For me Great Interactions is showing genuine warmth and encouragement to any person I meet or speak with, getting communication right and trying to make sure that I’ve have a positive impact on the other person.
I often have the pleasure of someone who uses our services visiting or calling the office and although it’s very busy I will always try and make time to listen to people, catch up and show how genuinely pleased I am to see and hear from everybody.
I try to always be very aware of my interactions and think about things from the other person’s perspective. A big office building can be intimidating and confusing so if the person has never visited the office before I will offer to show them around, guide them to any facilities they may need to use and I answer all their questions as best I can.
On occasions I’ve even had offers of help with my work. One of the people that lives at Bisley Close helped me one afternoon to put stamps on a large pile of post. She was very chatty and it was clear she enjoyed helping and I really enjoyed working alongside her.
Another part of my job involves communicating with people via letter or email. When I write letters to people I always try and think outside the box to make the letters or documentation accessible. I did Accessible Information training and learnt how to do this to MacIntyre’s Guidelines, using Photosymbols and ensuring all wording is informative but easy to understand.
I have recently filled out an application to become a volunteer support worker for MacIntyre, Worcestershire services. I’m hoping that I’ll develop my skills further and have more Great Interactions.
Dawn Pursey, Administrator - Worcestershire