Olivia - Acting deputy manager

Tell us about the service you work in?

I work at Denecroft, it is a residential care home for six adults all of who have a visual impairment and learning disabilities. Three also have Down’s syndrome and one has highly complex multiple needs.

The house has a very vibrant feel to it, as we tend to always have music playing or instruments out to play as a group, and everyone joins in.

Denecroft is in a good central location close to Guildford the town and very much part of the community, with many activities that we attend locally based.

What kinds of support needs do the people at Denecroft have?

Due to the disabilities that the individuals have,  we do a lot of guiding as a sighted person for them and spend the time exploring people’s senses to help them enjoy their surrounding.

One person, who did not have a lot of confidence would tend to choose to not take part in activities. We tried to introduce more things to enhance their world and make it a bit more stimulating and interesting for them.

We did this through a number of sensory activities such as trying on perfumes or jewellery. The jewellery has been of great interest to her. She now uses beads to build her own necklaces. This has adds far more interest to the world around her and it something she has started to really enjoy doing.

Tell us about your career experience?

Before SeeAbility, I worked in recruitment, in an admin sales role. I felt that my job did not have a soul to it, and I did not enjoy it on a day to day basis. I wanted to do something with a bit more meaningful and something that I believed in.

I decided to look at volunteering with people with a visual impairment, as I had a particular interest in this due to a family experience.

Why did you decide to join SeeAbility?

Denecroft were looking for a friendship volunteer. I found out more about SeeAbility and was struck by the name, see-ability, it was a strong message as to what was being achieved, and that came through more when I joined.

Coming to Denecroft was like a little haven away from the day to day grind of business life. Everyone was so positive and engaging. Seeing the achievements that the individuals where making was very inspiring.

I learnt a lot from the people that live here, they don’t have the same inhibitions that other people have, they are not afraid to say hello and strike up a conversation.

I volunteered for about six months before I then applied for a job and started life as a staff member. I had no experience at all of being a support worker, but I was used to working with people who had disabilities through the volunteering roles I had been doing.

It helped greatly that I knew all the individuals and staff team. That is the main part of this role, you need to know and understand each person as an individual in order to support them. The rest just seemed to follow. 

Since then how has your career progressed?

The SeeAbility environment encourages people to achieve.

Since being a support worker I have progressed and been successful in becoming the Deputy Manager of Denecroft. The role is very rewarding and varied; from admin. to supporting an individual on a 1:1 basis.

It is really important to me to make sure I support the staff team and have a good relationship with the individuals living here by spending time with them each day. We always put the individuals here first in all we do.

SeeAbility is amazing organisation to work for. I fit in and am working in a career that is right for me.