Staff Stories
I was a volunteer counsellor in 2001, then officially joined the charity in 2002 as the first worker in the newly formed DnA drug and alcohol service. It was a role I really enjoyed and was personally very passionate about. Sadly, after 15 successful years, the service lost its funding and was forced to close. I then moved to a new role with Supported Lodgings working within our West Berkshire contract. I thoroughly enjoy working with amazing young people who have been through so much.
There have been huge changes since I joined 17 years ago. At that time, Step by Step consisted of just two run-down buildings in Aldershot that accommodated people in the local area, and a youth service in a separate building close by. Now we have grown into a large charity with a specially designed headquarters, are operating in 6 counties and can offer a range of holistic services to meet the needs of young people. One consistent thing has been the passion and commitment of the team.
It is definitely the people who make Step by Step. It is a friendly and warm place to work, even though it is now a huge team operating right across the South of England. And of course there is the young people themselves – there is so much variety here that life is never dull at Step by Step!
Without a doubt it is the loss of funding for really valuable services. The current austerity measures have caused Step by Step to lose important services that enable us to work with the “whole person”, supporting a young person to get back on their feet, or even to get started in the first place. This rarely consists of addressing one issue, as often there are educational and employment needs, substance misuse, family breakdowns, bullying and self-esteem issues to name but a few. It is so sad when services that are set up to meet these needs are then lost.
I really love to travel. I am a regular visitor to India and love all things Indian. I also find exploring the English coast very relaxing. I love spending time with my grandchildren and we have a regular art club going on!
Step by Step’s Supported Lodgings has become the first service of its kind to achieve Ofsted accreditation. We are now the largest Supported Lodgings provider in the UK, as well as being considered the authority in the field.
