tel. 0131 657 5192 e-mail scottish charity no. sc014023
TRANSCRIPT
Staff News Oct 2017.qxdIssue 4 - October 2017 Places for People
Scotland Care & Support, Hays Business Centre, 4 Hay Avenue,
Edinburgh EH16 4AQ Tel. 0131 657 5192 e-mail:
[email protected] Scottish Charity No.
SC014023
You meet so many different people with complex support needs and two days were never the same. I found it motivating wakening up in the morning not knowing what the day would bring and at the end of each work day I felt I had achieved something. Tenancy support is about supporting individuals in their homes or homeless accommodation. They have a wide variety of needs whether it's applying for benefits, they may have debts or they are being evicted from their home. We refer to other agencies if needed. Parkhead Lodge and St Andrews Street are for younger people, Klibreck House is for 25 years and older. The other services within MTAP are low needs and have mixed age groups.
Now I work at Parkhead Lodge. This service is for young people who are homeless for different reasons. It feels like being at home as I have two teenage boys, giving the guys the life skills they
Our People CAROLANN DOWDESWELL I am Carolann Dowdeswell I am 48 years old and this is my story. I have worked in MTAP (Midlothian Temporary Accommodation Partnership) for 11 years now, initially with Aspire, then in 2013 I transferred to Places for People Scotland Care & Support. Before I worked in MTAP I worked in bars as my two sons hadn't started school yet. I wanted to see my sons grow up and not miss out on anything before I got a career. Working in bars was like being a support worker as you got everybody's life story, which I found interesting, meeting different people from all walks of life. This job made me decide that I wanted to work with people and realised that I was a good listener.
I have had the privilege to have worked in all the services within MTAP. The most challenging service for me is Tenancy Support. I felt a passion for this service.
need to move on to their own place and giving them the opportunity to prove they can be independent by supporting them to do budgeting, cleaning and cooking. Some need to learn coping skills and sometimes emotional support. When one person moves on to their own property it inspires the others to do what they have done to move on. I feel it's giving them a fresh start in life.
Being in this line of work makes me grateful for the people I have in my life. Two and a half years ago I separated from my ex-husband after 22 years of marriage. A year ago I met a man that I was in love with 25 years ago. We have fallen in love again and plan to marry next year. Who says you are never too old to fall in love?
I am proud to be part of the MTAP team and feel privileged to be working alongside so many dedicated and experienced work colleagues.
page 1
Our People
I came to work in PfPSC&S as a Service Administrator in 2011 on a 24 hour contract with the East Craigs and Peffer Services. Since then my role has changed considerably and I am now working on a full time basis over a diverse range of Services - Learning Disabilities, Younger and Older People Services.
As a Service Administrator back in 2011 my role involved all aspects of admin duties from ordering office items, organising petty cash, telephone duties and different types of secretarial work. Previously I worked alongside my Line Manager Jennie Stansfield one day a week in a central role for the SMT team. This was a fantastic opportunity as I really got an insight into how the organisation worked which enhanced my office skills and confidence. My role has now changed to a to a full time Business Support Advisor, involving a diverse range of duties, such as supporting Service Managers and staff along with the SMT team. My duties involve Health and Safety, ECCO Support Hours, ARC Lone Working, Payroll and Business World etc. As I work in a different Service every day there is always something new and different that will come along - so I am never bored!!! I found it quite difficult at first supporting all these new Services but I can now say I am in my stride and enjoying the challenging and interesting work. I receive excellent support from Jennie Stansfield, Sharon Findlay and Heather Stoddart and we all work well as a team.
Previously my experience was in banking and I worked for HSBC for 2 years and then Standard Life Bank for 10 years in the credit control department mainly in mortgage arrears and fraud. In 2007 I moved to the West of Ireland and once again I worked in a banking environment. Unfortunately I was made redundant as the credit crunch hit Ireland and the UK. I hated being unemployed however I eventually got a job as hotel receptionist in a large hotel.
I then did a Beauty Therapy course and received a diploma in all aspects of beauty, massage etc. It was not really for me as I preferred the oral and written work to the practical side of things. After the course I worked for myself doing the beauty at home whilst doing an ECDL (European Computer Driving License) and communication courses, which I enjoyed immensely. Once again in 2011 work dried up in Ireland and I returned home to Scotland. I was very homesick by this time especially for my family and friends and made many trips back to Scotland. I still love Ireland and venture back about twice a year to catch up with everyone.
page 2
MAUREEN SHEVLIN
On my return in 2011 I started my job with PfPSC&S and I have never looked back. I could not go back to processing data all day (as in banking). I enjoy all the varied and interesting work that comes my way and I admit sometimes it can be challenging. I now have a grandson, Danny, who is 5 years old now, and has just started school - he keeps me young!!
My highlight with PfPSC&S was when I and other staff members from Peffer and East Craigs and people we support did a sponsored swim and raised over £500 for PfPSC&S at Dalry Baths. Once again this year in April I embarked on another sponsored swim - I swam a mile for Alzheimer's Scotland and raised £1,432 by setting up a Just Giving Page.
Our People
My name is Brian Hughes and I have been working for Places for People Scotland Care & Support since October 2015 as a Support Worker for the East Lothian service and stepped up to Senior Support Worker in 2016. I decided as part of my personal and professional development to volunteer as a befriender for a wonderful charity called LGBT Health and Wellbeing based in Edinburgh.
