Over the coming weeks, we’ll be running a series of articles to highlight the great work in each of our zones - a series we are calling “In the Zone.”
The series gives the team in each zone to talk about their successes, what makes them tick, what makes the Housing First model great and give them a space to talk about their key achievements.
In the second of the series, we spoke to the team who deliver the service in Bury, Bolton and Rochdale - Zone B.
Team members: Liz, Nicola, Ciara, Yvonne, Fiona, Olivia, Sandra, Sharon, Sarah, Leoni, Jake, Jenny, Jane, Imogen, Vivan and Holly.
What is your team’s top 3 biggest achievements?
We work as a team, if anyone needs anything we are there for each other. We have the skills, knowledge and togetherness to overcome challenges.
We are unique in terms of the way the zone is made up – three separate organisations, three different expertise all working together to help people.
We are well respected within the partnership. Our costed case study was used as an example with Government, and some of our colleagues recently met with Paula Barker MP so that’s something to be proud of.
What makes your team unique?
Many things but the fact that we are the only zone that has a variety of working arrangements and patterns to accommodate work/life balance. Self-care is especially important in the work that we do and being able to meet the needs of staff to ensure we have the right people in post is positive.
Tell us something interesting/surprising about your team?
We have a wide range of age and experiences. People who have worked in other successful Housing First programmes, people who have been around since the start and people with innovative ideas to ensure we use creative solutions from the team to help the people we serve.
What thing as a team are you most proud of?
The thing we are most proud of is the passion and compassion that we bring to the job everyday. The validation of what we do is in the results we achieve.
What piece of advice/best practice would you give to other teams working in the multiple disadvantage space?
Have confidence in the skills in your team. We have all the expertise to make the right decisions for the people we serve – derived from all the services we deal with – to ensure we produce the right solutions and continue to change the narrative about the people we work with. No-one should be defined by their homelessness.
Sum up your team in three words? Dedicated/Empowering/Pioneering
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