At Mayday Trust, we believe we can not just improve but change and replace broken public service systems. In fact we think we have to – there is no other viable future for our public services and the people who seek or offer support within them. Our part in making this happen is to demonstrate a different kind of support relationship which could be embedded into any long term support service and to help providers and local areas to create services and systems which can make those relationships effective, sustainable and scalable.
We are currently recruiting for three posts, including one of our ‘PTS’ coaches who support people going through tough times such as becoming homeless. This role will work in Hackney and Westminster in central London. Coaching is different to traditional support work because coaches:
- See the whole person: avoiding forms, assumptions, eligibility criteria or targets. We start with strengths and potential to build trusting relationships.
- Are led by the person without ‘fixing’: tough times shouldn’t be permanent, but we stick with people for as long as they want. We offer personal budgets where needed.
- Engage with the world outside of services: building connection and community, helping people to access resources and to challenge systems which are harming them
The ‘front end’ of our support and that provided by other organisations using the PTS approach is very flexible, but we collect lots of data, outcomes and learning to show that it works. So we are increasing (doubling!) our communications team by adding a comms officer. And we are recruiting our first fundraiser to help us find and bid for more funding sources. Later in the year, we will be recruiting Trustees to our board as well – watch this space.
The future of support services is already here – let’s shape it.
Escaping the invisible asylum 