Amber’s Story - Personal Assistant

I am in my early twenties and currently studying for a master’s degree in psychology at the university in Sheffield. The course involves a lot of research and self-study which means I only spend about a day a week in lectures. This provides a lot of flexibility when it comes to finding work to boost my income. The Personal Assistant (PA) role fits well around my studies and gives me meaningful work experience for future job applications. 

I got her first PA role through word of mouth. I used to attend the Mencap & Gateway youth clubs with my three siblings, and whilst having a great time there I met lots of other young people with various disabilities. After reaching the age limit for the youth club, I was approached by a parent to ask if I would be willing to support her son. The request was for a few hours a week, to attend the youth club and help him to stay healthy and active. Help develop his independence and confidence out and about in Sheffield. I agreed to give it a go for a couple of weeks and found that it worked perfectly.

I have since been approached by two more people looking for individual support. One of whom is a girl of a similar age to me. Our arrangement is very flexible, and I usually work for a few hours each week, often going for walks, out to a café together or even to watch horror films at the cinema!

I also work with a lovely young man for around 10 hours a week over a couple of sessions.  Each week is varied, sometimes we have very specific tasks to achieve, like going to the bank or the shops, and other times we might go out together for some exercise in a local park.

I have found that my psychology degree has been really helpful when working with people in a one-to-one setting. More importantly, I am autistic myself and I feel strongly that my own lived experience of neurodiversity and navigating a world that presents daily challenges makes me perfect for this type of work. I understand what it feels like to be a bit different. I have learnt to develop strategies to overcome barriers and find this really helpful in noticing issues as they arise and supporting my employers to deal with them positively.

Initially I wasn’t sure if I would have the skills or the confidence to do this type of work and, unlike most jobs, I wasn’t offered any training. But I have learnt lots on the job and feel that my own experiences and understanding of neurodiversity have really helped me to do the job well and provide support that is person centred.  I know from personal experience that the one-size-fits-all approach is never good enough and I have become adept at helping the people I support to develop their own strategies to deal with the day-to-day challenges of navigating the world.

Top tips for becoming a PA

Be open to learning new things and take time to listen to individual preferences and stories. Understanding that everyone is different really helps to build positive relationships with the people you are working with. Taking a non-judgemental and relaxed approach works well and where possible without hierarchy. It can often feel like you are friends so it’s important to set boundaries.

Best part of the job...

I love this work because every week is different. I think I would find an office setting overwhelming and it’s great to know that you can do a rewarding and worthwhile job with this much freedom and opportunity to be out and about in nature and the local community.

Amber - Personal Assistant