorian asylum at Brookwood Hospital closed and relocated to Guildford. The charity was registered in 1997 and has been led by its Chief Executive, Clive Stone ever since.

The charity’s aim is to transform the lives and futures of adults managing their mental health and help them secure the skills, confidence and training needed to return to the workplace. This pathway is delivered via three main focuses: Work-Related Training, Wellbeing Activities, and Counselling Services.

Vision

To improve the lives of people managing their mental health in Surrey while promoting awareness around the subject and reducing stigma.

Mission Statement

We work to foster confidence and reduce social isolation by actively training, engaging and supporting individuals with mental ill-health to empower them to participate as active members of society.

What We Do

We offer a range of services to empower our clients to gain the skills, training and confidence needed to manage their mental health and return to work:

Work-Related Training and Employment Support

Courses in IT, Upholstery and Gardening help our clients gain new skills and qualifications, and our ‘Pathways to Work’ project provides employment guidance and coaching.

Wellbeing Activities & Courses

Designed to build confidence, physical health and wellbeing whilst reducing isolation and loneliness.

Counselling Services

Clients have access to counselling sessions with our BACP-registered service to aid their recovery.

Need For Our Work

Every year 1 in 4 people will suffer from a mental health issue[1].

In 2018/19, stress, depression or anxiety were responsible for 44% of all cases of work-related ill health and 54% of all working days lost due to health issues in GB [3].

People with mental health needs have the second lowest employment rate of any disabled group with only 28.5% securing long-term work, and those with mental ill-health are more vulnerable to the negative effects of unemployment [4].

Some people do recover, they respond well to treatment and medication without too much damage to their emotional, social and working life. Oakleaf exists to help people who are less fortunate and find their road to recovery more difficult to achieve. Finding and keeping a job is an important aspect of the recovery process and ensuring the right support is vital.

Conditions We Work With

There are over 200 different diagnoses of mental illness. A mental health problem can present itself in a wide variety of ways, depending on the individual and their circumstances. It is difficult to define what is ‘normal’, other than to use an individual’s usual behaviour as a point of comparison. Changes in people’s mood and personality can provide important indicators as to how they are feeling. Unusual mood swings or social withdrawal might, for example, provide some indication that the person is experiencing some degree of emotional distress.

Whilst you do not need a formal diagnosis to access our services, many of our clients are suffering from (but are not limited to) the following mental health conditions:

To find out more about these individual diagnoses click below:

More information

Contact Us For More Information

Testimonials and Stories

We pride ourselves on the work we do and the training and support we provide for our clients. Our biggest achievements are lived through their successes.

Nominated by clients and staff members, award winners are clients recognised for their outstanding contribution towards achieving Oakleaf’s objective of improving the lives of people managing mental ill-health in Surrey.

Awards

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK.

We were honoured to have won the ‘Community Hero’ Award as part of the Surrey Business Awards 2022.

We are so pleased to have received the award for ‘Outstanding Support in the Community’ as part of Surrey Chambers’ virtual President’s Awards during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Oakleaf has improved my confidence at work and is preparing my future career as a gardener”
“Oakleaf is such a friendly and inclusive place to be. At times, when I have been struggling with my mental wellbeing the staff have been really supportive”
"Oakleaf is a valuable venture and so needed. I would miss the life that Oakleaf helps me to live”
“Oakleaf has saved me and allowed me to get out one day a week, that keeps me going and I don’t want to leave. I consider Oakleaf my sanctuary!”
"I cannot thank Oakleaf enough for the services that they provided for me and continue to provide for people who desperately need connection and support."
“Since being at Oakleaf, I feel it has improved my anxiety and confidence”
“Oakleaf helps with my mental positivity and physical mobility. It helps me to relax more around people”
“My time at Oakleaf has meant so much more to me than learning to upholster furniture. I have made some good friends and learnt that it is okay to talk about how I am feeling”
“I have felt supported by Oakleaf through a difficult period”
“Oakleaf is a reason to get out of bed, it’s given me the confidence to try new things and learn new skills”
“I have felt less isolated and gained confidence”

IMPACT REPORTS

2021/22

2020/21

FINANCIAL REPORTS

2021 – 2022

2020 – 2021

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

At Oakleaf, we care about the planet and the environment we live in.

This policy lays out our commitment continuously to improve our actions to decrease our environmental impact in all that we do.

Environmental Policy

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