Kirsty Peachey, MacIntyre's Quality Lead shares how she began her journey with us.
I applied to work at MacIntyre during a previous recession. I had never had a burning ambition to work with people and had recently completed a Higher National Diploma in a completely different subject area. Within my first weeks of starting, I remember being made to feel welcome, learning loads and laughing a lot! I also remember feeling complete fear when faced with cooking a Sunday roast for eight people.
Before I had realised, I had worked for MacIntyre for three years. Through good days or bad days, I felt that I was making a difference to the lives of the people that I supported. I remember responding to a family member when they commented that ‘I couldn’t do what you do’ by saying ‘you wouldn’t help someone if they needed it?'.
My lightbulb moment followed and I realised that I had secured more than a job. Every day I developed my relationships, challenged the people that I was supporting to develop new skills and they challenged me to develop myself too. I realised the more effort I gave in commitment and loyalty, the more I received in personal satisfaction.
A Senior Support Worker position became vacant and after much consideration, I decided to apply, as I wanted more authority in improving outcomes for the people that I supported.
The rest is history and my rationale for applying for more senior positions has not been hugely different from when I applied to the Senior Support Worker position. Each promotion I have secured has been as a result of hard work and a lot of wondering if I am capable to undertake the role.
I have experienced all of the day-to-day challenges trying to juggle my home life, working full time, all whilst securing additional qualifications, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
I still have relationships with a couple of people that I worked with 20 plus years ago and I do consider them to be friends. I am hugely grateful for the opportunities that MacIntyre has afforded me over the years and the life skills that I have developed along the way.
If I had worked in another industry or for another organisation, I don’t think I would have been as empathetic, patient, loyal, kind or resilient as I am, which is all credit to the people that I have supported over the years.
Kirsty Peachey
Quality Lead, MacIntyre
