He is very proud of his independence and his placement at Prince’s Christian Farm in a nearby town.
In the past eighteen months, the farm has really celebrated Nick’s talent in the kitchens and they have supported him to undertake an NVQ in catering. He has also been studying a reading and writing course at the local adult education centre to help him in this.
But there was a problem- the farm were unhappy because of Nick’s hygiene. It was causing such a problem that they were considering removing Nick from the kitchen. Knowing how important his job in the kitchen is to Nick, we vowed to help improve things.
The hygiene issue is not new, and has come up many times with the farm. Not to be deterred, we tried again. Things were not going well. Nick naturally resented being told that his hygiene was not acceptable for his place of work and did not want us intruding on something he felt he could manage without support. Things were breaking down rapidly, and Nick became very reluctant to engage with staff or accept support, and without it things were getting worse.
And then, Nick got a new keyworker.
Carolyn is our newest member of staff and she was determined to make things better! Carolyn spent a lot of time with Nick, not talking specifically about the problems with the farm but just building a bond with him and getting to know him. Nick responded really well to this, and started to seek Carolyn out when she was on shift firstly just to chat and then, to ask for support!
All the while, Carolyn was getting to know Nick and devising strategies to achieve the best outcome for him. They started going on shopping trips together and after the first few they found themselves in a clothing section where they came across day of the week socks. Having learned how much Nick likes adventure films and characters such as Spiderman & Superman Carolyn casually suggested Nick might like to buy some super Spiderman Saturday socks- and was rewarded when Nick immediately said ‘yes!’ Shortly after this Nick started purchasing different coloured jeans and knows that only his blue ones are for the farm.
Now things are so much better for Nick. He is keen to see staff in the morning on his way out to work and looks forward to getting a high five when he flashes his socks with the right day of the week on his feet! He also really looks forward to getting help with his laundry so that his super Spiderman socks and blue jeans are ready for the working week. Things must be better at the farm too, because there’ve been no phone calls in weeks!
What really struck me is that what Carolyn did was not a huge thing, but it was all born from a determination to make things better for Nick, so he could carry on enjoying his job and developing the skills he has. She saw things were not working, and she worked with Nick at changing things until they did.
And she is not to be defeated! Not in the least concerned with those who say “it’ll never last”, she is already planning the next strategy for if things start to slip- and knowing firsthand her enthusiasm and energy I have no doubt she and Nick will succeed.
If any of you are ever in Kent, you should stop by the farm and buy a lemon drizzle cake or a Victoria sponge. Chances are Nick had a hand in making them and they are legendary!
Kelly Reed
Senior Support Worker, Dartford Road