Meet our staff - Rehan Majid

The trust has a wide variety of services and employs over 3,500  people, many of which carry out different roles. Through these blog posts, we aim to offer a snapshot of some of these roles by talking to people that either care, treatment and support.

Rehan speaking to a client at York Street Health Practice

Rehan Majid, a Client Support Worker at York Street Health Practice, has kindly shared with us an insight in to his role. 

Tell us what your role as a Client Support Worker involves...

The CSW role is very varied and diverse. I work with and across all client groups here at YSHP, helping, supporting, signposting and advocating in whichever support matter is raised with me, with the exception of Immigration. In this role, it is vital to be able to think and work on my feet and be able to be very resourceful and to be able to work under pressure.

Working with various clients across the practice is wonderfully diverse, and brings the best out of me as I have to be able to switch from one set of issues to another often in a very short space of time. In my professional opinion, it is imperative to have a basic understanding of various systems whether health, welfare or the Asylum Process.

Moreover, the role entails being able to go out and deliver presentations on issues that I care about very passionately and share information with whichever audience I have been requested to speak to. The teaching aspect is for me is equally wonderfully satisfying for me, as I am able to utilise and demonstrate skills that lay dormant within me.  

                                                                                                                                                                  

Why did you want to do this role?  

I wanted to do this role for several reasons – primarily to try and help make a difference to people’s lives, to do my best to be a strong advocate as possible for the most vulnerable client groups in today’s society. To be able to care for people and support as much as feasibly possible the most vulnerable client groups in our society. I already had some previous experience within the voluntary sector and prior to that in a College of Further Education as a Street Life Support Worker. Having being grounded and brought up with a very strong sense of social justice, it was a natural step in a sense to be able to contribute in a positive sense, and be able to put back into the local community after having fulfilled my academic responsibilities. To be able to care for and work with the various clients groups is an ultimate privilege and an honour, and is a very humbling experience.

  

What is the best bit about doing your job?

The best bit about doing my job is being able to help our service users, even if it just means being there to listen, as often clients are in crisis, immense distress and feeling very alone. Hence, being able to listen to and support, providing empathy and a listening ear is often very powerful and can give people the lifeline that is required. 

Being able to help in the process of change is a critical aspect and most rewarding aspect, particularly when I am able to witness at first hand the progress of a client is a tremendously profound feeling, as there is some sense of achievement in those particular scenarios.

Have you seen York Street change during your time in role?

I have been very honoured and privileged to be able to witness the journey of the York Street Health Practice since its inception four years ago. York Street has gone from strength to strength, working exceptionally hard to try and meet the needs of our most vulnerable service users. Recently, the practise achieved the GOLD LEVEL of Involvement Standards, as well as being praised by local, regional and national agencies and above all by Dr Stephen Field from NHS England.

There are many changes that occur on a very frequent basis; however one critical aspect is that the levels of high quality care are not affected. YSHP prides itself on very high levels of quality holistic care, a welcoming and non threatening atmosphere. 

Do you have a particular highlight from your career to date?

Working at York Street has been a pleasure and a privilege, there have been some very touching and heart warming moments where some of our clients have been able to say thank you in very profound expressions, to listen just for a few seconds and hear what it means to have someone to sit, listen and care for that individual at that time.

If someone was thinking of joining the trust in a similar role, what advice would you give them?

I would encourage that particular person to be non judgemental, caring and compassionate, and to be ready to be open minded for the journey of a lifetime ahead. Moreover, it is important to have an understanding and empathy and be able to demonstrate plenty of compassion. It takes a special kind of person to be able to undertake a role of this nature, and to have very strong interpersonal skills and high levels of cultural awareness.

Thanks to Rehan for taking the time to share this.