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From the frontline - Huma Khalid
Huma Khalid, A&E to home officer at First Choice Homes Oldham, explains why she wants budgeting skills put on the national curriculum
What does your job involve?
I work in A&E to identify people who can be assisted without medical intervention.
I work with them to solve their issues without the need for them to be admitted to hospital.
The sorts of issues I deal with are often drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, social care needs or immigration advice. I arrange ongoing support from services in the community.
How did you get into housing?
I’ve always enjoyed working in customer-facing roles and I’ve done a lot of varied work. Prior to working for First Choice Homes Oldham, I worked for Citizens Advice as a specialist welfare benefits caseworker.
It gave me lots of experience in working with housing issues, and the role fit with my values. When the A&E to home role came up in September 2017, I knew it was something I wanted to do as it would give me a chance to work with customers and make an immediate, positive impact on their lives.
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What is a good day like for you?
One where I get to make the best use of my time. I took on the role because I wanted to make a difference. I like to see outcomes from the work I do.
Seeing people accessing services they didn’t know about or making changes to their home life so they can be safe and live independently makes me feel like I’m having a positive effect.
What about a bad day?
I always try to remain positive. However, there are times when there aren’t the relevant services or facilities available in the community to support patients.
Sometimes there are barriers to helping patients, such as funding or the availability of services. It’s a bad day for me when I know that a patient needs certain support in the community but I can’t refer them on.
If you could be prime minister for a day, what would you do?
I’d introduce budgeting and life skills into the national curriculum with immediate effect.
So many people get themselves into debt because they are lacking in skills to budget their finances.
They have never acquired the skills that we take for granted, such as how to manage money, how to deal with people in a work environment or basic DIY. It puts them at such a disadvantage and prevents them from fulfilling their potential. It’s so important to equip people with these skills, and some training at an early age would make a lasting impact.
What’s the most private thing you’d be willing to admit to your colleagues?
I’m a pretty open book. There’s nothing I’d want my colleagues to know about me that they don’t already know!
