YMCA head of housing and support worker Kathleen Pearce has remained positive during this “challenging” time to keep those in need safe this Christmas.
Kathleen emphasised the considerable challenges faced by herself and her colleagues at the YMCA charity in Bournemouth this year, describing it as “incredibly demanding”.
The charity provides housing for those between the ages of 18 and 65, who are struggling with homelessness, and has a total of 108 beds available for up to 2 years for the residents.
She describes the tiring process of keeping residents safe by “hand washing every five minutes” and having “spent a fortune on PPE” despite the charity unfortunately experiencing a decline in income.
Additionally, the charity has implemented numerous new operational protocols and significantly increased cleaning schedules to prioritise safety.
All this work has paid off as Kathleen said: “We haven’t had a single case within the residents” in which she says was their “biggest challenge”.
Couldn’t do it without my team.
The team at YMCA has made countless sacrifices to keep the place a Covid-19 secure zone. Numerous volunteers and staff members have generously extended their hours to keep operations running smoothly, demonstrating their dedication to the cause.
With a five-year tenure at YMCA under her belt, Kathleen reflected on her journey as “absolutely rewarding”, labelling her role as a “lovely job” despite the current challenges.
She highlighted the importance of maintaining a positive outlook in this line of work, and said: “You’ve got to stay positive.”
See more:
Homelessness – looking at figuresÂ
How you can support The Big Issue and it’s vendors
Beachfront restaurant owner appeals for public’s help to extend planning permissions