“Just knowing you have helped someone is the most amazing feeling”
For Rebecca Simpson helping people was always something she wanted to do. The 27-year-old mum didn’t have a previous career in social care, but admitted she always knew she wanted to make a difference to people’s lives.
After applying for the role as a Support Worker with Belfast Central Mission’s housing support, Rebecca got an interview and was offered the job within a few days.
“Helping people was so important for me. I never knew how to do it professionally until I saw the opening for this job, and now I can help so many people every day.”
Speaking about the transition into a role in social care, Rebecca explained, “Although I didn’t have much experience in the field, starting to work in social care was so smooth. It was such a natural change for me, I was taking a step in the right direction and it felt so good.”
Belfast Central Mission housing support helps young people between the ages of 16 and 25 find the right housing situation for them to be safe and flourish in their lives. As a part-time employee, Rebecca typically has between 10 to 12 young people assigned to her.
“There’s so much more to it than just finding a house. We take on board everything; mental and physical health, budgets, support networks and independent skills. We are able to craft the best path for a young person based on all of this,” she said.
The length of time the young person needs support from our service is based on their needs, Rebecca explained.
“They can be with us for up to two years. We do a review every six months, so we may find they no longer need the support.”
As social care workers we take a person-centred approach so solutions are based on individual needs, ensuring each day is completely different.
Talking about a typical day, Rebecca said, “Every day is a learning experience. I work with so many young people with such unique and individual needs . Their lives are all on different paths, so each requires their tailored support to enable the individual to become as independent as they can.”.
“One day I could be helping someone move into their new house, and the next day I could be helping them sign up to an educative programme. However, the main thing I help with is providing support for them to navigate their housing situation. I help them find their way to independent living and safe accommodation.
“Your house is your home and your whole life revolves around your home. It’s so very important.”
One situation which sticks in Rebecca’s mind, was a young girl she helped with housing at the very beginning of her career.
Rebecca explained, “This person kept getting rejected from housing, for various reasons out of her control. It was difficult to watch, but we kept trying and eventually, she got accepted, and she’s still living there now.
“From that point, everything fell into place for her. Her mental health improved and her finances started getting better, it was so incredible to watch. It really shows how important getting a home is for someone.”
Not only does this bring a sense of accomplishment to the young person, but Rebecca feels rewarded too.
Although the job comes with a great sense of achievement, it also comes with challenges, mainly when young people face rejection.
She said, “A lot of people we work with are at school leaver age and may be relying on benefits. If they’re trying to go into the rental sector then landlords are not willing to accept their applications and this can be due to having no references or history with maintaining a tenancy.”
“It’s horrible to see them excited at possibilities, only for them to then be told no. Everything just starts crashing down. We do everything we are capable of to help them and you can feel affected by it too. If as a support worker you start to feel overwhelmed, we have supports in place. There are colleagues we can speak to for our own mental health. Everyone is so understanding.”
For Rebecca, one of the most important things in her job is building a relationship with the young person as this will help them open up more.
“You have to build a rapport with the people you work with. We come into their lives to try to help them as best as we can. They need to know they can come to us with issues and questions,” she explained.
“The job is about working in partnership with people. If they don’t want us to come to their house, we’ll meet them at a coffee shop. There are ways to navigate the relationship and over time the trust will come.”
Speaking about the advice she would give anyone pursuing a career in social care, Rebecca said kindness is the most important attribute to have.
“There’s never a dull day, if you think you can do it, go for it. You need to be compassionate, kind and always look at the positive side of things. You can’t fake it in this job, you really have to want to help people.
“It’s tough at times, but it keeps getting better and the good definitely outweigh those times. Just knowing you have helped someone, even in a small way, is the most rewarding feeling.”
Want to find out more about Rebecca’s story? Listen to the Care to chat? podcast episode.
Feeling inspired? Working together to change people’s lives… Make a difference by embarking on your journey into social care. For more information on how you can start your journey check out our A career in social care page or read more social care stories here.
ENDS