What can I say about my day? Only that no two are ever the same.  There’s always usual things like answering e-mails and reviewing targets but the participants that come on the project and the work we do in sessions make the job fabulous.  

The first thing I do when I start work is put the kettle on; I’m guessing that I’m not the only one that needs a boost of caffeine in the morning.  During my coffee, I check my diary and see what I have planned for the day.  I send text reminders to all participants that have appointments with me (many of our participants have complex needs and can easily forget). 

Then my appointments start.  The first participant does not want to be seen at the Scarborough Hub as he has old associates there that he is trying to avoid in the area.  His appointment therefore is at a café or the Library where he feels safe and does not have to worry about who he sees.  

I quickly check his notes to see what we have covered in our last session and head off out.  When I arrive I think it’s important to have a bit of a “check in” to see if any new barriers have presented since our last appointment.  He tells me about his week.  

Unfortunately, he is in crisis.  He has been sanctioned after missing an appointment at the JCP and has no money for a week.  I suggest to him that he could get support from the local food bank to tide him over but he doesn’t want to go because of his old associates.  I tell him that I will phone ahead and go down with him to collect it which he agreed to. 

I remember that his paperwork needs updating and that we only have an hour booked in together but his wellbeing takes precedent.  We go and collect the food which he is really grateful for and before he gets on the bus thanks me for listening to him.

I now have three minutes before my next appointment so I run back to the Hub where another participant is waiting.  She wants to start her own business dress making.  She has health problems so is hoping to work from home.  She has been tasked with drawing some designs which she has brought to the session that are amazing and tells me that she has taken my advice and done some market research in several local clothes shops.  

We are working on a business plan together and she is going to produce a prototype dress in the coming weeks that can be taken to local shops.  I call one of our partner agencies that help with new business and an appointment is made for her to go and speak to a business advisor. She tells me that because of her anxiety she doesn’t want to go alone so I agree to go to the appointment with her for moral support.

As she leaves the hub my phone starts ringing; it’s another participant that has gone to a course in Eastfield and is completely lost.  I call them back so that they don’t waste their credit and quickly jump on my laptop to search google maps.  I manage to guide the participant to the training centre and he arrives on time and safely.

Now it’s lunchtime and I have half an hour before my next participant arrives.  I quickly book in my first participant for his next appointment and text him the details (1½ hours to do the paperwork) and confirm that I can make my second participant’s appointment with the business advisor.

My phone rings; it’s my next participant asking to rebook his appointment.  This has become a bit of a pattern with this participant.  We have a long talk about his barriers to attending appointments at which point he confides that he can’t always find the bus fares into town. I explain to him that as long as he has a ticket the project is able to reimburse travel to his appointments and he promises to attend his next one on time.

I now have a free hour.  Time to prioritise.  I have three days’ worth of case notes to catch up on, appointments to make and letters to send.  I decide that the case notes will have to take precedent on this occasion as I see many participants on the project it’s very easy to fall behind.  All my case notes are completed; just in time.  

I have booked three hours out of my diary to spend with my next participant.  He has a job interview coming up and has no suitable clothing to attend his interview.  He is also very anxious as he hasn’t found work in eighteen months.  After submitting his CV that we built together in a previous session, he is now hoping for employment.  

The session is split into two halves; firstly we have a role play exercise where I play a potential employer and ask him generic interview questions so he has a good idea of what he may be asked and he finds this very helpful.  Secondly, I take him for his hair cutting and help him pick out some suitable interview clothes that were purchased by the project.  He feels amazing and this has given him the confidence to attend his interview.

After this, I return to the Hub where I spend ten minutes reflecting on my day so far.  Reflection is a key part to this job role as each participant deserves your undivided attention.

My last participant arrives; he doesn’t want to have his review and only wants to talk about how his life is going and what he’s been up to.  I agree to postpone his review to his next session.  The participant and I have a confidential discussion that won’t be written up and added to his file.

Before I know it, it’s home time. But what a privilege it is to be a part of my participants’ journeys.