Whilst caring for service users is extremely rewarding, working alongside such dedicated staff is equally as important in motivating me. Reflecting on my career path, I could not have progressed without the invaluable help and encouragement from my managers and other work colleagues.”

In my current role as a Community Services Coordinator at Community Space, I am responsible for providing a comprehensive management service for clients and staff. My role involves the supervision of two teams, the Community Team and Barnet Independent Living Team. In this role, I oversee a number of staff providing high-quality care for over fifty service users with a wide range of learning disabilities. Our focus is to support people to develop their skills, gain more independence and engage in their communities.

I originally started working at Your Choice Barnet as an agency support worker in 2012 while still studying at University completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources Management with Sociology. After working across all the YCB schemes I progressed to a Business Support Officer covering financial and administrative tasks for Community Space, Supported Living and Valley Way. In 2016, I then progressed to a Community Service Coordinator at Community Space, working with Support Worker, Assistant Support Workers, and service users.

I am very passionate about what I do. I have always wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and this role provides me with the opportunity to do so. My previous job in business support and background in HR has enabled me to gain good people and communication skills. When undertaking my previous roles, I was always keen to observe how support staff worked; I perceived it as an opportunity to learn and reflect to prepare myself for the future.

The service users at Community Space are amazing people, I get great job satisfaction working with them. There is a good balance between being in the office and engaging with people. I enjoy managing while working alongside inspirational staff and service users.

Communication is paramount in this role, as I am required to work across departments and directorates, fostering strong working relationships with existing colleagues and clients. I have the instinct to identify, plan and execute tailored Person-Centred Planning with prospective clients, as well as the communication skills to identify client’s needs and match them to the appropriate service.

I have taken every opportunity to enhance my own professional capabilities through training, and have sought out every opportunity to become adept at delivering this training to others. I have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to facilitating improved performance at all levels, with the involvement of a range of institutions and courses.

An important moment in my journey was to temporarily step in when our manager was off sick. It was an emotional time for the whole team, I had to live up to expectations and effectively listen and support our staff and service users. I did the best I could, and with great support from my team, this was a useful learning experience.

Whilst caring for service users is extremely rewarding, working alongside such dedicated staff is equally as important in motivating me. Reflecting on my career path, I could not have progressed without the invaluable help and encouragement from my managers and other work colleagues.