Rachel - Supported Lodgings

When did you join Step by Step?

It’s coming up to 15 years. I remember starting and being near in age to some of the young people in the service at the time. It opened my eyes to the issues affecting young people massively.

What does your role involve?

My role involves assessing new young people that are referred to us, being there to support hosts and young people, and assessing new hosts that would like to come on board with us. I am lucky enough to say that I look forward to coming to work each day.

Before this, I’ve had the privilege of working in every young person-facing service at Step by Step.

What were you doing before you came to Step by Step?

I had various jobs but never really felt like I found the right thing for me. I had done some voluntary youth work with 11-16 year olds, so when I saw the job at Step by Step, I thought I’d apply.

What inspires you to work in the area you do?

I think it’s the challenges I went through growing up; I guess it taught me some empathy. I want young people to be heard and have support, and I believe no young person should be written off because of things they’ve experienced in their past.

I have seen through my line of work, and all the other brilliant work across the charity, that with enough adult encouragement, compassion and resources, young people can overcome tragic beginnings and have fulfilling futures.

What’s the best thing about working for Step by Step?

The Supported Lodgings hosts and young people are admirable and inspirational. The young people that come to us have faced trauma and adversity through no fault of their own. When you learn how much they have been through, it’s incredible when they choose optimism in the face of adversity.

The hosts are real life heroes. How they open their hearts and homes to a young person is so humbling. It’s lovely to see a host and young person build a relationship, especially when you have been part of the process.

What’s the most challenging thing?

The challenges which are hard to digest at times are the ones that are right at the top – funding cuts, changes to government policies. These things are out of our control, but they don’t mean we stop moving forward to try and make a difference.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love spending time with my children, friends and family. I exercise, read and bake. An art exhibition and some live music are good for my soul!

What might people be surprised to find out about you?

I struggled all through school with a late diagnosis of dyslexia. However, when I met my best friend at college, she gave me this unspoken confidence and the humanness I needed to finally believe in myself, that I could have a place in this world somewhere.

Now I always remember, if you have someone who believes in you – and that only has to be one person – you can thrive and reinvent yourself to be the person you want to be.