Public Officers will grace the runway when the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) hosts its annual Awareness Week from October 20 to 23.

The week is being held under the theme, “Be Uplifted and Stress Free, Utilise EAP”.  Several educational and outreach activities are planned as part of the week-long celebration.

Public officers will be greeted by senior officers on Tuesday, October 20 at 7:45 a.m. at the Central Administration Building, as they begin their work week. Vital information about the Employee Assistance Programme, the awareness week and other relevant subject areas will be shared.

The EAP Treasure Hunt will commence at 8:30 a.m. Public officers will win prizes when specially marked bottles hidden on the grounds of the Central Administration Complex containing questions are found and the question is correctly answered. The Treasure Hunt will continue throughout the week for Government departments located in the vicinity of the CCT Parking Lot and around the Water and Sewerage and Public Works Departments.

EAP Educational Outreach Fairs will be held for public officers at Her Majesty’s Prison, the Public Works and Water and Sewerage Departments on Wednesday, October 21, and the team will be joined by Mental Health Providers to share information on their services and take concerns from interested persons.

The Department Outreach will continue on Thursday, October 22 and teams from the EAP and Employee Relations Unit will visit eight Government departments.

The week culminates on Friday, October 23 with an Employee Appreciation Day and the Clash of the Public Officers Fashion Show.   Public officers are encouraged to show their fellow public officers acts of appreciation throughout the day.

The “Clash of the Public Officers Fashion Show” will commence at 4:30 p.m., and 15 models will grace the stage representing poise and elegance. This activity is a collaborative effort with UMI Fashions.

The Employee Assistance Programme was launched in 2003 to provide public officers with counselling and support when faced with personal or work-related problems that may impact their work performance.  The EAP employs a full-time counsellor who provides confidential assessment, and renders short-term counselling and professional referrals to employees. Employees may also receive confidential assistance for a variety of personal difficulties ranging from family, marital, legal and financial issues, career problems, or other personal stress related issues. 

Public officers can contact the EAP at 468-3701 ext. 4352 or 5197 to obtain additional information or to speak to one of the trained professional counsellors.

The Government of the Virgin Islands EAP is managed by the Department of Human Resources’ Employee Relations Unit.