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02:04 on 6 January 2009
Staff StoriesStaff Stories |
| Why we work here - Women's Day Centre Staff
Maria Hagi-Pavli Since working in the day centre I have a vision of the world very different from the one I had before..Some of our clients are between two worlds, trying to forget one life and start another with all the fears still remaining from the first one. No matter how huge their problems are, they always give us these wonderful smiles that this gives you the energy to carry on working with them. Maria Gento I love to work at the Women's Day Centre because it is gives me the opportunity to develop new skills and to grow personally and professionally. I feel I am giving a lot but I am receiving a lot as well. What is very unique about the Day Centre is the support and solidarity between the team! It is like a family. Ingrid Lorenzo The Project is committed to empowering homeless women from different cultures, belief's and backgrounds. This has helped me to work closely with clients and to focus on people. Seeing these women move on and gain education, achieving things for themselves and their communities gives me satisfaction in my job. Ajebush Tesfazhi Working for the Day Centre fulfils all the ideas I had before about becoming a full time volunteer. This is a meaningful placement where I am in contact with people and have the opportunity to be with them in their every day lives. I am allowed to use my skills and interests and I get support from a great team to develop. Pavla Jiraskova I enjoy the diversity of the clients and each day I learn something new about the problems that many of them face in trying to maintain and move on in their lives. The work can be stressful and demanding especially when trying to advocate on our clients behalf with a broad range of issues, but we receive excellent training in order to be able to carry out our work in the most effective way. I also enjoy working with the rest of the team. Jacqueline Johnson The work is varied, challenging and rewarding. No two days are the same which I find exciting. I like working with women and being in an all female environment. At the Day Centre I feel that we are all professionals who are creative, driven and willing to go that extra mile to help women in need overcome their obstacles. I believe that we create and maintain an environment that is welcoming and that we have a strong team that work really well together. I feel proud to work at the Day Centre. Noelle Rault
Why we work here - Mental Heath Unit New challenges make me a better person I faced new challenges when starting my work at The Marylebone Project in January 2000.I knew that I had the experience and skills to apply to my new job in the Mental Health Unit but had to be sensitive to the fact that my clients were now women and not men. I work across race, culture and faith and have found that the resilience and strength of these women is inspirational. My work here has made me a better person and a better man, and I have forged some strong, professional relationships with women in supporting them on their personal journey toward a confident future. It is easy with this sort of work to feel overwhelmed, but we must remember that the stories and experience of our clients are such powerful tools. If we listen to our clients and let them tell us about the reality of their lives, we can better advise on what they need to recover. Marc Ellin
Discovering strength and beauty Before I came to the Marylebone Project, I was aware of the stigma that surrounds both mental health and homelessness. Working here has developed my empathy and understanding of some of the struggles that each of our residents face on a daily basis. I have learnt to question some of my own belief systems and to challenge some of my own behaviours. I find strength and beauty every day reflected in my co-workers, and in the residents. The time and the effort that the staff members put into our residents, shows that this is not 'just a job'. Although there is a huge sense of personal satisfaction in helping someone to get back on their feet, there are the times when this just does not happen. The feeling that we have failed someone is not a pleasant one. I have learnt in my role as support worker to avoid disempowering my residents, and to resist the temptation to think that I know better than they do when it comes to the running of their life. I'm learning to be sensitive to the individual needs and ideas of each resident, and to accept the fact that each day is different .My time so far has been both challenging and rewarding as I find that every day I feel myself developing both as a support worker and as a person with each new interaction, each new situation that occurs, and every new person that I meet. Samantha Tinkler
Challenging and rewarding Monique joined the project in 1996 and comments ... Working in the Unit has been an invaluable experience as well as being demanding and relentless. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to work in such a challenging and rewarding environment. I ended my first day in Unit feeling overwhelmed, bewildered anxious and confused and this experience serves as a constant reminder to me about the importance of being clear, simple and open with residents and to encourage them to tale responsibility for their own well-being. Monique Williams
Why we work here - Elgood House Staff I enjoy being part of a supportive team that provides a meaningful service. I feel there is an opportunity to learn new skills and take on new challenges and the fact that I have a chance to work with people from various walks of life! Angie Mack It is great having a direct involvement in women's lives, seeing them develop in confidence and self esteem and move on in their lives. Deborah Shearing I am very happy to work for Church Army and I like the fact that we respond to those in need. Hannah Abate
Marylebone Project, 1 - 5 Cosway Street, London NW1 5NR |
I love working at the centre because it is all about helping to create change in women's lives. Their problems are often complex and require more than just short term or quick fix solutions. Progress and movement takes time and while you wait there are no guarantees that things will alter. But change does happen and it is well worth the wait and the anticipation.  |
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A partnership between Church Army and Portman House Trust