Meet Khalid – a Project Worker/Health Co-ordinator for our HHPA team

What do you enjoy most about your work? 

In order to support the individuals I meet, I use the experience I had when in a similar position.   What I do is rebuild myself but also help people because I understand what they’re going through. I enjoy the one-to-ones with my client groups, and I enjoy the one-to-ones with the services I work with.  

Khalid facilitates both Outreach (in the community) and In Reach (in Hostels/Hotels)  

How do you support the work of the doctors?  

Outreach 

I am privileged to be working in two boroughs at the moment – Tower Hamlets and Hackney. I shift my support between two GP surgeries, who specialise in supporting people experiencing homelessness. My role includes engaging with the practice managers and clinical team (nurses and doctors) – whatever they need, in terms of interacting, translating and involved in supporting the many refugees we come across within the community of people affected by homelessness, I act as the conduit.  

I am provided with a list of clients, residing in temporary accommodation, such as hotels and hostels. My role is to sit in with the clients, with consent, when they are having their consultations with the doctors. I also have to hand, Groundswell’s accessible health leaflets and offer them to individuals, whilst explaining what Groundswell do and the support we can offer them.  

 I remind the clients what their support worker can help with, if it’s not about health. The main thing we do is try and build effective and working, respectful relationships with people. I take notes (with consent) and do all I can to make clients feel comfortable, as well as my main task acting as an advocate to get people help and/or signpost.  

I support as many people as I can. This includes providing transport to get to medical appointments; this could be via public or private transport, all depending on the individual’s needs. Groundswell provide tailored support for individuals to allow them to address their health needs, as well as empowering them to eventually do this without outside support.  

In my time as a Caseworker, I’ve developed a network of people. I believe to succeed in this role, you have to be a people person, interact on a one-to-one level, treating people with respect and empathising with them, not judging them. 

Another example of what I do is that I often meet the Lead Clinician from a practice. We will travel in a minibus, and we will go around parts of the city and our role is to engage with people. This is principally the Outreach Work I undertake. 

To give you an idea of what is ‘out there’, there is a community known as ‘Tent City’ and it is between Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and in the City of London. When we go out, we talk about Homeless Health Peer Advocacy. I carry stuff (GP Registration Forms, Leaflets, PPE). I also have some food with me as many people are hungry and have no access to provisions, this includes dog food for pets. The minibus also travels around, and the nurse undertakes basic health checks on individuals, but the crucial element is getting them registered with a GP, so more in-depth health checks can be undertaken at the surgery and beyond if needed, which it usually inevitably is.  

In Reach 

In reach is all about supporting the Clinical Team within the hostels and hotels, and usually notoriously chaotic environments.  

I am provided with a list of people who have been identified or requested medical intervention. I am given the usual equipment (radio with access to the Duty Team and trusted with a key, but following the procedures which include safety of the individual and the clinical team and myself). I am mindful that many individuals are living a confused lifestyle and support is not always accepted and can become quite unsafe. 

I have used my experience of temporary accommodation and mistrust to build solid relationships and rapport, especially trust. This includes team members, which are an essential connection to a harmonious association.  

I am also involved in regular ‘health events’ promoting Groundswell and service user/client interactions. This allows me to weave in my experience, knowledge, expertise and skills, as well as recruiting for potential new volunteers to become Peer Advocates. 

It’s been a real journey I’ve been on since I joined Groundswell as a volunteer, attending the training and being given an opportunity to rebuild my life. It is still ongoing. I have had dedicated support from the Progression Coaches who have offered me such tailored support and walking alongside me all the way and providing the self-confidence and increasing my self-esteem. What is offered at Groundswell is unique and I have never received such ongoing and unrelenting support. I have also been offered ongoing well-being support, which is valuable, and I cannot quantify and evaluate this, but it is priceless. I am so very grateful for the opportunity.