Employee stories

Mary, Acting Assistant Service Manager

"I really love empowering and encouraging people and supporting them to achieve"

Mary, Service Manager
"I really love empowering and encouraging people and supporting them to achieve"
“I worked for 27 years in finance and banking. Then I got made redundant. I didn’t know what to do with myself, I felt lost. I became quite down but then I thought ‘what am I going to do?’ and I started volunteering. I worked first with older people and dementia and then came to Avenues.
"Whilst I was volunteering I decided to do a Health and Social Care qualification and I graduated with a degree in 2016. Avenues have given me the flexibility to study."

It’s a rewarding and a challenging job but it’s taught me to be a different person and I have more confidence. I really love empowering and encouraging people and supporting them to achieve. But sometimes just sitting down and talking to someone, showing an interest in them can make their day. It’s that connection with someone and they make me laugh too!

Now when I’m working here I think ‘I wish I did it earlier’. In finance you make someone rich, here you make someone happy.”

Barry, Support Worker

"My only regret is that I didn’t join the social care sector earlier."

I’ve done different jobs over the years. I was an electrician in my younger days; I worked as a driving instructor and I’ve run pubs.

I’ve always liked doing new things so after semi-retiring for 18 months, I decided to reply to an ad for a support worker in the paper.

I thought to myself, “I want to help people,” my wife thought I would be good at it, and the rest is history!

My only regret is that I didn’t join the social care sector earlier. The best part of being a support worker is realising how we are not that dissimilar to the people you support.

We all need a support network around us and we know what a difference it makes. I have been working with one young man for four months now and seeing the difference in him in that short time is huge. He trusts me and that means so much.

Gloria, Senior Support Worker

"I love my job because every day really is different"

There are a few routine things you need to do but the rest is driven by the person you’re supporting and what they want to do.

 

You’re supporting them to make choices, have new experiences and find fulfillment. Seeing this happen is hugely rewarding and exciting.”

Ashleigh, Assistant Service Manager

"I went in a room the other day and someone said 'I missed you'. I could have cried."

My mum had worked in the sector so that sparked an interest for me. I decided I wanted to do a Health and Social Care degree. No-one in my family has a degree and it is just something I wanted to do. I wanted to make them proud.

Whilst still studying, in November 2017 I got the job of Assistant Service Manager. It’s been a tough six months as I was also having to do my dissertation.

However I managed to complete my degree in April whilst enjoying working in a managerial role. For me, I just like supporting people.

I went in a room the other day and someone said “I missed you”. I could have cried. You don’t think they are going to think of you as family but for them to appreciate you really makes a difference. I just like to see happy faces.”

Ethan, Support Worker

"I had a young family and was working as a chef but the rigid hours just weren’t working for me."

I wanted something with flexibility and found out about support work with Avenues. That was 25 years ago!

“I had a young family and was working as a chef but the rigid hours just weren’t working for me. I wanted something with flexibility and found out about support work with Avenues. That was back when it was called Kelsey Care, more than 25 years ago! I love working with people and although it might sound clichéd, I do feel so lucky to have a career where I can make a real difference to someone else’s life every day. There’s a great team culture at Avenues and that’s so important for the people we’re supporting.”

Maxine, Assistant Service Manager

"The team is great and you are never on your own."

When I left school, my first job was working in hairdressers. To be honest, I got nothing out of it. Making the move into social care has opened my eyes to the world in so many ways.

I think people misunderstand social care and underestimate the ability you have to change someone’s life for the better. I just love my job and I feel so dedicated to the people I support.

“Before working for Avenues, I worked for another social care organisation for seven years but never got to progress there. Here I have had overwhelming support from my manager and plenty of development opportunities.

“Avenues really supports you to progress and achieve. The opportunities are there if you want them. The team is great and you are never on your own. I’ve gained so much confidence since joining Avenues and I’ve never felt so supported.

You’re expected to give great support at Avenues, and in return you get great support.

The central team is great and they do everything they can to help you at a local service.

The enthusiasm, knowledge and skill of the trainers is fantastic – it’s the best Positive Behaviour Support course I’ve had in 30 years working is social care.

