Mollie is an enthusiastic individual with a real passion for her role and people she supports. Mollie began her career with Achieve together in 2017 as a night support worker. Mollie then moved into a daytime support worker position, which was where her desire to progress started. Mollie moved to a senior support worker position at Ashford Lodge, before being promoted to her current position of Deputy Manager in March 2022. Mollie’s hard work and perseverance have paid off and she feels very lucky to be in the position she is, at the forefront of ensuring people live happy, healthy and meaningful lives.
“The Deputy Manager position offers new learning opportunities every minute of the day. I plan to harness all of these learned experiences and use them to fulfil my full potential as a Deputy Home Manager. I see this position as an opportunity to grow within my career, role and personal self. I cannot wait to share my learnings, knowledge and experience with my team to help them to develop in the ways in which they want to. It doesn’t matter how long you have been within the social care sector, you still learn something new every day! My ambition is to eventually manage my own home, and this prospect really excites me”
Mollie went on to tell us what she most enjoys about her role:
“I am so lucky to have this role! I am in a position where I can make a positive impact on people’s everyday life. No matter how small or how big that impact may be, seeing people we support smile at the end of it lets me know I have done something right.
I love the rapport and relationships I have created with my team members and people we support at Ashford Lodge, and because of this people feel comfortable approaching me to talk about anything. I look forward to seeing my team members every day, I value them so much; without them I wouldn’t be the Manager I am today. We all encourage each other and it is a really special bond and working relationship. I just love being at work!”
Mollie went on to describe how the challenges of the role do not outweigh the positive moments the job role affords:
“Every day comes with unique challenges, and I believe maintaining a positive approach and mindset helps me to overcome these. These challenges are the foundation for growth and help us to learn. They also bring a sense of team spirit as we all come together to overcome the challenge”.
We asked Mollie what motivates her.
“Family is my motivation. I see people I support at Ashford Lodge as family and treat them as if they are. I also find motivation in my personal development. One the harder days I take a step back and reflect on how my career has progressed and people that I have helped. This makes me feel proud and ready to carry on.
Achieve together offers a fantastic support system, which keeps me motivated. My Home Manager, Senior Home Manager and Regional Manager have always offered me amazing support!
We asked Mollie what her great achievement has been:
“My greatest achievement is a sensitive one. Sadly somebody we supported at Ashford lodge passed away, and it was a very hard time for all at the home. I really wanted to do something meaningful for this person, and give everybody the opportunity to say goodbye in a special way. For various reasons only a limited amount of people we actually allowed to attend the funeral service.
On the day of the funeral I decided to arrange a celebration of their life at Ashford Lodge. Everybody in the home came together to celebrate this person, all they had achieved and their loving memory. Everybody released a balloon in their memory, we danced to this person’s favourite songs, ate their favourite food together, and we all wrote down our fondest memories with this person. Having everyone together at once was really special, and helped everyone with saying goodbye.
Some people we support at Ashford Lodge planted a tree in the garden of Ashford Lodge in their memory.”
Family members and relatives are a big part of life at Ashford lodge. We asked Mollie how she works with them:
“I always make time for relatives they are a massive part of people we supports lives. A lot of family members visit Ashford Lodge often. The relationship between our team members and family members is strong and positive. I usually have a cup of tea and a catch-up when I see them. Whenever family members do call or visit I give them my undivided time, I feel it is important that they feel they are not a burden and that I always have time to talk things through or listen. Our team members and family members all want the same thing, for their loved ones to have the best possible outcomes.”
We asked Mollie what her hopes for the future were:
“I am very happy in my current role, and I plan on harnessing the experiences I can and continue developing within myself. I am also completing my NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care alongside my role, I like to keep busy. I feel that once I have gained enough experience within the Deputy Manager role and I am truly the best I can be within that role, I may then look to explore the potential of becoming a Home Manager. I am in no rush though as I love my current role and team.”
Mollie said that she motivates and inspires her team by remaining positive always. “My Regional Manager once said to me that you can’t force people to stay motivated, but what you can do is remain positive and motivate yourself, and this positive energy will flow to others. This really stuck with me and is the foundation of all I do.”
Outside of work Mollie enjoys spending time with her family and this often includes lots of baking, singing, and reading. “I like to go on adventures and take long walks in nature as this helps me to clear my mind”.
Mollie finished with “Ashford Lodge holds a very special place in my heart. I’ve built incredible relationships with colleagues past and present and it has really helped me to be who I am today”.
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