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Why I love my job - William J Gallagher

Posted: 21 April 2005 | Subscribe Online


There is such a happy atmosphere here at Randall Close. The building is bright and cheerful, the people are happy and busy, it's buzzing.

I have been with Leonard Cheshire for more than seven years and have worked all over London, originally as a day care worker in Westminster, then a care manager in Hackney and now in Battersea. I have a lot of respect for the charity.

At Randall Close I work with disabled people, and with people with learning difficulties.

I also manage two semi-independent living units supporting young disabled people to live as independently as possible.

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The driving force that gets me into work in the morning is seeing our clients. I need to be with them as much as they need to know I'm there.

For me the real satisfaction that comes with my job is making a difference, however clichŽd that sounds.

My colleagues here have a large role to play in why I love my job so much. They are loyal, supportive and have great belief in my vision for the centre. There is a great team dynamic here and the focus is definitely on the client.

The most frustrating part of my job is acknowledging the struggles disabled people face and not being in a position to do more to support them. But the reality is people must live their own lives and sometimes you have to step aside.

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I'm very emotional. I get quite upset visiting service users in hospital. What really moves me is seeing how disabled people respond to tough situations with dignity.

In the future I would like to continue working with disabled people but be based overseas.

My advice for new staff is to look around and imagine that any one of the people who use our service is their brother, mother or father. The trick is to not distance yourself from the people you work for, and primarily to get to know the person, not the disability.

 



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