Abdul, Senior Support Worker

"I go home feeling like I’ve achieved something"

"I came to Avenues three years ago with no previous experience working in social care.

"I've always been interested in mental health as I know people who suffer from mental health issues so I was keen to get involved in the area.

"I'm now completing my NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care and am really enjoying my role at Glebe House where we support 12 people with a range of mental health conditions."

I think my favourite thing about my job is that I go home feeling like I have achieved something, be it making the day worthwhile for someone I’m supporting or contributing to a change in their life. For me it’s all about seeing the people I support get involved in their communities and be happy, and empowering them to make choices. I also work with a great team! My best moment at Avenues so far has to be when I was supporting one gentleman who avoided taking part in activities because he had a fear of crowds. We went to crazy golf and as soon as he saw the crowd he wanted to turn around and leave. I then spotted footie golf across the road and managed to get him to go in. We had a great day and he was so happy that he hadn’t turned back in the end. It was a huge achievement. I recently won an award for Avenues’ Support Worker of the Year. It felt really good when I found out I had won as it was nice to have my hard work recognised. The best bit was the fact I was nominated by the people I work with as it really showed they appreciate the work that I do.

Vicky, Senior Support Worker

"Since joining Avenues as a graduate I’ve progressed from working as a support worker to a senior support worker."

“I was doing my degree in sociology and got really interested in disability equality and decided it was a career I wanted to pursue."

 

“I was doing my degree in sociology and got really interested in disability equality and decided it was a career I wanted to pursue.

“Since joining Avenues as a graduate I’ve progressed from working as a support worker to a senior support worker.

“But the best thing is seeing the difference you can make – like supporting someone who’s never been in a kitchen in their lives to cook their own omelette and make themselves a cup of tea!”

Sarah, Practice Development Lead

"You never forget the feeling of the first time you support someone to achieve one of their goals."

I decided after 6 months of nurse training that it wasn’t for me. I knew I wanted to work in social care because I had worked part time in a care home. I decided to apply for a post as a support worker with Avenues but thought they wouldn’t take me without any specific skills.

“I soon learnt that all the training and development was provided. Among other things, I learnt about standards of care, positive behaviour support and person-centred active support.

“This knowledge gave me more confidence. You never forget the feeling of the first time you support someone to achieve one of their goals. One man had always wanted to go swimming but was too anxious to take the plunge, literally! The first time we went he wouldn’t even go into the building.

“Using the skills and techniques I had learnt to support and encourage him, over a 10 month period he built up the confidence. Eventually he would get in the pool, enjoy himself and do his own thing, even in the deep end.

“My career has developed at Avenues. As well as doing NVQs in health and social care, I have done courses in leadership and management. I began to supervise other services and I got a better understanding of the issues different services faced. Avenues has really supported me – both as a professional and as a working mum.

“It has meant that I have been able to continue my studies and develop my career whilst also taking care of my children.”

Kai, Support Worker

"I can’t imagine working in an office all day, or the repetitive work that so many other careers involve. It’s a role that young people should know more about - social care needs them."

I’d certainly encourage anyone searching for a career that makes a difference to seriously think about support work.”

“I came into social care straight from school, and have never considered doing anything else. It’s an amazing job where you’re out and about, supporting people to do what they want to do. You’re really connected to everyday life and the community you’re working in – I can’t imagine working in an office all day, or the repetitive work that so many other careers involve. It’s a role that young people should know more about – social care needs them. I’d certainly encourage anyone searching for a career that makes a difference to seriously think about support work.”

I love seeing people’s progress each week, and working with them to build their skills and independence, so they can do the things that make them happy.

The shift working opportunities mean that I can continue my freelance work as an interpreter as well as working here, which suits me really well.

“Avenues is a really flexible organisation. The shift working opportunities mean that I can continue my freelance work as an interpreter as well as working here, which suits me really well. The organisation really is really helpful in that way. But all this is rightly dependent on service we need to give, and the people we support always come first in our rota planning.  I love seeing people’s progress each week, and working with them to build their skills and independence, so they can do the things that make them happy.”