We recently caught up with Danielle Hewitt, one of our service delivery team members, to find out more about her role and what working at Bedspace means to her… 

 

When did you start working for Bedspace and what line of work were you in before? 

I started working for Bedspace in April 2020 as a support worker, and I now work within the service delivery team. The beginning of my career started through different volunteering experiences, which is where I found my passion and drive to help people. Before joining Bedspace, I previously worked in a children’s residential home and have also helped women who have been victims of domestic abuse - I’ve always been passionate about doing a job that supports vulnerable people and this continues to be my main motivation in my role at Bedspace. 

 

What is your role at Bedspace and what does it involve on a day-to-day basis?

Working within the service delivery team means that no two days are ever the same! 

A main part of my role focuses on empowering the young people that we work with as well as encouraging my fellow team mates to make good decisions when faced with challenging situations. One of the main priorities of my role is to make sure that the vulnerable people we support are always kept at the forefront of mind when any decisions are made regarding them gaining independence and confidence. It’s essential to take the time to get to know and understand each individual and their unique needs. 

 

What’s your favourite thing about working for Bedspace? 

I absolutely love being part of the growth and development of young people who come to us often massively lacking confidence and independence skills. My favourite thing about working for Bedspace is being part of these people’s development and journeys towards gaining a great sense of self belief and motivation to be able to live happily and independently. It’s so fulfilling to support them with things like making healthy and conscious decisions when doing the food shop as well as helping them to budget when it comes to their full living allowance. 

 

What’s your favourite working memory at Bedspace and why?

A personal highlight from my time at Bedspace so far was accompanying a young person, who had no family, to their prom night. It means a lot to me to support young people through some of the most important moments in their life. Even moments that may seem minor to some people like having a film night, or going on a walk, can make a big difference to the people we work with so it’s a privilege to be able to support vulnerable people through these times. 

 

How do members of the service delivery team make a real difference to the vulnerable people supported by Bedspace?

The biggest impact that I believe service delivery team members have on the vulnerable people that Bedspace support is ensuring that everyone’s voices are heard. Part of our job is understanding that everyone is human – sometimes there are things that work for some people, but not for others. Our job is to tailor the support for everyone we work with to find a support plan that works for them. I would say that my role is also largely about empowering the team around me and leading them with encouragement and advice when they are faced with challenging situations. 

 

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about applying to work at Bedspace?

For anyone thinking about applying to work at Bedspace, the first thing I would say is go for it! I also think it’s important to have a great sense of humour. We spend a lot of time together as a team, often working through difficult situations, so it really helps that we all get on with each other so well and can have fun whilst we work. 

It’s essential in my role to be proactive and find solutions to problems with a positive attitude. Sometimes the work we do is demanding so it’s important to be able to reflect on challenging situations to ensure that as a team we can learn from them and advise other team members who might be struggling. As the work we do is so varied, it helps to be able to bring a sense of creativity to work and think outside the box about how we can solve situations. And of course, being ready to lead a team by not only guiding them but also being open to learning new things from people in other roles, or with different experiences, has really helped me evolve. 

To find out more about our current vacancies, or to speak to a member of our team, please email careers@bedspace.co.uk.