As part of the befriending I went through a week's training programme of LGBT+ issues that affect the over 50's. We discussed the different spectrum aspects of LGBT+ and the impact that this has now that people are getting older as statistics show that 1 in 5 LGBT+ people will be alone or socially isolated and many will suffer from mental health problems now or in the future as a result of the continuous isolation.
I was paired up with someone who is over 50 and considers themselves as non-binary but who also has autism and mental health issues, which was all a challenge. Whilst the mental health and the autism wasn't a challenge per se as I have experience in that in my work, the main challenge was working with someone who identifies as non-binary.
To give a bit of context. There are different sexual preferences. Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Non-Binary. For the context of this article I will focus on Non- Binary.
As a society there is masculinity or femininity. People who are non- binary consider themselves as neither. Non-binary people see that masculinity or femininity as a social construct that has developed over the centuries; for example male babies are dressed in blue whilst female babies are dressed in pink. Whilst different norms differ in different countries they are essentially the same and it is one of the last gender stigmas in our society for the most part. Therefore people who are non- binary do not define their gender. This is not to be confused with being a male or a female as this is determined by sexual characteristics.
So why was this a challenge?
I had to adapt to the way I spoke to them. I also had to use third person pronouns such as they, them and their. Even though the person I was befriending was a male physically they did not identify as male and I had to be careful not referring to them as he or him. Their dress sense was also different with many aspects of both masculine and feminine traits. Whilst this isn't always the same for every non-binary person their dress sense can be a part of their identity. Also helping them fill out forms can be awkward as a lot of them have masculine or feminine pronouns but a lot of banks and other companies now have the option of 'other' or one, ze, sie, hir, co, ey, or more commonly in the UK Mx.
It was extremely rewarding to be a befriender for this person. At first they identified themself as male probably in fear of being ridiculed but as time went on and once I got to know them better
page 3
BRIAN HUGHES
they identified as non-binary and got to their true self better as they had been hiding their identity for a long time. Also my excellent training from PfPSC&S helped me prepare for the autism aspect of befriending someone and the befriending experience has helped me become, not only more aware, but also more experienced with being able to support someone who identifies as non-binary. Going forward I can also support in sharing my experience with colleagues by giving them the knowledge and the tools to help with the different approaches should we be supporting anyone who identifies not only non-binary but also other sexual and gender differences.
As June and July are the months where many countries celebrate pride events I feel proud that not only does PfPSC&S support individuals who are part of the LGBT+ community but also see hiring staff as part of that community an asset to the company.
Our People
Hello everyone, my name is Dionne McLafferty and I am a Support Worker at the Peffer Learning Disabilities Service. I have worked here over 3 years now and I still enjoy doing my job every single day.
I left school at age 16 and went to Stevenson College to study childcare which I did for 2 years and during this time I also worked part time in Matalan. After working in various nurseries, I moved onto the Royal Bank of Scotland, then to National Express at Waverley Train Station. I never found a job that was right for me and my personality as I like to learn every day, experience new things and challenge myself.
I found a job with Care Provider looking after people with learning difficulties. It was all new to me and I was very nervous to start with. However I got over my fears and it turned out to be the best career change I have ever done. I had now found a job that suited my needs. It was very challenging yet so rewarding and every day was different. I worked one to one with a woman who only ever stayed at home and watched TV. After working hard for months and months this woman was able to leave her home, go on her first bus journey, her first cinema trip and wore socks for the very first time. These were my highest achievements knowing I had improved this woman's life for the better.
During my time here I gained a lot of experience and qualifications (including my SVQ 2 & 3). I changed care plans from writing to pictures, becoming a Moving and Handling facilitator, and ran forums for the whole company. I moved around services to help open new services and also train staff.
After 6 years here I decided it was time to move on as I had gained a lot of experience and felt my skills could now be used on others in need.
I then joined Places for People at Peffer. I was really, really nervous when I started as it was such a big service and I never thought I would learn everyone's name. Through time I was able to learn everything and become a valuable member of the team. My manager Donna is very good at picking up on staff skills and strengths to use them for the service. I became the ECCO (electronic support plans) champion for the service, I draw the pictures for support plans and reviews and have organised large group trips to Fox Lake and Christmas shopping. I have organised holidays abroad and within the UK, I have helped decorate homes and I have been told I am very good with technology so I have helped staff and people we support with the uses of the iPad and Apps. Each day I am still learning and also developing my skills which just amazes me to this day and I look forward to what the future holds within the organisation.
Outside of work - I am involved in the Girl Guiding charity which I have been in now for over 24 years. I am a qualified leader running 3 units each week called rainbows, guides and senior section. These units are for girls aged 5-26 years old. I really enjoy my involvement with Girl Guiding, as it has given me a lot of skills and adventures over the years. We go camping every year indoors and out, swimming, archery, canoeing, rock climbing, attending concerts, holding fundraisers, Zumba, clubbercise, tree climbing and jumping, go karting and so much more. I am proud of my work and commitment to Girl Guiding and this shows because the girls never want to leave. So much so that girls who have become too old to attend are now leaders themselves running units and now I am training them to be qualified leaders also.
