I have been in the post of Ethnic Minorities Outreach Support Worker since June 2001, and have supported those who have had an acquired brain injury in a number of different ways. These have included helping them to enrol in education, volunteer work and also bringing them to Headway House for woodwork classes and to use the computers. The service also offers reassurance, advice, information and support in a variety of languages.
When I first started working for Headway, I had some very anxious moments whilst working with some of the members but later found out that progress happens gradually and that you can't rush things like this. I also found out that memory problems can be visual or physical and that members will improve their memory once they have built up their confidence. I find this part of the job very satisfying and rewarding.
Raising awareness in the Ethnic Community is very hard and is a slow process. So when I was approached by Nilesh Shukia to appear on MATV to talk to Ethnic Communities in Leicester and Leicestershire, I was shocked but I thought it would be a great opportunity to raise awareness within the community.
After the initial shock wore off, I was quite excited but also nervous about being on television for the first time. As I had not been in the post for very long, this was yet one more new challenge for me to overcome!
To make people more aware of Headway, I asked one of my members to participate and also speak on MATV. I thought this would bring a different approach and also give his opinion on how the support from Headway has helped him. When he agreed to speak on MATV, I thought that it would be an excellent experience for us both. I also thought that it would be a great opportunity to talk about Headway to Ethnic Communities.
we arrived and he took us straight into the recording room where we were going to be taped.
I was briefly told what he was going to ask me and that I would be filmed first, followed by Narendra. I sat down while the camera man adjusted the camera. Nilesh started to talk to make me more relaxed and then the camera started to record.
Since the programme has been shown on television, I have had lots of enquiries and I have also been stopped in shops and other places and told' I saw you on MATV!' All my members and the staff at Headway have given me some very positive feedback and have been very supportive and I will continue to enjoy my job and the challenges that it brings.
Harsha Yadev
