50 Voices
TONY 50 Voices captures the authentic voice of the people that use our services and our staff as Turning Point celebrates its 50th anniversary
50 Voices
Tony Barker
50 Voices
Tony Barker
Tony Barker is Turning Point’s Operations Manager for Learning and Development.
What are your main responsibilities at Turning Point? My main responsibility is managing all of the resources, including trainers, administration, course content and e-learning as well as the Explore online training system that people use. I’m also involved in business partnering with the different business units and I’m involved in the information governance board and the health and safety committee. Any situation where learning is going to take place, I’m involved making sure that everything is available for people at the time they need it.
What do you think is unique about Turning Point in the way that it supports service users? Turning Point is non-judgemental, we’re focused on recovery, growth and supporting our service users to achieve the best for themselves.
50 Voices
Tony Barker
I think Turning Point is unique in that we talk about the service user in a very person-centred way. This sounds much easier than it is in reality as this involves us being authentic in how we interact with people, even when things get tough for them, we are still there to support when other services wouldn’t. Turning Point is non-judgemental, we’re focused on recovery, growth and supporting our service users to achieve the best for themselves. No matter which service you visit, you always get that feeling that the staff are committed to supporting each individual.
What skill, ability or personality trait do you have that helps you do your job to the best of your ability? I think that knowledge of the business units is really important, you have to be very detail-oriented because each service and business unit is different and requires different things from us so as a department we have to understand detail and context so that we can make the right decision. I think I’m good at that! Also being a people person is so important, knowing how to talk to and interact with people. If you’re stood at the front of a room full of people and you need them to grasp and get on board with your vision and values, for example, or have a good induction experience or see what they want to develop within Turning Point and stay with us, it’s vital that we’re authentic and trusted. We believe in what we say.
What is the biggest challenge you face on a day-to-day basis? I think the biggest challenge is finding creative solutions to complex problems. We’re trying to work out how to get people what they want and what they need at the time they need it. This can be challenging when you’re working within a small team but you still want to do the best you can to help people.
50 Voices
Tony Barker
What aspect of your job do you enjoy the most?
Those moments where you get to meet the real stars is really motivating.
The most enjoyable part of the job is going out and meeting all the people who do a really great job for Turning Point, they have some real talent. Those moments where you get to meet the real stars is really motivating. The drive and skill they bring to Turning Point is demonstrated through their client work, their ability to develop people as well as their great management skills. For me, being able to support them to do even better in their day to day work is especially rewarding.
Why are you so passionate about being a part of Turning Point?
Everybody has the right to achieve their potential.
Why wouldn’t I be passionate about being a part of Turning Point? You look around every day and see some great work happening and people’s lives changing for the better. I’ve been here a number of years so I’ve had the pleasure of seeing how we’ve grown and continued to support more and more people. I love that I stand up for people who face inequality because I truly believe that everybody has the right to achieve their potential.
50 Voices
Tony Barker
If you work for a bank you never see the profits but at Turning Point the profit is all around you every single day, it is witnessing the positive impact you have on people’s lives.
It would be easy to work for a big multi-national corporation, earn more money and have bigger financial perks and benefits but all of that doesn’t interest me. I’m more people motivated than money motivated. Anyone who’s considering working for Turning Point I’d say give it a try. Definitely don’t rule out working for the third sector or a social enterprise because it can offer you lots of great opportunities if you want them. If you work for a bank you never see the profits but at Turning Point the profit is all around you every single day, it is witnessing the positive impact you have on people’s lives.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about people with learning disabilities, substance misuse or mental health issues?
It can be really easy for people to do that and excuse it by saying that this person with a learning disability can’t do something just because they have a learning disability which just isn’t true.
50 Voices
Tony Barker
I think the overriding misconception is people being written off by which I mean people assuming that individuals with these issues can’t do what the rest of us do such as not being able to give back to the community and society, which is frustrating. It can be really easy for people to do that and excuse it by saying that this person with a learning disability can’t do something just because they have a learning disability which just isn’t true. I think we should be saying that this person can do this if put certain measures in place to support them. Receiving support is how everybody else learns, someone has to teach or support you until you reach a point where you can do it by yourself. This is how we learn and this should be the same outlook we have towards people with learning disabilities, substance misuse and mental health issues. They can do it too but it just might take a little longer.
What’s the key for Turning Point’s continuing success in the future? We need to ensure that we keep supporting and pushing for developing people as individuals. There’s a lot of talent at Turning Point and a lot of potential in the service users we support. We always want people to have the opportunity to continue bettering themselves.
50 Voices
Turning Point Standon House 21 Mansell Street London E1 8AA 020 7481 7600 info@turning-point.co.uk
50 Voices Learn more at www.turning-point.co.uk For press enquiries about 50 Voices please contact press@turning-point.co.uk