I am a very bubbly, happy, creative and sometimes mischievous person. I enjoy arts and crafts activities, from drawing, painting, hair and beauty, face painting. I like to stay in line with the latest trends so recently I have been making glitter glasses, nappy cakes, frog- tape decorating and baking from cupcakes to 3 tier smash cakes. I love to go swimming, I have also taught many others to swim over my years. I like to play football also (I may not be the best at this but it's a great feeling when you score a goal). I also like to play pool, attend cinemas and I am a great shopper who likes to find all the bargains. I love to make people smile and laugh, so this is when my mischievous side can come out, where I will tell jokes, or do silly things and sometimes even doing pranks by jumping out on people and saying boo. I'm a great believer in if you smile, you can transfer your smiles to others so it goes on and on and in turn making everyone smile and happy.
page 4
DIONNE MCLAFFERTY
Our People
I am Elaine Haddow and I am the current Chairperson of the Places for People Scotland Care & Support Board.
page 5
I left school at 17 and went to work in an insurance office as an office junior/ dogsbody. When I think of my seventeen year old self I wonder how I managed to get through a working day. I was painfully shy and petrified of doing something wrong. The boss was so rude and unpredictable, he terrified me and I vowed that I would never treat anyone the way he did. I didn't enjoy working there but a good distraction was to plan what I would buy on payday. My first monthly wage was £48 and I spent the lot on a hideous white afghan fur coat (very in at the time). As you can imagine my mother was less than pleased when I told her I had spent "my dig money". I had to borrow for the whole month just to get the bus fares to work. Budgeting clearly was not a strongpoint at 17 for me.
After a few months I decided insurance was not for me and I started my career in Glasgow District Council as a library assistant. I loved working in the Library. I met so many interesting people (one of them my husband) and to work with books was just great. I should mention I also blew my first wage there on a coat - a bit of a pattern emerging.
Next stop for me was housing and homelessness and there I stayed until I retired.
In 1985 my son Christopher was born and my daughter Kate followed in 1991. In 2010 we moved from Glasgow to Moffat in Dumfries & Galloway. Although Glasgow will always be special to me I just love living in Moffat.
Working full-time with young children I never felt I had the time or to be honest the energy to get involved in the local community. When I retired in 2011 I decided it was time for a change so I became active in a whole range of community activities. I'm involved in local volunteering and fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support. Also at this time I discovered a love of dogs. I have a cockapoo called Scout who is adorable.
ELAINE HADDOW
I am rarely seen in Moffat without my trusty Scout by my side.
When I retired in 2011 my job was Acting Head of Homelessness in Glasgow City Council's Social Services Department and although happy to be retired I still wanted to remain involved in some way in social care services. I had worked with Rhona Murray many years before and was delighted when the opportunity to join the Board came along. I have enjoyed my six years on the Board very much and feel privileged to be part of the organisation. The future holds exciting challenges as we become a standalone company and I predict great times ahead for 'With You'.
I've just turned 50 and I'm not sure where the years have gone. I'm also not sure how I ended up in Support Services, never mind Older People's Services. When I left school I was going to be a chef!
Since leaving school at 17 I have had various positions which have indirectly given me the skills and attributes that allow me to hold my current post of a Senior Support Worker. I had a college course lined up to move onto back then but at that time I worked in Saxone shoe shop in Princes street as a 'Saturday girl', that's what they used to call us. They had a full time position and offered it to me. The lure of making my own money persuaded me to take them up on their offer. I'm glad I did because who wants to be a chef with those unsocial hours? So I became their cashier and lasted a year before I met a boy and we moved to London. I lived and worked there for nearly 5 years as a relief manager for K Shoe shop. It was a good life for a young couple, but when I found out I was pregnant I wanted to come home to Scotland.
After I returned the relationship didn't last very long so I found myself at 22 years old a single mother, claiming benefits, for about 9 years, so I know how hard it is when you're naive and on your own. But I was very fortunate to have a family who provided love, stability and support for myself and my daughter, along with help with childcare to allow me to work so that I could stop claiming benefits and provide for my daughter and myself independently. A few other jobs got me through; in a local club behind the bar, this allowed me to work at night and still be there for my daughter, then another shop job. At this point in my life I decided I wanted to continue my education so I went back to school and became a 'mature student' ending up with a degree in Business Management.
Our People
page 6
SHARON MELROSE
My daughter was working at the MTAP service in Midlothian, at that time it was another company who held the contract to provide support. I gained a position there. I was there about a year as a Support Worker when the services were tendered and Places for People won it, so I then worked for them. It could have seemed a bit uncertain for some people but I looked at it as a positive change, where I could expand my knowledge and skills. Later I saw a position advertised in the Older People's Services for a Support Worker, so applied and got the job and I've never looked back. Although at first the support structure was completely alien to me but after a bit I settled in well and eventually secured my current position of Senior Support Worker. I love my job. At times it's stressful but in a good way. It's a busy service which keeps me on my toes and it's a continuous learning curve and who doesn't want to keep in learning? Our aim is to provide support for people to stay as independent as possible for as long as is possible within their own home. Enabling people we support with various life issues, such as mental health issues, learning and/or physical disabilities, dementia, cognitive impairments, to fully participate in their support, make informed personal life choices and to communicate these to achieve outcomes which empower them and providing meaningful activity. I am very fortunate to work alongside a great team of people who have the interests of the people we support at heart, they work in a highly professional manner and are extremely flexible in their approach, whether it be with the people we support or with the wide range of external agencies we deal with on a daily basis. So I'm just going to keep on working there as long as they will have me. I'm currently working towards SVQ 3, having passed the SVQ 2 two years ago. This was provided by PfPSC&S and it's another challenge in my busy life, juggling personal family commitments, but worth the rewards when completed. Looking back I'm glad I have made the choices I have, especially not going to catering college to be a grumpy chef!!!
