Here on the Quo Vadis Trust blog today we meet Mosun, one of our brilliant and dedicated Housing Officers here at our charity! She runs through what her role involves, explains why no two days are the same, and why QVT is a great place to work…
Hi Mosun, tell us about your role at QVT and how long have you worked here?
I’m a housing officer within the Lewisham community, working with adults with mental health needs in supported accommodation. I joined QVT in January 2021.
My job role is to provide an efficient, client-focused and high-quality support and tenancy sustainment for my allocated clients, as well as other clients as a team worker when asked to cover, with the aim of supporting them to recover, and then to help them move on to lesser supported or independent accommodation within or outside of QVT.
I work with adult clients with multiple and/or various mental health needs, including diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia, adjustment disorder such as mixed anxiety and depression, suicidal ideation, and those with support needs such as substance misuse issues. I liaise with outside agencies and raise safeguarding issues to the right authorities. I build a good working relationship with clients to trust and engage with recovery services, and support them with their wellbeing and help them work towards living independently.
I am responsible for the schemes that I cover to ensure cleanliness, health and safety and a homely environment for both clients and visitors, plus report any maintenance issues for schemes that I cover.
Can you describe to us a typical day for you at QVT?
No day is the same! I may come to work, and all is well with our clients, and another day clients might be relapsing and becoming unwell. I must quickly contact their care coordinator, GP or order prescriptions, and then contact family members to notify of them of the issues at hand. I have had to deal with challenging situations such as self-harm in the past, and being calm and engaging well with a client in this situation is vital.
What do you love most about your job?
Oh boy! I love my job – I am passionate about supporting vulnerable people to recovery and love to interact with people and to support them, I am a people person.
Coming to work and smiling at my clients, who might have had a bad night or are feeling lonely away from family, and see them smile back, wow, that makes my day. I try to build a community within my schemes and for the clients who live together, and for them to look out for one another.
I enjoy supporting clients with their benefits, getting them appointments with the GP, sitting down and talking with them where I can to get more information about their health history and past experiences. I also enjoy cooking with them, helping them to set a goal and seeing them achieve it. If a goal is abandoned for one reason or the other, my role is to encourage them to either try again, or set a new one that they will hopefully achieve.
Also, when we support a client to move to a less supported accommodation, enrol on online training or university or seeing them getting well and making progress, it gives a good vibe to our team.
What do you think makes QVT special as a charity?
The support QVT offers to clients is great. They provide support with not just housing needs, but support with emotional and mental health, support with their benefits and education or training needs. Working in partnership with outside agencies such as care coordinators, psychiatric consultants and GPs, DWP, local authorities and with family members to support recovery and promote a good quality of life for independent living. QVT also provides support for care leavers.
For staff, it’s a great place to work – the management operate an open-door policy and give support to staff with their well-being as well as support for staff development. I am allowed to work with my own initiative, which I love, and I am encouraged to take a course of my choice for my career development.
As a charity organisation QVT offer counselling services for clients, a whole range of activities and encourage clients to be a representative and participate in the planning and delivery of services.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Not everyone knows, I am a grandmother, I enjoy looking after my beautiful baby girl. I love cooking and baking for my family. I visit the elderly to cook and be a buddy for them.
I enjoy using the spa facility at my local gym for relaxation and to aid with weight management.