Author: Diane Allman, Case Manager, Changing Futures Stoke-on-Trent
Hi, my name is Diane and I’m a case manager within the Changing Futures programme here in Stoke-on-Trent.
The Changing Futures programme is a £64 million joint initiative by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
The fund is for local organisations to work in partnership to better support those who experience multiple disadvantage. This will provide essential support and treatment for vulnerable adults facing a combination of homelessness, substance misuse, poor mental health, domestic abuse, or contact with the criminal justice system.
One of the core principles of the programme is to Involve people with lived experience of multiple disadvantage in the design, delivery and evaluation of improved services and in governance and decision making, so when we recently appointed a new Service Coordinator to the team it was important to ensure that lived experience was represented at the interview stage.
Steve* not only has relevant lived experience but is also a current customer of the Changing Futures programme, as well as being a member of the Expert Citizens community.
Having Steve present at the interview stage meant that he could observe the candidate and see how they interacted with him and the rest of the panel. It also gave the candidate understanding of what Expert Citizens are about and how important lived experience is within the sector.
Before the interview we made sure that Steve was comfortable and knew what was expected of him and his role within the process. We talked through questions that he might want to ask as well as the kind of answers that might be helpful to him in making his decisions.
It was a pleasure to work alongside Steve, he was an absolute delight, from the outset wishing the candidate well and providing reassurance that it will be OK, he was also able to provide insight into his own journey, explaining what worked well for him and that a big part of his recovery was having the right worker alongside him, who took the time to get to know him.
Steve told us:
“I was excited to be involved in the process from the very beginning as someone with lived experience – I felt good, I’ve got a better understanding of how things work now. There were a few things that impressed me about the interview, the way she spoke and came across, a good listener. I was able to ask what methods and skills she would use to build positive relationships with new customers, I think it’s important to be non-judgmental and keep an open mind as well as having a good work ethic – we should never judge a book by its cover. I’ve had good support in the past as well as bad, when someone really wants to help you it makes all the difference, it gives you a better outlook on life.”
*Name Changed to protect identity