That made my mother very proud when I graduated, the first in the family. Through this I also had to work to keep money coming in. This is where I learnt good prioritising skills to achieve the goals I had set myself and meet deadlines. It wasn't always easy as life has a habit of getting in the way!
When my daughter had grown and was in her own house I decided that I had come to a stage in my career and life where I felt I was able to assist people with issues, so then chose a career change into support services, to offer help and support in someone else's life and to try to put back something into society.
Over the years I have realised that not everyone has this support system in place and that many people due to issues, for example, with mental health, substance misuse, physical incapacities or not able to deal with day to day issues and not find solutions without an additional help and support network.
I also have experience with my own family of alcohol misuse. My father was an alcoholic. For many years of my adult life I supported him through this until eventually through ill health he passed away. Although this lifestyle caused me issues in my own life, I learned to understand and accept that he was an individual who has the right to choose how he lived his life, without being judgemental.
page 7
Our People
I have done a right mixed bag of things since leaving school in 2000. I was only 15 when I left school so wasn't sure what I wanted to be but I started my SVQ in Hairdressing at Jewel & Esk College, then went onto do my SVQ in Beauty Therapy as well as working in Tesco which I really enjoyed.
By the time I was 19 I was working full time as an Admin Assistant at Blackhorse Finance, then a Collections Advisor. I can safely say I was hopeless at debt recovery and found it extremely difficult.
I felt sorry for people and wanted to help them but was too soft to be demanding money. I stuck it out for 7 years as I got involved in training which I enjoyed. I made a lot of great friends there as well as meeting my partner Peter so it wasn't so bad, however I decided to leave and go to college full time to do Counselling.
I loved the course and met some great people from all walks of life who really inspired me; it was a real eye opener. During my time as a student I worked part time at Scottish Water in the call centre as well as a checkout
supervisor and also pulling pints at Heriot's Rugby Club. By the time I finished college I was struggling financially so I ended up back in full time work for 3 years with Business Stream on project management with new connections which was very fast paced. I was still doing bar work at weekends and was also doing some volunteering in my spare. I wasn't enjoying the job even though I loved the people; it just wasn't not for me.
continued on page 8
SARA MCGEECHAN
I'm Sara and I'm 32, originally from Penicuik but now living in Edinburgh with my partner, his son Logan and our cat. I have been a Support Worker for Edinburgh Mental Health Service for just over a year now and can honestly say this job has changed my life. I was so grateful to be given the opportunity to be a Support Worker as I hadn't done support work before but I absolutely love it.
page 8
Our People
So I had to make a big decision - I could stay in office work for the salary but not be really happy or I could take the plunge and do something I really wanted to do which was support work.
I'd had a taste of working with people by volunteering with the charity Move On. I trained as a mentor to work with vulnerable young people and took part in a couple of youth projects locally in Pilton and Muirhouse working with lads from age 14 - 20. I teamed up with Garry Fraser, a film producer whom I knew from the area and we worked on a music video with a Scottish Rapper called MOG who really reached out to them. A year later we also worked with Edinburgh College at evening classes with the lads and we wrote and produced a short film called "Journeys" about the harsh reality with drugs violence and peer pressure of life in a scheme, so I got to do some acting. The film we made was a huge success and the young guys gained so much confidence and raw talent was obvious. Some came from tough backgrounds and just needed someone to believe in them. It was so rewarding to see them develop. The film was screened at Edinburgh College and presented to Kenny McAskill so it was quite a big event. This was one of the highlights in my life which I will never forget and gave me even more drive to pursue a career working with people.
My parents were a huge influence on me. My late father Henry was a people person. He was such a kind man who was
always there for others and the voice of reason in my family. My mum Catherine is also one of the kindest people you could meet, so she is also a huge influence in my life and my best pal. I like to think that I got my caring nature and passion to help others from them.
When I came across the vacancy for Mental Health support worker my gut feeling told me to go for it. It was never about money it was about what I wanted to do, make a career out of helping people. I was nervous about it as it was a huge change and a massive risk to take but I thought "well if you don't take a risk how are you going to know?", and I didn't want to get stuck in an office job miserable and regretting not taking the chance.
I am so glad I did as I have never been happier in a job. I love supporting the people in my service. I have met people from all backgrounds. I enjoy being able to use my own interests in music and animals (mainly cats) as well as cooking and can transfer these to support. I am all about having fun and like to focus on making people's support as enjoyable as possible but also being able to listen and offer emotional support and guidance. Everyone who I support has different needs and I find it easy to adapt to suit each person. I also work with more challenging mental health issues which I have adapted to very well. The challenges I face are vital as it's the best way to gain experience and develop my own knowledge and methods of working.
Seeing people feel good about achieving things makes me really happy which really keeps me motivated. There are some people who have no one, so making their day brighter or even just keeping them company with social support can go a long way to recovery and improving their quality of life. I am working towards my SVQ 2 and have almost finished it. I would like to go onto do my SVQ level 3 so I can work towards being a Senior Support Worker and eventually maybe even go on further once I get more experience. I really do love my job and would recommend support work to anyone who wants to help people; it's the best thing I have ever done.
When I am not being a Support Worker I enjoy spending time with friends and family. I love music and I really enjoy going to gigs. I am a huge Happy Mondays and Stone Roses fan. Although my clubbing days are well and truly over I still enjoy a wee boogie in the local and a shot on the karaoke. However, I do enjoy cosy nights in cooking or home baking and relaxing with my boys.
