Touchstone is "of the communities and for the communities it serves". The organisation was born out of an identified need for friendship and community in South Leeds in 1982. A Social Worker, Sylvia Landells and CPN, John Clare, saw that large numbers of vulnerable people were left isolated and distressed out of hours and at weekends, so they set up a “weekend club” which was to grow into Touchstone. Over forty years later, it provides mental health and wellbeing services to over 10,000 people a year, whilst also working across communities.
Touchstone recognises staff are its greatest asset. It very much values and supports staff to own and deliver its vision by encouraging staff to be themselves at work. The organisation believes that people’s culture, heritage, and differences should be celebrated, and it participate in several occasions to do this, including Black History Month and BiVisibility Day.
Touchstone is committed to empowering its staff through the development of the whole person not just staff's academic and clinical knowledge. It believes everyone is a leader and supports staff to reach their potential by supporting them with access to different development opportunities and to take the lead.
The organisation funds both employee and team health and wellbeing activities by providing health and wellbeing budgets. It organises a wide range of activities to support employees wellbeing, such as celebrating staff achievements with organisational fun days, bringing all staff together and strengthening the relationships between its different teams.
