Today I interviewed Hanna from Daventry scheme of Mayday
Trust. Hanna is 27 years old and has been receiving support from Mayday trust
for just over 2 years. She is now living in her own accommodation and is receiving
floating support. When I asked Hanna about the recent changes to Mayday Trust
she explained that she has not really been affected by the changes but can see
the benefit in those who are still in Mayday accommodation. She said that it means
that the specific needs of each and every client are being met and it promotes independence.
Hanna would like to live independently in the near future
without floating support from Mayday. She would like to get a long term job and
continue with the Chance 4 Change. Chance 4 Change has given Hanna the
opportunity to travel and participate in volunteering at youth hostels. Hanna said
“it has been such an opportunity” and “I would like to take my friend to an area
of Ireland that I have been to with Chance 4 Change”. Mayday Trust introduced
Hanna to Chance 4 Change and Hanna said that they have helped her in way of
confidence and she has participated in activities and events that she would
never have though she was capable of doing. Evidence of this is, a couple of
months ago Hanna took part in a presentation in front of the staff of Mayday
Trust and Chance 4 Change telling them about the opportunities they had taken
part in and what they had been doing. Hanna said that they all worked together
as a team to present their work and she felt confident in speaking in front of
the staff about what they have been doing. She said that the people she has met
through Chance 4 Change wouldn’t necessarily be the kind of people she would
normally have as friends but since joining Chance 4 Change she feels that the
group have become closer. This is a result of having to work together as a team
and supporting each other to overcome obstacles and she has now got a very
diverse group of friends.
I asked Hanna about what her aspirations in life are. She told
me that since coming to Mayday she has been given a wide range of opportunities
for example a PETALS course and feels that she has now got new aspirations in
life “my dreams have now changed to reality”. Hanna told me about her
aspiration of becoming a writer and she knows that Mayday can help her in
achieving this or starting it up. After completing the courses Hanna said that she
felt her confidence has been boosted and she is very thankful to her key worker
from when she was living in the Mayday accommodation as he helped her to
reflect on situations that she struggled with and put in place coping
strategies to deal with similar situations in the future. He also supported her
in her decisions and choices. Hanna has an interest in photography and has had
plenty of opportunities to capture her experiences with Chance 4 Change and is
very proud with some the photos she has got. Hanna has got a very exciting
opportunity coming up soon regarding a 3 week work experience in a youth hostel
in Nepal. She is very enthusiastic about this and can’t wait to get out there
and do it.
When I asked Hanna if there was anything she would like to
change in her life she said that although there are some elements of her past
that she would like to have done differently she feels that she would not be
the person she is today if she hadn’t have experienced them. The past has made
her who she is but has not determined her future.
Hanna appreciates all the help and support she has had from
Mayday and is proud of where she is now.
Interview by Fiona McCance – Mayday Reporter & Intrepid
Explorer – 13th June 2013
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