For anyone considering support work I would say go for it! As it can change your life. It has certainly changed mine and I have never looked back.
SARA MCGEECHAN continued from page 7
You meet so many different people with complex support needs and two days were never the same. I found it motivating wakening up in the morning not knowing what the day would bring and at the end of each work day I felt I had achieved something. Tenancy support is about supporting individuals in their homes or homeless accommodation. They have a wide variety of needs whether it's applying for benefits, they may have debts or they are being evicted from their home. We refer to other agencies if needed. Parkhead Lodge and St Andrews Street are for younger people, Klibreck House is for 25 years and older. The other services within MTAP are low needs and have mixed age groups.
Now I work at Parkhead Lodge. This service is for young people who are homeless for different reasons. It feels like being at home as I have two teenage boys, giving the guys the life skills they
Our People CAROLANN DOWDESWELL I am Carolann Dowdeswell I am 48 years old and this is my story. I have worked in MTAP (Midlothian Temporary Accommodation Partnership) for 11 years now, initially with Aspire, then in 2013 I transferred to Places for People Scotland Care & Support. Before I worked in MTAP I worked in bars as my two sons hadn't started school yet. I wanted to see my sons grow up and not miss out on anything before I got a career. Working in bars was like being a support worker as you got everybody's life story, which I found interesting, meeting different people from all walks of life. This job made me decide that I wanted to work with people and realised that I was a good listener.
I have had the privilege to have worked in all the services within MTAP. The most challenging service for me is Tenancy Support. I felt a passion for this service.
need to move on to their own place and giving them the opportunity to prove they can be independent by supporting them to do budgeting, cleaning and cooking. Some need to learn coping skills and sometimes emotional support. When one person moves on to their own property it inspires the others to do what they have done to move on. I feel it's giving them a fresh start in life.
Being in this line of work makes me grateful for the people I have in my life. Two and a half years ago I separated from my ex-husband after 22 years of marriage. A year ago I met a man that I was in love with 25 years ago. We have fallen in love again and plan to marry next year. Who says you are never too old to fall in love?
I am proud to be part of the MTAP team and feel privileged to be working alongside so many dedicated and experienced work colleagues.
page 1
Our People
I came to work in PfPSC&S as a Service Administrator in 2011 on a 24 hour contract with the East Craigs and Peffer Services. Since then my role has changed considerably and I am now working on a full time basis over a diverse range of Services - Learning Disabilities, Younger and Older People Services.
As a Service Administrator back in 2011 my role involved all aspects of admin duties from ordering office items, organising petty cash, telephone duties and different types of secretarial work. Previously I worked alongside my Line Manager Jennie Stansfield one day a week in a central role for the SMT team. This was a fantastic opportunity as I really got an insight into how the organisation worked which enhanced my office skills and confidence. My role has now changed to a to a full time Business Support Advisor, involving a diverse range of duties, such as supporting Service Managers and staff along with the SMT team. My duties involve Health and Safety, ECCO Support Hours, ARC Lone Working, Payroll and Business World etc. As I work in a different Service every day there is always something new and different that will come along - so I am never bored!!! I found it quite difficult at first supporting all these new Services but I can now say I am in my stride and enjoying the challenging and interesting work. I receive excellent support from Jennie Stansfield, Sharon Findlay and Heather Stoddart and we all work well as a team.
Previously my experience was in banking and I worked for HSBC for 2 years and then Standard Life Bank for 10 years in the credit control department mainly in mortgage arrears and fraud. In 2007 I moved to the West of Ireland and once again I worked in a banking environment. Unfortunately I was made redundant as the credit crunch hit Ireland and the UK. I hated being unemployed however I eventually got a job as hotel receptionist in a large hotel.
I then did a Beauty Therapy course and received a diploma in all aspects of beauty, massage etc. It was not really for me as I preferred the oral and written work to the practical side of things. After the course I worked for myself doing the beauty at home whilst doing an ECDL (European Computer Driving License) and communication courses, which I enjoyed immensely. Once again in 2011 work dried up in Ireland and I returned home to Scotland. I was very homesick by this time especially for my family and friends and made many trips back to Scotland. I still love Ireland and venture back about twice a year to catch up with everyone.
page 2
MAUREEN SHEVLIN
On my return in 2011 I started my job with PfPSC&S and I have never looked back. I could not go back to processing data all day (as in banking). I enjoy all the varied and interesting work that comes my way and I admit sometimes it can be challenging. I now have a grandson, Danny, who is 5 years old now, and has just started school - he keeps me young!!
My highlight with PfPSC&S was when I and other staff members from Peffer and East Craigs and people we support did a sponsored swim and raised over £500 for PfPSC&S at Dalry Baths. Once again this year in April I embarked on another sponsored swim - I swam a mile for Alzheimer's Scotland and raised £1,432 by setting up a Just Giving Page.
Our People
My name is Brian Hughes and I have been working for Places for People Scotland Care & Support since October 2015 as a Support Worker for the East Lothian service and stepped up to Senior Support Worker in 2016. I decided as part of my personal and professional development to volunteer as a befriender for a wonderful charity called LGBT Health and Wellbeing based in Edinburgh.
As part of the befriending I went through a week's training programme of LGBT+ issues that affect the over 50's. We discussed the different spectrum aspects of LGBT+ and the impact that this has now that people are getting older as statistics show that 1 in 5 LGBT+ people will be alone or socially isolated and many will suffer from mental health problems now or in the future as a result of the continuous isolation.
