Introducing The Brick’s Asset Coaches

The Brick, is a registered charity that offers a huge range of services and support - including emergency shelter/ accommodation - for people who find themselves transitioning through homelessness, experiencing poverty or facing a crisis. In addition, we run the largest Foodbank in the Wigan & Leigh area. Here we talk about the role of Asset Coaches in the work that we do and just how important they are in helping people believe in themselves again. What are Asset Coaches? The Person-led.... In the words of The Mayday Trust.

Coaches support and walk alongside people experiencing tough times. It emerged following years of prototyping a new way of working that ensured power was passed back to the individual and uncovered the many systemic barriers people face when accessing services. The PTS believes that tough times should be a brief transition in a person’s life, not an identity and certainly not a life sentence.

PTS Coaches form a trusting and voluntary relationship with people they work alongside, providing the right support at the right time for each individual. Importantly, a PTS Coach works without an agenda, solely focusing on the person in front of them, building on strengths rather than fixing perceived problems.

People are encouraged to focus on what’s strong and go from there; exploring passions and interests and creating positive networks away from services. People will also be supported to overcome external and internal barriers created by the systems and processes that are in place when a person accesses services.

Alongside a Coach, an individual will build up evidence that they can achieve, gain a deeper understanding of their situation and ultimately work towards the future they want.

By focusing on the individual, their strengths and unique context, people can utilise their existing skills, access the appropriate resources and build the right network to ensure they are prepared for a life away from services.