As part of Everyone Everywhere we are encouraging people to connect. To connect with people, neighbours, people working in and around their house and people who they have things in common with.
Intentional thought
This week support worker Jim Raj reflects on how with a bit of intentional thought, we can support people to feel part of their local area by making the most of opportunities to speak to those around us.
There’s times that we have the chance to connect with others in everyday life and we don’t always think about it. But every opportunity to connect is a chance to make people feel part of their community. We can do this in lots of small ways. For example, when we are in a supermarket and ask where something is, I use it as a chance for the person I am supporting to make a connection. We use people’s names because they have a name badge. We make a point of saying hello to the same people. With one person we always say hello to Sue in the Tesco, and if she’s not around to pass our regards to her staff. She knows the person now and it makes him feel good to be recognised. We try to go to regular places, ask what people’s names are and become known. We have offered our neighbour a cup of tea when we are out gardening. It can be difficult – how many of us know our postman, or even have a milkman anymore, so we need to work to have those regular people in our lives to say hello to.
Finding a college course
Jim started supporting Robin a few years ago and Robin told him that he wanted to meet new people and make friends. Jim looked around and found a college course that he thought Robin would like. Jim and Robin take up the story…
Find out more
Interested in how you can make more connections in your life? Check out more of our Everyone Everywhere stories here and below to get some ideas.
