Salih's story

Receiving support from our Hackney Outreach service, Salih shares his rented home with another Advance customer. They get along well and share household tasks. Each person receives a few hours support per week to help with budgeting and paying bills, medical appointments and health and wellbeing advice. The latter is particularly important for Salih in relation to healthy eating and managing his diabetes. He frequently gets the bus to visit his Mum, who lives nearby.
Salih has learnt to make the most of what the community has to offer him. He enjoys singing with his choir on Tuesdays and volunteering at Culpeper Community Garden twice a week. Salih was introduced to the garden by his Support Worker, Simon. His favourite thing about working in the garden is ‘getting (his) hands dirty!’ and his favourite flower is the daffodil, because he loves the way it smells. A full-on metal-head with a huge CD collection, Salih loves rock concerts – the bigger and louder, the better! Support Workers take their earplugs along when joining Salih for gigs at Hyde Park and the O2.
Salih has been active in advocacy work in Advance, sitting on a number of customer panels that provide feedback on customer concerns to senior management. He is regularly part of a customer group conducting interviews for new staff. He attended and contributed to an APPG at the Houses of Parliament on accessibility in transport.
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