History of the Employee Assistance Programme [EAP]

Public Servants in St Vincent and the Grenadines, like many around the Caribbean region, are faced with challenges, some of which are job related and others of a personal nature.

Negative behaviour exhibited by some public servants includes tardiness in attendance, poor punctuality and unsatisfactory conduct in general.

Some of the negative trends are related to abuse of alcohol and personal family issues. However, other related work factors, such as work overload, lack of recognition, etc. can influence the performance of workers within the public service of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Public servants who were facing various challenges personally, whether of a psychological, mental or emotional nature and otherwise, had no available services to get assistance, if it was required.

It was therefore important that an avenue be created where employees could receive professional support through counselling and other support services.

It was against this backdrop that the idea of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) was conceived in 2017. It is geared at creating that enabling environment within the public service where officers could feel at ease knowing that a facility of this nature is available to them.

Official work, through project stages commenced in December 2020 and finished in May 2022.