Andy Cuthbertson

The core aim of Venture-People has been to deliver a service which provides excellent, specialist mental health provision. We operate in a culture of therapeutic optimism and believe that each person should be empowered to engage in their own recovery and live as independently as possible within the community. Venture-People were formed by a shared ambition to do something different; as individuals we met working in a clinical context but recognized an opportunity to meet an unmet need for individuals living with a complex mental health need. We formed with the intention of providing a pathway; every package of support is custom-made and recovery-focused. To achieve this, we have recruited a diverse, qualified and experienced team working in a culture of therapeutic-optimism; offering each individual information, skills and hope to engage in regaining independence after a period of acute and/or enduring mental illness. We value ‘recovery’ as a subjective experience and strive to make a difference; our service is not intended to be lifelong and instead work to enable progress. Our service does not have arbitrary deadlines however we have developed a model based upon intensive support that is then reduced gradually; allowing the person to grow in confidence. For us, quality is something that we strive to deliver at all times; for every person to feel respected, treated equitably and provided with an excellent service. We believe this must extend to every person within an organisation; people we support, as a team and as a member of our community. By creating shared values, we feel able to create a culture which listens; actively engaging with all members to understand what ‘quality’ looks and feels like, and how we can continually develop. We are thrilled to be have been presented with a number of awards in recognition of our quality and innovative service!