There are also many administrative tasks to be done and one day a week Andrew comes in to manage the financial aspect of the projects.
Andrew is rather quiet, can be very uncomfortable with crowds and he finds it hard to meet new people. However, his numeracy skills have proven to be excellent. I have worked with Andrew and shown him how to total a column of figures (which he can do in his head) and then how to break the cash down into denominations in order to check the cash balances against the list.
His attention to detail is excellent and Andrew makes very few mistakes. With little support he managed to successfully balance the month end takings and list them in the bank deposit books.
The next step was learning where the money went, so I asked Andrew if he would accompany me to the bank to deposit the cash. I recognised that this was going to be a big step for Andrew, because he doesn’t like busy places but I carefully explained what would happen. We talked about waiting in a queue for a cashier, that it might be busy, that the cashier would count the money and then we would get our cash bag back. I reassured Andrew that Lesley, another member of staff, would wait outside the bank, and that if he wasn’t happy he could go and join her straight away. Andrew agreed to give it a try.
Andrew walked into the bank with me and fortunately there wasn’t a queue. I passed the bag to the cashier and I kept talking to Andrew, explaining step by step what she was doing. Andrew seemed fine and we were soon finished and went back outside.
Lesley asked Andrew if he thought it would get easier if he tried this more often and Andrew agreed he would try it again next time.
Andrew is a pleasure to work with and Lesley and I have built up his trust which enabled us to support him to do this small but very rewarding action.
Update...
Since writing this, Andrew’s confidence has increased and we no longer need a second member of staff outside the bank ‘just in case’. Andrew is talking a little more to me as we drive into town; about Chesterfield football club and the music he likes. He’s beginning to open up a little. These chats help him to relax before we get to the bank.
Andrew and I know our next goal: for him to hand over the money bag, and me to step back. Together we will achieve this.
Gill McIntosh
Project Administrator, Grass Routes, Chesterfield