Work, Rest And Play

A Bit Of Relaxation After A Six Mile Swim

If the occupants in the hot tub look a bit red faced, happen that is because someone forgot to turn the heat off while I was swimming for hours beforehand, and although you can't see the steam, it was there! But after a six-mile swim in the County of Devon I was ready for the hot tub and a bit of relaxation. For me this swim was my playtime, but I am very conscious that it would not have been completed without rest and hard work.

I put in for the six-mile swim at a time when I was a bit frustrated with a fell-running injury. I just came across the web page for the Outdoor Swimming Society and registered and paid for the swim the same day.

Unfortunately, I was not a strong swimmer but I remembered that I had once managed to complete 30 lengths of the 25 metre pool in a sponsored swim, even though I had only been known to complete my first gasping, fighting for life, thrashed out length of the pool shortly before. This event proved to be expensive for my father, and others, who collected my sponsorship! And besides swimming across a river to get away from the authorities as a youth I hadn't done much swimming since.

But anyway, somewhere along the way I have picked up the idea that common sense should prevail so after registering and paying for the six mile swim, I registered and paid for swimming lessons at Pond's Forge International Pool in order to get a half decent stroke in the water.

Then there was lots of hard work before I stepped into that hot tub. At my place of  employment running up and down the stairs all day at Sheffield Magistrates Court, sometimes like a headless chicken, followed by as many lengths as I could do in the 50 metre swimming pool until time ran out or cramp set in. Although in time I learned to swim past the cramps and to really enjoy the rhythm of a swimming routine.

But anyway, the picture above reminds me of Work, Rest and Play. Enjoyable play, lovely rest, and the work, without which I would not have been able to do it.

I can remember a time in my teens into my twenties when I openly and unashamedly mocked at the idea of work. I claimed benefits when I was in the community, but most of the time I was in custody. At this period in my life I was into play and rest, which was usually drug and alcohol induced, and funded by crime, but definitely not work!

Anyway, my thinking was changed during my stay at Cardigan House Probation Hostel and I eventually applied to go to college, where I was told by the Principal that I would need to get some o'levels and save up money for my first year at college. Those were both challenges in themselves, and required some work, more so the English o'level, as I had very basic literacy skills at the time. I remember a certain gentleman gave me a basic English book when I was 22 years of age, and I was a bit put out, as it was aimed at 10 years olds! I failed my first English o'level twice, but succeeded with saving the money for my first year in college, and was enrolled, although literacy skills still gave me many setbacks, even after finally getting my english o'level.

I first enjoyed the rhythm and routine of work while I was at college, where I was padded up, and home became, once again a one-man cell. I rose early, went to college, and then did practical work to pay my way. This went on for 4 years until the hot tub of graduation, when I had the satisfaction of the task having being completed. Looking back, I realise the importand lesson learn by me revolved around "the enjoyable rhythm and routine of hard work" which held me in good stead for over thirty years, but it did not prepare me for the shambles of Transforming Rehabilitation! Somewhere alone the way in my Probation world I seem to have lost my rhythm and routine of work and am struggling to work, rest and play.

Now, it’s one thing privatising the Probation Trusts, but I think the way colleagues have been treated is just another thing altogether - the words unbelievable, shocking and appalling come to mind.

How do we feel - we feel demeaned, distressed, scared, de-motivated, demoralised, angry, and guilt for feeling those things!

At work today I briefly scanned a survey conducted by south yorkshire probation regarding the health a wellbeing of the workforce, and it was concluded that there was concerns about staff. No big surprises there then!

The impact of Transforming Rehabilitation on the workforce has resulted in sick days, sleepless nights, worry, emotional upset, an overwhelming sense of disorientation while trying to keeping focussed on duties (when all we can think of is the Transforming Rehabilitation).

For sure, we know that this Government, cares very much to privatise the probation service, but in my opinion there is no way they have cared for public servants in the work-place. Things could have been thought through, less rushed, given more care to detail, more compassionate and done with some humanity.

I’ve not lost confidence in the Government for its privatisation plans, although I don’t agree with them, I’ve lost confidence in Government because of the way that it treats people who are in the way of its ideology and power.

I only have to look around the workplace, or on blogs, or on Facebook, or on twitter to see the signs of stress and pain in the lives of probation workers who are known to have excelled themselves as public servants.

The stress of transforming rehabilitation makes our work less effective, spoils our play and robs us of rest. But still I see colleagues struggling to undertake their work, struggling with business as usual, even though in my opinion the wheels are now in danger of falling off the wagon!

I came across the following Government page on the internet, an initiative for co-ordinating Health, Work and Wellbeing in the workplace which aims to:

• "improve the general health and wellbeing of the working-age population 
• support more people with health conditions to stay in work or enter employment 
• create healthier workplaces 
• improve occupational health services and rehabilitation support". 

As I read it I wondered how many points out of ten the Government has scored in regards this initiative and Transforming Rehabilitation, or what percentage of one.

But I suppose it must be tough at the top too.

• It must be hard for the Government, waiting for the trickle down effect of economics from corporations and  people like the 85 people who have wealth that equals half of the wealth of the poorest half of the population. 
• It must be hard trying to shake off that image of being the government of the rich, by the rich, for the rich. 
• It must be hard knowing that for every one campainer today, there are going to be many more come the soon to be General Election!
• It must me hard knowing that places like our prisons are understaffed and in danger of exploding, when there are so many people unemployed just waiting for a job. 

Some weeks ago, the words of a Barrister called Sam Parham struck a chord in me, when he said, "I am dreaming of day when we won't be in constant battle with MoJ..., and we can focus on" - the rhythm and routine of work in criminal justice - Like Sam, I'm dreaming too of going back to the normality of Work, Rest, and Play.