Support Worker Diaries: Meet Cassie and Gary
The second episode of our ‘Support Worker Diaries’ series stars Cassie from Middlesbrough and her support worker Gary. This YouTube series explores how the people we support express themselves, how a day in their life can look, and what makes their relationships with their support workers so special.
Gary joined Creative Support as a support worker in early 2023 and has supported Cassie since then. Both have a passion for spending time outdoors, birdwatching, litter picking and taking care of animals. Read on to discover how these shared interests, and working together on Gary’s allotment, has helped Cassie to feel more confident and independent.
What made you want to be a support worker? How did you get into support work?
Gary: “A lot of my family are support workers and because I live in the local area, I already knew some of the staff at this service. I was experiencing a difficult time after my stepdad passed away and wasn’t sure where I was going in life. I was a tattoo artist but I loved hearing about support work from my family members in the profession, and thought “That’s the life that I want”. When I first came here it was completely different to my expectations and I fell in love with the job. It’s an unbelievable place and the rewarding feeling is second to none.”
How would you describe your relationship?
Cassie: “We bounce off each other really well. I know that Gary knows me and knows when I’m not in the right frame of mind. If I’ve had a bad night’s sleep or I’m not feeling myself, he’ll wait for me to come to him, then he’ll be his daft self. He always makes me feel a thousand times better. Knowing that I see my favourite staff members always makes me feel nice.
We also have really similar interests like animals, spending time outside and bird watching. I can go to him with any questions I have.”
How does having common interests and hobbies strengthen your bond?
Gary: “It gives us a connection. When I started working as a support worker, I had to find a connection with each person I support. I was ready to give the allotment up, then Cassie and another person I support started coming down and naming the chickens and getting stuck in. Since the people I support have been visiting the allotment and coming up with ideas for it, it’s totally transformed. I have photos of when it was a shambles compared to now.”
Cassie: “Over the years I’ve learned a lot from Gary. I know that if I have a problem with my cat Ganu I can go to him about it too. I love going to the allotment with Gary. He’s one of the top-notch staff here. I also help take care of some of the chickens there. I started bird watching with Gary last year. He’s helped me figure out more of the local birds and it’s even become a bit of a competition between me and him lately because so far I’ve got photos of three birds that he hasn’t managed to photograph yet.”
What makes a good support worker?
Cassie: “The main thing is trust. If you can trust your support worker, you’ve got someone you can rely on. Like when my uncle passed away, Gary helped me learn how to cope with that loss and move forward. It’s also important to be a good listener and have a great sense of humour and the right character to understand people’s needs. With Gary, it’s hilarious that I can actually have a sing-song with him on karaoke nights.”
Gary: “You have to stay professional at all times, and the door is always open to talk to us, we’re always there. It helps to be ‘happy-go-lucky’ and have a joke with the people you support. It’s a serious job but you can be yourself and enjoy what you’re doing.”
What have you learned from being a support worker?
Gary: “It doesn’t matter what kind of support you’re providing, there’s always something to do, even if it’s just making a cup of tea together. You can’t help but be laughing and joking with the people you support all the time. You learn to read people. You know if someone is feeling off that day and how best to respond to that. Or if they’re stressed out, we know how to calm them down. After a while, it becomes second nature.
When I first started, the managers really eased me into it and made me feel welcome. I’d only been here a week and I was thinking “This is great!”. Over time, we’ve become a tight-knit unit and it’s a beautiful thing. I choose to work the Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve shifts so I can bring the karaoke out and we have our own little parties.”
What would you like to achieve in the future?
Cassie: “My personal goal if I ever move on from Creative Support is to have my own animal rescue. I’ve learned quite a lot from Gary about birds and how to look after my cat. I would rather utilise my time around animals and people. I’ve been inspired by Gary.”
Gary: “I would love to see Cassie get more independent so she doesn’t feel she needs support when she goes out. That’s our ultimate aim, to make sure the people we support are self-sufficient and could live on their own if ever needed. The independence is key to it all. But she knows she always has our support.”
What would you say to someone thinking of becoming a support worker?
Gary: “Try it, you will love it. Everything you’ve learned in life you bring to the job and pass on your knowledge to the people you support. You use your life experiences to make the lives of the people you support better. If you’re unsure, learn a bit about support work first. There are people out there that need you and you’re giving something back that might help people. The sense of fulfilment you get from it grounds you. It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s changed my life and I like to think it will change other people’s.”
We loved hearing about Cassie and Gary’s story and would like to say a big thank you to them for sharing it. You can watch the full ‘Support Worker Diaries’ episode on our YouTube channel to hear more, and if you’d like to star in the next episode, email communications@creativesupport.co.uk.
