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A week in the life of… a youth support worker
Treaser Jassal, support and evaluation co-ordinator at Poplar Harca in London, gives us an overview of her typical week
Monday
I start my week by supporting young people through Health Spot, the in-house GP service of Spotlight, Poplar Harca’s youth service. It offers confidential medical appointments.
I book young people in and manage referrals from schools and social services. If the young person is reserved or nervous, I can accompany them to appointments. I’m a friendly face that acts as a bridge between them and the NHS.
Tuesday
I’m busy filling in monitoring and evaluation forms to help make young people aware of what to expect from a GP. I help them to understand their health rights, as well as access council discounts and sexual health services.
We’re also collecting data and feedback for our end-of-year report to the GP care group. It’s a big evaluation piece with lots of case studies.
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Wednesday
I’m working on Breaking the Cycle, an early-intervention programme that targets young people at risk of exclusion, anti-social behaviour and exploitation.
We provide face-to-face support to young people and their families, and deliver workshops on the various issues they may be facing. The one I’m doing today is about social media and identity.
Thursday
Every week I run Girls Club, a group for young people who identify as female to get creative with activities like art, baking and sports. It’s a great way to try something new, build confidence and make friends.
We had over 20 people in the session, where we talked about body image and period poverty.
The incredible thing about Spotlight is that we’re truly youth-led. We always consult the young people first on the type of activities they want to get involved in.
Friday
I supported a pregnant 16-year-old and her boyfriend who came to me for guidance on the best way to tell their parents about the pregnancy.
As the girl was concerned about her parents’ reaction, I advised her to tell them in a safe place. I also helped the boy to access employment support. The couple were able to tell their parents without a negative reaction and felt supported in their decision to keep the baby.
Days like this remind me why we need more youth workers. We build trust and relationships with young people and offer them support with housing, health and lots more. It’s so inspiring to watch the impact it has on their lives – especially when you can see them growing into adults and achieving their full potential.
A week in the life series
Our ‘A week in the life’ series features housing professionals talking through what they do in their job on a day-to-day basis.
Find out about the different challenges housing workers in a variety of roles face in a given week.
We aim to feature staff from housing associations, ALMOs, local authorities and more.
Click here to nominate yourself or a colleague for inclusion
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