A Day in the Life of an Ara Housing Support Practitioner

Most days I wake to the air filled with birdsong, JCBs and scaffolders filling the air. This is how my day starts as a Housing Support Practitioner for Ara, living in the ever-developing city centre of Bristol.

Morning: Arriving at the House

I hop in my car and drive to one of the supported accommodation houses I’m responsible for. Today, I’m greeted at the door by one of the clients who excitedly tells me some good news they’ve received recently. They’re full of energy and pride, and it’s great to witness their joy.

We head inside, I put the kettle on, and we sit for a chat while I drop off the breakfast I’ve brought, provided by Ara. One aspect of my role is carrying out welfare checks for our clients, so I visit each bedroom to check in and see how everyone is doing.

Afterwards, I make some drinks and sit down with the clients to discuss what’s on the agenda for the day. This morning, we’re reading some daily reflections as a group and sharing insights, having a house meeting, and later I’ll be facilitating a mindfulness and pampering session for those who don’t have appointments.

It’s important to help create some routine and structure for clients who may not have had this before, or who have fallen out of sync due to the effects of trauma. We start with some structure inside the house, and once someone feels settled and happy taking part, we help build that same routine outside of the house too.

Midday: Reflection and Connection

The day’s reflection was quite thought-provoking, and everyone had lots to say. During our house meeting, we “check in” as a group, share how we’re doing, talk about what’s happening in the house, and each share something we’re grateful for and a goal for the week ahead.

These spaces are so valuable for clients to reflect on their wellbeing and recovery, and to hear from others. It gives them the chance to share their struggles, find common ground and offer support to each other.

As staff, we provide emotional support one-to-one when needed, but it’s also important to facilitate a space where clients can share and support one another. I’m always learning from the clients, and sometimes I just sit back, listen and watch them lift each other up.

Afterwards, a few of us applied face masks, put on a mindfulness video from YouTube and sat quietly for twenty minutes, practising mindfulness while the face masks worked their magic.

Afternoon: Creating a Safe and Supportive Space

Not everyone who comes into the house is in a place where they can take part in everything Ara housing offers, and that’s okay. Sometimes it’s just not their time. What matters most is helping to create a safe, kind and supportive environment. Sadly, some of our clients have never experienced this before.

I strongly believe that at Ara we can show our clients that we care. Sometimes, simply acknowledging someone’s presence can have a powerful impact. When people realise that others notice and care about them, it can foster a sense of being seen, valued and important – especially for those who may not often feel that way. It’s lessons like that which I try to put into my practice every day, showing clients they are cared about and deserve support and recovery.

Back to the Office

With my face now shiny and gleaming, I head back to my car and drive through Bristol’s well-designed, traffic-flowing and driver-friendly roads to our office on King Street. I park up, stress-free, and head inside for our team meeting.

I’d volunteered to bring snacks today, so I came armed with homemade hummus, which went down very well and earned me several joking suggestions of a promotion or pay rise.

In the meeting, we discuss the management of higher-priority issues, review updates and share any positive developments. It feels good to share successes, like one client’s rehab referral being approved. Afterwards, I make a few phone calls to clients on my caseload, type up my notes and prepare for the next day.

Reflection: The Privilege of the Work

Like any job, there are good days and challenging days. Supporting clients with complex trauma can be emotionally demanding and can draw on your reserves. But to be in a position to support someone, listen to them, encourage them and later celebrate their successes is an absolute privilege.

Listening to clients talk about overcoming obstacles and celebrating achievements can be incredibly heartwarming. The most inspirational people I’ve met in my life are some of the Ara clients I’ve worked with. I’ve witnessed the extremes of human strength and resilience in this role and feel lucky to have played even a small part in supporting that.

Most people don’t get to see the most inspirational sides of humanity in their day-to-day work. My job is different.

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