Day in the life of a Homes with Support coach

Anita discusses the realities of applying for asylum, the importance of understanding different cultures and football rivalries…

Before I joined Squared, I worked as a Resident Support Worker whereby I helped and supported tenants who were recently released from prison and help give them the support they needed to keep them to the terms of their tenancy and away from crime. When they were ready to move on, I worked with our partners to help them find suitable accommodation, training and work.

At Squared I work with Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children/minors (UASC), who are usually aged between 16-18 years old. We usually begin by helping them set their goals based on their immigration status. This requires a variety of areas which can include information on the use of interpreters, providing advice, support and welfare along with explaining the appeals processes where necessary. 

The asylum process is complicated and young people can find the process daunting, confusing and overwhelming. It is important that they are supported throughout the process and have legal representation to help them navigate the complex system.

Day to day I set out to help our young people with independent living skills such as cooking and helping to keep their rooms tidy, ultimately so they can manage a home and take care of themselves. We also help with enrolling them into education such as into college or virtual learning to complete ESOL lessons in both English & Maths.

I like the fact that critical to my role is being able to build trust with our customers, helping them understand their rights, and seeing young people rebuild their lives. I admire our customers, who have often faced significant trauma while trying to adapt to living in a new country and learning a new language. 

Being sensitive to other cultures is essential. Our customers come from different backgrounds, with different traditions, customs and first languages so it is important to understand their perspectives and ways of life and get them to understand ours and the way we live.  

Most of the challenges I encounter with our customers is the waiting, such as waiting for the interview date from the Home Office to decide their future. Some of our customers have had their first interview whereby they have had their fingerprints taken and have been given an age assessment to prove their age. Some of our clients maybe suffering from or have physical disabilities as well as mental health problems, most commonly post-traumatic stress disorder, depending on their journeys to get to the UK, so it’s important they are supported with this. It can be a challenge getting them the right medical treatment, such as booking an appointment at a dentist or trying to get a doctor’s appointment.

Outside of work, my hobbies and interests vary. I love swimming, so once a month, me and my friends go for a Spa weekend to unwind where we sing, soak, swim and get pampered! I also have a passion for music, whether that is playing or listening to music or more likely singing.

My other passion is sports especially watching football. I do live in a divided household as while I’m a Manchester United supporter, my husband and sons are Arsenal supporters! So you can imagine our house when those teams are playing each other…

One of the reasons why I chose Squared as a company I would like to work for is because of it’s approach to agile working, it suited me down to the ground. It also has a multicultural workforce and offers great benefits, especially for someone of my age. 

I also work with some great team members who support one another in what can be a stressful and challenging role. Knowing you have a team that supports you helps bring out the best in yourself, which helps us provide a better service for our customers and ultimately inspire lives.