“Their journey is like Jenga blocks. Each step is a block and while it may fall down, it can always be rebuilt”
For 37-year-old Lauren Magowan, helping people has always been her calling. Hailing from the Ards Peninsula and now living in Dundonald, she knew from an early age that social care was her path. Even during her school years, her interest in people and their wellbeing was evident.
“I have always had an interest in social care. When it came to choosing my next steps, I knew it would be along those lines,” Lauren reflects.
Lauren studied a degree in Health and Social Care Policy at Ulster University, where she completed a placement at a Simon Community hostel in Bangor. This experience solidified her passion, and she has not looked back since.
“Right after I graduated I saw a job listing for Simon Community, so I decided to go for it. I was so shocked when I got offered it, but I have been with them ever since, which shows what a great organisation it is to work for” she explained.
Her first role was as a Support Worker in a Bangor hostel, where she developed a strong interest in supporting people who were struggling with drugs and alcohol addiction, leading to her current specialty.
After some time at the Bangor hostel, Lauren applied for a position with the Drug and Alcohol Outreach Team within the same organisation.
While she had to find her footing and become familiar with the tasks involved, building relationships came naturally to her.
Lauren is part of the drug and alcohol outreach team in the south east area which means that she goes to the people that use the service she supports.
“We’re outreach, which means we go to them. Every day has different appointments, so I could be travelling around, but on Tuesdays, we hold a drop-in session in Bangor,” Lauren explains.
“We offer start-to-finish care. Some people may be unsure if they want to, or are ready to make changes, or they may have been referred by another agency. We help them explore their ambivalence and use screening tools and motivational interviewing to aid them in setting their own goals. If they decide they are not ready to make immediate changes, we work with them to ensure that they are using in a safer way. We focus on a harm reduction, person-centred approach. We support people from this stage, through the cycle of change to maintenance and relapse, including addressing all aspects of care, including benefits, employment, family, and physical and mental health and well-being.”
While Lauren typically has an idea of what her meetings will entail, some days take unexpected turns.
“I could arrive at someone’s house to talk about their substance use, but find them without heating, electricity, or food. I immediately restructure the visit and head straight to the food bank to get them what they need,” Lauren said.
“The whole service is person-led. We meet them where they are and do what they want to do. It’s crucial for building relationships,” she emphasises.
For Lauren, the relationship with the people she supports begins the very moment they receive a referral.
“At the beginning, it’s easy to worry about how the service user will perceive and engage with you. But it’s all about being persistent. Many of the people I support appreciate how I help them. I don’t show up with a clipboard, judging someone’s life. I work at their pace,” she said.
Lauren finds the most rewarding part of her job is the motivation and progress of the service users, inspiring her to help even more people.
“I come away from conversations with a sense of accomplishment, not just for me, but for them too. I love hearing stories about how their lives have changed since they started working with us. The connection is incredible,” Lauren explained.
One of the main things Lauren tries to emphasise to the people she supports is while they may make positive changes, sometimes they can relapse, which she can also help them through.
She said, “I always compare it to Jenga blocks. Every positive step they take is a new block added to the stack. Yes, mistakes may be made and the stack may fall, but it can always be rebuilt.”
One memorable case for Lauren, and the one which concreted her passion for the field, was when she was working in the hostel a young male who was a very quiet reserved person confided in her one day and first made the emotional admission of his struggles with alcohol.
“He drank a lot but hid it. The first time he ever spoke about it, he came to me and stated that he felt like a ‘dirty alcoholic’ because this is what he perceived himself as. That floored me. I spoke with him for hours that day and discussed how his addiction, and labels, do not define him. He was holding it in for so long, and I’m glad he confided in me,” Lauren recalled emotionally.
From that conversation, Lauren helped the young man into Community Addiction Services. His life improved significantly and Lauren supported him to secure his own tenancy and gain employment. He is now married with children, and working in social care himself.
In her social care role Lauren currently faces challenges that are out of her control, including an increased circulation of dangerous drugs being mis-sold as different substances, intentionally cut with anything from other drugs to dangerous chemicals, increasing the risk of overdose.
“The batches of drugs that are out there are a huge concern. There have been a lot of overdoses lately, which is heart-breaking. Vulnerable people go for cheaper drugs without realising the dangers. All we can do is raise awareness of the dangers and consequences as much as possible,” she explained.
Another challenge is reaching extremely rural areas where people lack access to services or are unaware of support services available.
“Rural areas with poor transport and few, if any, amenities, are often unaware that we provide a service they don’t have to travel for. I drive to these areas to put leaflets in shops. We just need people to know we can help them,” Lauren explained passionately.
There is also a stigma around substance use and addiction – both for users and society. There are pre-conceptions around what drug users are and it can turn into a vicious circle.
Lauren’s social care journey continues as she was recently promoted to manager of the drug and alcohol team with the Simon Community.
Her advice for aspiring social care workers who would like to work in this specialist area of social care is simple: “Do it! Do it and do it well. Always be yourself. The people you support will relate to you when you are genuine. Be interested in their lives, listen and support them through everything you can.”
Referrals can be made through the Simon Community website: simoncommunity.org/services/seoutreachteam or via email at: seoutreachteam@simoncommunity.org or telephone on: 07425623563.
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