The House of St Barnabas' Culture V1

Finally, one thing that struck me about the worst jobs we’ve
done is that although the work was often tedious, or difficult,
or embarrassing, the saving grace was the people that we were
working with. So whether it’s the boss who lets you go home
early on a Friday or the colleague who cheers you up on your
worst day, having a support network is a crucial. One of the really
exciting things about the House is the networks that are created
— these all come from the way we do things and the model itself.
I came into this thinking that the purpose of work is about
helping people to be independent, but what I’ve discovered
is that it’s actually about much more than that. It’s about doing
meaningful work, something that feeds the soul, learning from
your experiences and realising that it’s okay to rely on others
to help you along on your journey. It’s not soley about being
independent but rather creating a healthy co-dependence,
because after all, when it comes down to it, we’re actually all
co-dependent aren’t we?
When it comes to thinking about work, what really sets
HoSB apart is the freedom that we have to put a genuine
desire to help people into action. For us, work is about whether
or not the participant’s life has been improved by it, how it’s
affected their well-being, their sense of belonging, their family
and friends…
That’s what makes us different.
Ceri Sheppard
Employment Academy Director
ENCOURAGE 23