I was paired up with someone who is over 50 and considers themselves as non-binary but who also has autism and mental health issues, which was all a challenge. Whilst the mental health and the autism wasn't a challenge per se as I have experience in that in my work, the main challenge was working with someone who identifies as non-binary.
To give a bit of context. There are different sexual preferences. Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Non-Binary. For the context of this article I will focus on Non- Binary.
As a society there is masculinity or femininity. People who are non- binary consider themselves as neither. Non-binary people see that masculinity or femininity as a social construct that has developed over the centuries; for example male babies are dressed in blue whilst female babies are dressed in pink. Whilst different norms differ in different countries they are essentially the same and it is one of the last gender stigmas in our society for the most part. Therefore people who are non- binary do not define their gender. This is not to be confused with being a male or a female as this is determined by sexual characteristics.
So why was this a challenge?
I had to adapt to the way I spoke to them. I also had to use third person pronouns such as they, them and their. Even though the person I was befriending was a male physically they did not identify as male and I had to be careful not referring to them as he or him. Their dress sense was also different with many aspects of both masculine and feminine traits. Whilst this isn't always the same for every non-binary person their dress sense can be a part of their identity. Also helping them fill out forms can be awkward as a lot of them have masculine or feminine pronouns but a lot of banks and other companies now have the option of 'other' or one, ze, sie, hir, co, ey, or more commonly in the UK Mx.
It was extremely rewarding to be a befriender for this person. At first they identified themself as male probably in fear of being ridiculed but as time went on and once I got to know them better
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BRIAN HUGHES
they identified as non-binary and got to their true self better as they had been hiding their identity for a long time. Also my excellent training from PfPSC&S helped me prepare for the autism aspect of befriending someone and the befriending experience has helped me become, not only more aware, but also more experienced with being able to support someone who identifies as non-binary. Going forward I can also support in sharing my experience with colleagues by giving them the knowledge and the tools to help with the different approaches should we be supporting anyone who identifies not only non-binary but also other sexual and gender differences.
As June and July are the months where many countries celebrate pride events I feel proud that not only does PfPSC&S support individuals who are part of the LGBT+ community but also see hiring staff as part of that community an asset to the company.
Our People
Hello everyone, my name is Dionne McLafferty and I am a Support Worker at the Peffer Learning Disabilities Service. I have worked here over 3 years now and I still enjoy doing my job every single day.
I left school at age 16 and went to Stevenson College to study childcare which I did for 2 years and during this time I also worked part time in Matalan. After working in various nurseries, I moved onto the Royal Bank of Scotland, then to National Express at Waverley Train Station. I never found a job that was right for me and my personality as I like to learn every day, experience new things and challenge myself.
I found a job with Care Provider looking after people with learning difficulties. It was all new to me and I was very nervous to start with. However I got over my fears and it turned out to be the best career change I have ever done. I had now found a job that suited my needs. It was very challenging yet so rewarding and every day was different. I worked one to one with a woman who only ever stayed at home and watched TV. After working hard for months and months this woman was able to leave her home, go on her first bus journey, her first cinema trip and wore socks for the very first time. These were my highest achievements knowing I had improved this woman's life for the better.
During my time here I gained a lot of experience and qualifications (including my SVQ 2 & 3). I changed care plans from writing to pictures, becoming a Moving and Handling facilitator, and ran forums for the whole company. I moved around services to help open new services and also train staff.
After 6 years here I decided it was time to move on as I had gained a lot of experience and felt my skills could now be used on others in need.
I then joined Places for People at Peffer. I was really, really nervous when I started as it was such a big service and I never thought I would learn everyone's name. Through time I was able to learn everything and become a valuable member of the team. My manager Donna is very good at picking up on staff skills and strengths to use them for the service. I became the ECCO (electronic support plans) champion for the service, I draw the pictures for support plans and reviews and have organised large group trips to Fox Lake and Christmas shopping. I have organised holidays abroad and within the UK, I have helped decorate homes and I have been told I am very good with technology so I have helped staff and people we support with the uses of the iPad and Apps. Each day I am still learning and also developing my skills which just amazes me to this day and I look forward to what the future holds within the organisation.
Outside of work - I am involved in the Girl Guiding charity which I have been in now for over 24 years. I am a qualified leader running 3 units each week called rainbows, guides and senior section. These units are for girls aged 5-26 years old. I really enjoy my involvement with Girl Guiding, as it has given me a lot of skills and adventures over the years. We go camping every year indoors and out, swimming, archery, canoeing, rock climbing, attending concerts, holding fundraisers, Zumba, clubbercise, tree climbing and jumping, go karting and so much more. I am proud of my work and commitment to Girl Guiding and this shows because the girls never want to leave. So much so that girls who have become too old to attend are now leaders themselves running units and now I am training them to be qualified leaders also.
I am a very bubbly, happy, creative and sometimes mischievous person. I enjoy arts and crafts activities, from drawing, painting, hair and beauty, face painting. I like to stay in line with the latest trends so recently I have been making glitter glasses, nappy cakes, frog- tape decorating and baking from cupcakes to 3 tier smash cakes. I love to go swimming, I have also taught many others to swim over my years. I like to play football also (I may not be the best at this but it's a great feeling when you score a goal). I also like to play pool, attend cinemas and I am a great shopper who likes to find all the bargains. I love to make people smile and laugh, so this is when my mischievous side can come out, where I will tell jokes, or do silly things and sometimes even doing pranks by jumping out on people and saying boo. I'm a great believer in if you smile, you can transfer your smiles to others so it goes on and on and in turn making everyone smile and happy.
