A closer look at the people behind the care: Meet Marlvin
This month we had a chat with Marlvin, a support worker who has completed 242 shifts with SNG Healthcare in just over two years. He’s warm, thoughtful, and genuinely loves the work he does. We asked him about his journey into care, what keeps him going, and what he’d say to anyone thinking about doing the same.
How did you first get into support work?
Before I came to the UK, I worked at a community clinic back home for about three or four years. It was quite similar to support work, assisting with admissions and community programmes. When I arrived here, I found SNG through Indeed. They responded in a very positive way and very quickly, I think it only took about a day or so! I did my training and compliance, and immediately after that, I started to work.
What do you enjoy most about being a Support Worker?
I think it’s meeting different people and getting to interact with your workmates as well as the people you support. No two days are the same; every day is quite different depending on who you’re supporting and where you’re going.
I also really enjoy the environment because it has so many different people within it. You get to interact with people from all over, different parts of Europe, Africa, and British people too. You build a different personality as you go; you have a conception of what support work is, but that changes as you do more shifts and interact with more people. You learn to adapt as you go.
What has been the biggest challenge in your role so far, and how do you handle it?
Sometimes it can be demanding. You don’t always realise that you’re working so hard until you get used to a pattern of working. You eventually realise you need to step back a bit just to create time for other things.
It can also be challenging when someone presents challenging behaviour. You can feel it when you take on their stuff, but the good thing is there is support in the workplace. You tend to discuss it with others and have a talk about it. Others will tell you they’ve been through the same and how they dealt with it, and you move on from there.
Can you share a moment or a story that has stayed with you?
There have been a few, particularly with service users you just click with. I remember one person who was just so open about everything and really funny. He didn’t hold anything back and really expressed himself fully.
It’s rare to have someone who isn’t just centred on themselves but actually tries to connect with their support workers. He’d ask you questions and allow you to interact in a normal way, of course within the professional boundaries of the role. When you build a relationship like that, the shift just passes by and you realise, “Oh, my shift is almost up!” Those are the moments that stay with you. Even if you are no longer working with someone, you’ll always have them in your memory.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about becoming a Support Worker?
Support work is rewarding if you put in the effort. You can really enjoy doing it if you’re the sort of person that opens themselves up to building relationships with service users as well as your coworkers, whilst maintaining the appropriate boundaries.
The shift moves better when there is a balance between how you present yourself and how you support each other on shift. Many times, a shift seems difficult, but your workmate can tell when you’re being overwhelmed and they tend to step in whenever they are needed. It’s all about supporting each other.
What do you value about working with the SNG team?
The SNG team are really supportive. You won’t feel isolated on shift when there is someone else there. Even if you have a challenging situation, you can access Ashie, Karen or Rebecca via on-call support. You just call and they’ll have good advice for you on how to deal with specific situations. SNG also has a wide range of customers, so if you feel you need a bit of a change or want to try a different environment, you can have that chat with them. That variety has been very good for me.
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Thank you, Marlvin, for your time, your honesty, and for everything you bring to every shift. We’re proud to have you on the team. 💙
Want to find out more about working with SNG Healthcare? Get in touch at www.snghealthcare.co.uk
