Stewart | Faces of Futures

Stewart, Support Worker at Tollcross View

Hello, I’m Stewart and I’m a Support Worker at Hillcrest Futures’ supported accommodation at Tollcross View in Edinburgh.

The service provides safe and secure accommodation for men who have experienced homelessness. My role goes beyond being just a job, but offers an opportunity to have a meaningful impact on people’s lives. We offer stability, a clear path to achieving goals, and often a fresh start to those most in need.  Witnessing the journey of our service users as they make progress and achieve their goal of securing their own tenancy is a great feeling, and knowing we play a small part is very rewarding.

I chose to work in this area as I wanted to make a positive difference in people’s lives, be there for people who need it the most, and be part of an organisation that had compassion and a forward thinking, person centred approach to support at its core.

We have a great team at Tollcross. Everyone works together towards the same goals, shares ideas and supports each other. We work collaboratively with the other departments in Hillcrest such as Housing and Tenancy Sustainment to help our service users achieve their goals.

I believe the most important qualities for some one considering a career in support work are empathy, patience and being a good listener. I would say to anyone considering a career in support that many of the skills needed for success in the role can be gained through diverse life experience. It’s possible that individuals already possess the skills and qualities without realising it.

We have a flexible working environment at Tollcross, which allows me to balance my work and personal responsibilities. This also offers me the confidence to manage my workload independently where possible.  I often have the opportunity to work a 4 day week which is great for work life balance.

My personal highlight at work is going along with service users to check out their new homes for the first time. It’s great to witness the progress people have made and to feel a small part of their journey.