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DIONNE MCLAFFERTY
Our People
I am Elaine Haddow and I am the current Chairperson of the Places for People Scotland Care & Support Board.
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I left school at 17 and went to work in an insurance office as an office junior/ dogsbody. When I think of my seventeen year old self I wonder how I managed to get through a working day. I was painfully shy and petrified of doing something wrong. The boss was so rude and unpredictable, he terrified me and I vowed that I would never treat anyone the way he did. I didn't enjoy working there but a good distraction was to plan what I would buy on payday. My first monthly wage was £48 and I spent the lot on a hideous white afghan fur coat (very in at the time). As you can imagine my mother was less than pleased when I told her I had spent "my dig money". I had to borrow for the whole month just to get the bus fares to work. Budgeting clearly was not a strongpoint at 17 for me.
After a few months I decided insurance was not for me and I started my career in Glasgow District Council as a library assistant. I loved working in the Library. I met so many interesting people (one of them my husband) and to work with books was just great. I should mention I also blew my first wage there on a coat - a bit of a pattern emerging.
Next stop for me was housing and homelessness and there I stayed until I retired.
In 1985 my son Christopher was born and my daughter Kate followed in 1991. In 2010 we moved from Glasgow to Moffat in Dumfries & Galloway. Although Glasgow will always be special to me I just love living in Moffat.
Working full-time with young children I never felt I had the time or to be honest the energy to get involved in the local community. When I retired in 2011 I decided it was time for a change so I became active in a whole range of community activities. I'm involved in local volunteering and fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support. Also at this time I discovered a love of dogs. I have a cockapoo called Scout who is adorable.
ELAINE HADDOW
I am rarely seen in Moffat without my trusty Scout by my side.
When I retired in 2011 my job was Acting Head of Homelessness in Glasgow City Council's Social Services Department and although happy to be retired I still wanted to remain involved in some way in social care services. I had worked with Rhona Murray many years before and was delighted when the opportunity to join the Board came along. I have enjoyed my six years on the Board very much and feel privileged to be part of the organisation. The future holds exciting challenges as we become a standalone company and I predict great times ahead for 'With You'.
I've just turned 50 and I'm not sure where the years have gone. I'm also not sure how I ended up in Support Services, never mind Older People's Services. When I left school I was going to be a chef!
Since leaving school at 17 I have had various positions which have indirectly given me the skills and attributes that allow me to hold my current post of a Senior Support Worker. I had a college course lined up to move onto back then but at that time I worked in Saxone shoe shop in Princes street as a 'Saturday girl', that's what they used to call us. They had a full time position and offered it to me. The lure of making my own money persuaded me to take them up on their offer. I'm glad I did because who wants to be a chef with those unsocial hours? So I became their cashier and lasted a year before I met a boy and we moved to London. I lived and worked there for nearly 5 years as a relief manager for K Shoe shop. It was a good life for a young couple, but when I found out I was pregnant I wanted to come home to Scotland.
After I returned the relationship didn't last very long so I found myself at 22 years old a single mother, claiming benefits, for about 9 years, so I know how hard it is when you're naive and on your own. But I was very fortunate to have a family who provided love, stability and support for myself and my daughter, along with help with childcare to allow me to work so that I could stop claiming benefits and provide for my daughter and myself independently. A few other jobs got me through; in a local club behind the bar, this allowed me to work at night and still be there for my daughter, then another shop job. At this point in my life I decided I wanted to continue my education so I went back to school and became a 'mature student' ending up with a degree in Business Management.
Our People
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SHARON MELROSE
My daughter was working at the MTAP service in Midlothian, at that time it was another company who held the contract to provide support. I gained a position there. I was there about a year as a Support Worker when the services were tendered and Places for People won it, so I then worked for them. It could have seemed a bit uncertain for some people but I looked at it as a positive change, where I could expand my knowledge and skills. Later I saw a position advertised in the Older People's Services for a Support Worker, so applied and got the job and I've never looked back. Although at first the support structure was completely alien to me but after a bit I settled in well and eventually secured my current position of Senior Support Worker. I love my job. At times it's stressful but in a good way. It's a busy service which keeps me on my toes and it's a continuous learning curve and who doesn't want to keep in learning? Our aim is to provide support for people to stay as independent as possible for as long as is possible within their own home. Enabling people we support with various life issues, such as mental health issues, learning and/or physical disabilities, dementia, cognitive impairments, to fully participate in their support, make informed personal life choices and to communicate these to achieve outcomes which empower them and providing meaningful activity. I am very fortunate to work alongside a great team of people who have the interests of the people we support at heart, they work in a highly professional manner and are extremely flexible in their approach, whether it be with the people we support or with the wide range of external agencies we deal with on a daily basis. So I'm just going to keep on working there as long as they will have me. I'm currently working towards SVQ 3, having passed the SVQ 2 two years ago. This was provided by PfPSC&S and it's another challenge in my busy life, juggling personal family commitments, but worth the rewards when completed. Looking back I'm glad I have made the choices I have, especially not going to catering college to be a grumpy chef!!!
That made my mother very proud when I graduated, the first in the family. Through this I also had to work to keep money coming in. This is where I learnt good prioritising skills to achieve the goals I had set myself and meet deadlines. It wasn't always easy as life has a habit of getting in the way!
