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Nicci’s Spark: Supporting Mental Health with Heart and Humour

Nicci joined Help & Care six months ago and has already become a vital part of our outreach work in Swanage, Wareham and Poole. As a Wellbeing Co-ordinator, she supports people through drop-ins, clinics, and community connections. Her favourite part? Watching people rediscover their spark.

  • What is your name, how long have you been working for Help & Care?
    My name is Nicci, and I’m a Wellbeing Co-ordinator at Help and Care. I’ve been working here for 6 months. I support people with their mental health in the Poole Hub and the Purbeck drop-ins. The outreach supporting people is in Swanage, Wareham and Lytchett Matravers.
  • Why did you decide to join Help & Care?
    I was working for the National Trust before Help and Care, and although I loved it, I missed working in social care. This role was advertised, and I felt a real synergy with the job description and the values of the charity aligned with my own, which was just perfect!
  • What does a normal day look like for you at work?
    It’s such a mix! As I am one half of the Purbeck Outreach team, I am in Swanage on a Monday, Wareham on a Tuesday and alternate Wednesdays in Lytchett Matravers and Wareham Hospital. I go back into the Poole Hub for the remainder of the week. I support people who drop in, and I also have clinics for those people who need a little bit of extra support. It could be anything from signposting to other agencies for specific support like debt or addiction to supporting people who feel suicidal or are struggling to manage their mental health positively. It’s such a rewarding role, and no day is the same.
  • What do you enjoy the most about your work?
    The people I work with! It sounds clichéd, but I love working with people and being able to be there for them when they most need it. It’s an amazing feeling when you see someone get a glimmer of their sparkle back, start to feel a little better and feel hopeful. It’s priceless! I also love being part of a fantastic team, my mini team with my Purbeck partner Andy and the wider team in Poole. Another great aspect is working with our hosts in the outreach venues. We’ve technically gained four more teams working with the most experienced and passionate staff in community centres, the hospital and the community mental health team, which has been brilliant. I feel very supported by all of them.
  • What word would your team use to describe you?
    I reckon they’d say gobby and quirky! I’ll take it! 😊
  • What’s your favourite memory from working here?
    That’s a difficult one! I have to say I’ve really enjoyed being here so far, and one of the loveliest memories I have is visiting the Pony Palace, a place set up for people with mental health issues to visit and bond with ponies. I visited with two of my workmates and some Wellcos (Wellbeing Coordinators) from Boscombe Access Wellbeing to walk the gorgeous ponies around and spend some time with them. Absolutely lovely and a day I won’t forget.
  • How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
    Mostly by being outdoors running, dog walking, yoga, paddleboarding and dinghy sailing. I also write children’s books and poetry as well as being in the midst of writing adult fiction, so I spend a lot of time doing that. Spending time with my friends is also very important to me, and of course my little best mate, Henry Earl Oboe Jones, my soon-to-be 9-year-old tabby cat.
  • Why should someone want to work at Help & Care?
    There are so many areas you could work in with this charity. With regards to my role, if you love supporting people and want to progress and develop your people and therapeutic skills and gain opportunities you may never have thought you’d have the chance to do, then it’s the place to work. I feel very happy to be part of the Help and Care team and hope to stay here for a long time if they’ll have me!