Tracey Montague is one of our fabulous Care Services Co-ordinators. Here she tells us about some highlights of her time with NICHS so far.
What is your role at NICHS?
My name is Tracy Montague and In November 2021 I was fortunate enough to commence employment as Family Support Co-ordinator in NICHS.
When did you first start working at NICHS?
My immediate introduction to the charity was extremely positive. My manager met me on my first day and introduced me to everyone who was in the premises, from Rosemary at reception to Declan our Chief Executive. Immediately I felt very welcomed and part of their team. I remember she gave me, along with my induction pack, a pin with the NICHS logo on it. She said to me ‘Wear it with pride’. (I’ll come back to this later.)
What does your role involve? How does it make a difference?
My role as Family Support Co-ordinator is very varied. As well as providing one to one support for stroke survivors and their families, I am also involved in organizing and facilitating wellness sessions for our young stroke survivors.
What is your favourite thing about working at NICHS?
One of the things I love about my job is that you are able to provide bespoke support to our service users and their families – more importantly, the level of support is dictated by the service user. This is one of the things I love most about this job – people who need our support are not made to do so in a ‘time bound’ manner- we are there for them for them with as much ( or as little) support as they need for however long they need it.
Another aspect to my role is be involved in our PREP (Post Rehabilitation Exercise Programme) which has just returned to face to face delivery post COVID. The programme is structured over 6 weeks and is split into 2 aspects of delivery – physical activity and education. It aims to support stroke survivors with an evidence based, physio-led, physical activity programme. This is followed on with a series of talks that cover useful information relevant to our service users. I have to say being witness to such a powerful programme is truly inspiring and I feel extremely blessed to be a part of it.
The support I have felt from all of my work colleagues since commencing my post is overwhelming! Nothing is too much bother for anyone - my working peers and my management team have been extremely helpful and supportive and I have been actively encouraged by our management team to call at any time for help any query, no matter how small. For me I can see very clearly that the values and principles of NICHS (compassion, courage, consideration and commitment) are evident in all aspects of their work – both for service users and their staff.
On my first day of starting with NICHS my manager presented me with a pin and she said to me ‘ Wear it with pride’. If I’m totally honest I took it from her and didn’t think or feel much about that. Three months into my role with NICHS I now understand and feel what she meant. I have never felt more proud to work for an organization and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to work alongside amazing colleagues who also value the good work and services we provide, but who also value and support their peers as well. Someone once said, 'Do a job that you love and you will never work a day in your life’. I now wear my pin with pride and really look forward to my (hopefully) long career with NICHS.
