In this edition of Meet the YMCA Together team, we catch up with our Director of Specialist Services, Katie Taylor.

Katie Taylor – Director of Homeless Services 

 

What does your role involve?

My role is to oversee all of our Specialist Services, which provide care and support for people who have a need around mental health, domestic abuse, residential rehab, rehab and residential care.

I work closely with the Heads of Services and the other directors to ensure we maintain the highest standards across our services, ensuring that we meet the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities by working alongside them in a psychologically informed way.

What qualities are essential to your work at YMCA Together?

The first qualities that come to mind are enthusiasm, kindness, patience and tenacity. 

Our work requires us to be strong advocates for the people we work alongside. People often come to us at the most challenging times and have often not been treated with the kindness and respect everyone deserves. 

It’s a real privilege for me to be part of services that meet the person where they’re at and to be a small part of their journey. Patience is key to this. We must do all work with the person in mind and at the right time for them. This can be frustrating, but my enthusiasm for wanting to deliver the very best helps me overcome this. 

Describe your typical working day.

No two days are the same, but I like to get to work early to have peace and quiet to answer emails and start any work I need to do. I’m easily distracted, so the quiet is a helpful start to my day. 

Usually, we will have a Senior Leadership Team catch-up at about 9am, reflecting and reviewing any issues or incidents from the previous day and night shifts. After that, I usually check in with the Head of Regulated Services and Head of Mental Health as those services are currently undergoing changes. 

Depending on what day it is, I usually base myself in Hestia House, our care home. I catch up with some residents before attending meetings, which can be about anything from our new physiotherapy placements to putting together presentations or reports.

I try to leave work before 5pm so I can walk my dog. I answer emails and make a few calls to finish the day while walking him. 

What’s the most rewarding element of your work?

Seeing people move on to the next part of their journey and knowing that we might have played a small part. And knowing the people in our services are safer because of our care and support. 

Working with fantastic colleagues and seeing our SHREK values shown across services – even in the smallest of ways – by colleagues towards the people we support and each other is also rewarding. 

Describe your most memorable moment at YMCA Together.

This is my first year as part of the YMCA, and I’m inspired every day. 

But, so far, the most memorable time for me has been Christmas; seeing the work the team did to create a Christmas wonderland at Dutch Farm for our community and children living in our services was amazing. 

Christmas in our care home was truly magical, too. The team made connections on behalf of a resident and his family, including his young daughter, who was able to spend some time with him. Another family was able to make a full family Christmas dinner in the care home kitchen as their mum was too poorly to leave. This meant they could share special family time together.

How do you relax outside of work?

I walk my dog and go to the gym most days. My work can be full-on, and while I’m exercising, I don’t get time to overthink, which helps me switch off.

If you could change one thing about society to improve the lives of the people you work alongside, what would it be?

If wider society could show the love, compassion and respect I see my colleagues show in our services every day, the world would be a pretty good place, and people wouldn’t need us so much.