When my daughter had grown and was in her own house I decided that I had come to a stage in my career and life where I felt I was able to assist people with issues, so then chose a career change into support services, to offer help and support in someone else's life and to try to put back something into society.
Over the years I have realised that not everyone has this support system in place and that many people due to issues, for example, with mental health, substance misuse, physical incapacities or not able to deal with day to day issues and not find solutions without an additional help and support network.
I also have experience with my own family of alcohol misuse. My father was an alcoholic. For many years of my adult life I supported him through this until eventually through ill health he passed away. Although this lifestyle caused me issues in my own life, I learned to understand and accept that he was an individual who has the right to choose how he lived his life, without being judgemental.
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Our People
I have done a right mixed bag of things since leaving school in 2000. I was only 15 when I left school so wasn't sure what I wanted to be but I started my SVQ in Hairdressing at Jewel & Esk College, then went onto do my SVQ in Beauty Therapy as well as working in Tesco which I really enjoyed.
By the time I was 19 I was working full time as an Admin Assistant at Blackhorse Finance, then a Collections Advisor. I can safely say I was hopeless at debt recovery and found it extremely difficult.
I felt sorry for people and wanted to help them but was too soft to be demanding money. I stuck it out for 7 years as I got involved in training which I enjoyed. I made a lot of great friends there as well as meeting my partner Peter so it wasn't so bad, however I decided to leave and go to college full time to do Counselling.
I loved the course and met some great people from all walks of life who really inspired me; it was a real eye opener. During my time as a student I worked part time at Scottish Water in the call centre as well as a checkout
supervisor and also pulling pints at Heriot's Rugby Club. By the time I finished college I was struggling financially so I ended up back in full time work for 3 years with Business Stream on project management with new connections which was very fast paced. I was still doing bar work at weekends and was also doing some volunteering in my spare. I wasn't enjoying the job even though I loved the people; it just wasn't not for me.
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SARA MCGEECHAN
I'm Sara and I'm 32, originally from Penicuik but now living in Edinburgh with my partner, his son Logan and our cat. I have been a Support Worker for Edinburgh Mental Health Service for just over a year now and can honestly say this job has changed my life. I was so grateful to be given the opportunity to be a Support Worker as I hadn't done support work before but I absolutely love it.
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Our People
So I had to make a big decision - I could stay in office work for the salary but not be really happy or I could take the plunge and do something I really wanted to do which was support work.
I'd had a taste of working with people by volunteering with the charity Move On. I trained as a mentor to work with vulnerable young people and took part in a couple of youth projects locally in Pilton and Muirhouse working with lads from age 14 - 20. I teamed up with Garry Fraser, a film producer whom I knew from the area and we worked on a music video with a Scottish Rapper called MOG who really reached out to them. A year later we also worked with Edinburgh College at evening classes with the lads and we wrote and produced a short film called "Journeys" about the harsh reality with drugs violence and peer pressure of life in a scheme, so I got to do some acting. The film we made was a huge success and the young guys gained so much confidence and raw talent was obvious. Some came from tough backgrounds and just needed someone to believe in them. It was so rewarding to see them develop. The film was screened at Edinburgh College and presented to Kenny McAskill so it was quite a big event. This was one of the highlights in my life which I will never forget and gave me even more drive to pursue a career working with people.
My parents were a huge influence on me. My late father Henry was a people person. He was such a kind man who was
always there for others and the voice of reason in my family. My mum Catherine is also one of the kindest people you could meet, so she is also a huge influence in my life and my best pal. I like to think that I got my caring nature and passion to help others from them.
When I came across the vacancy for Mental Health support worker my gut feeling told me to go for it. It was never about money it was about what I wanted to do, make a career out of helping people. I was nervous about it as it was a huge change and a massive risk to take but I thought "well if you don't take a risk how are you going to know?", and I didn't want to get stuck in an office job miserable and regretting not taking the chance.
I am so glad I did as I have never been happier in a job. I love supporting the people in my service. I have met people from all backgrounds. I enjoy being able to use my own interests in music and animals (mainly cats) as well as cooking and can transfer these to support. I am all about having fun and like to focus on making people's support as enjoyable as possible but also being able to listen and offer emotional support and guidance. Everyone who I support has different needs and I find it easy to adapt to suit each person. I also work with more challenging mental health issues which I have adapted to very well. The challenges I face are vital as it's the best way to gain experience and develop my own knowledge and methods of working.
Seeing people feel good about achieving things makes me really happy which really keeps me motivated. There are some people who have no one, so making their day brighter or even just keeping them company with social support can go a long way to recovery and improving their quality of life. I am working towards my SVQ 2 and have almost finished it. I would like to go onto do my SVQ level 3 so I can work towards being a Senior Support Worker and eventually maybe even go on further once I get more experience. I really do love my job and would recommend support work to anyone who wants to help people; it's the best thing I have ever done.
When I am not being a Support Worker I enjoy spending time with friends and family. I love music and I really enjoy going to gigs. I am a huge Happy Mondays and Stone Roses fan. Although my clubbing days are well and truly over I still enjoy a wee boogie in the local and a shot on the karaoke. However, I do enjoy cosy nights in cooking or home baking and relaxing with my boys.
For anyone considering support work I would say go for it! As it can change your life. It has certainly changed mine and I have never looked back.
SARA MCGEECHAN continued from page 7