Helping people address their mental health issues and regain their independence

Binta is one of our support workers based in Islington in our London Mental Health team.

She recently shared insights into her role and the importance of one-to-one key worker sessions with residents.

“In my role I support independent living and the wellbeing of residents with mental health needs by ensuring they take any medications needed, engaging in conversations about their feelings and daily plans, and addressing any concerns they may have. 

As support worker we engage in key work sessions with residents every two weeks. Speaking to residents one-to-one helps create a safe environment for them to open up about the difficulties they are facing. We can identify any safety concerns and assess their wellbeing, which is very important for us as it builds trust, and we can set personal goals for them to work towards. I usually provide useful resources during these sessions such as breathing exercises and meditation techniques that can be used to reduce their stress and anxiety.  

Additionally, I often communicate with external healthcare professionals, such as psychologists and care coordinators regarding welfare, safeguarding and behavioural concerns. We discuss how we can tackle these challenges and meet the needs of our residents.  

There may be times when residents feel like a task is difficult to complete on their own. We’ll sit down and assist them when they need help with things like this. If any home repairs need to be completed residents let us know and we report this immediately. 

I believe that the most impactful interactions we have with our residents are the weekly social activities we organise as a team. We have two peer support workers within our team who facilitate these activities. Each week, we offer two different options - one day is dedicated to cooking, while the other day involves 10 minutes of light exercise followed by a refreshing break at the local coffee shop.  

When I observe the residents participating in these activities, it makes me happy. These interactions have a positive impact on their mood and outlook in life. Last year, our residents had the opportunity to go to the beach, they loved it!   

It’s an incredible experience being a support worker and working with residents because we witness the remarkable progress of our residents over the months and years, from their  wellbeing to the ability to manage tasks independently. This prepared them to move on to the next step of independent living.” 

Binta is one of our support workers