No client approach
At Great Start Taita there are no waiting rooms, no case files and no clients. Instead it's mums, dads, kids and family helping each other.
Great Start Taita is a loose, informal collaboration of different community groups, service providers and residents who live and work in the Taita area. A strong focus is supporting parents, young children and families.
Great Start operates out of a large former convent. It has 12 rooms upstairs and a large front room downstairs packed with toys. It is just like the lounge of a family home, says Karen Clifford.
"But the main room is the kitchen. That's where people gather - around the kitchen table. It's about meeting others in the community, people building their own relationships. It's a place of connection."
Great Start operates on a No Client approach. "So often when people are looking for assistance," Karen explains, "they become 'clients'. That's business language! We wanted to lose language that implies a deficit. We don't call people clients, we call them mums and dads and children.
"We acknowledge the strengths that exist within families, so our work is purely about building relationships. That's why we don't have waiting spaces in corridors or offices."
When someone from the community arrives, she explains, they are given a tour of the building. "That's when we engage in conversation to find out people's needs. We don't write-up case notes or make an appointment. Instead, we say right then and there: 'You might like to talk to such-and-such' and we find that person to bring them into the conversation.
"People feel like they are being hosted, not waiting to be seen. We ask ourselves: "What would feel right in a home - in my home?"
While informal, Karen says a lot of thought goes into creating the right environment. You could operate out of a church or a community hall, she says, but it needs to be homely and familiar. "Our place is really clean, it's well kept. We have photos and art on the walls. It's our place. It shows that we care about our place and our community. People don't abuse the space. They cherish it. And more often than not, they want to know how they can give back - to help others."
