I Think We Need To Stop

In my work as a social worker, it had stuck in my mind that one of the parents at the recent values-based leadership experience had said ‘it’s the small things that make a difference’. I realised that we were asking too much of a mother I was working with. Every service had bombarded her with information all at once. I said, ‘I think we need to stop! We are giving you mountains to climb’ – and she said ‘yes, and I can’t even get out of bed’. So, I changed tack and instead I asked, ‘what can I do today?’ She said the issue was her heating – she’d not had heating for over a year. We got onto her landlord, and it was fixed within a week.
The relationship has built from there, and we do small tasks every week, things like making the house more homely. She really responds positively to this approach. She decides what’s important and we tackle it together, but she takes the lead. Her child is back home with her now and is off the child protection register. Things aren’t entirely sorted out, but the prospects are much better as she does engage with most services now.

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Your experience of WM2U

I’ve been given the opportunity through WM2U to have that voice and say ‘I think maybe something is needed in the community. This might help a lot of people.’ And they’re actually listening. They’re not dismissing it, they’re actually saying ‘aye, we kind of agree…’ That, in itself, is such a proud feeling for me. Not just to be heard, but to be appreciated.

I didn’t expect any of this to be happening. Not at all. I thought it was one of those ones, ‘Oh, they say they’ll help…. and then they leave’ …..WM2U they’re always there…standing right behind us. It gives me the gee-on to do more.

You’re always heard, made to feel part of anything. If you have ideas, you’re never ever made to feel it’s silly.