Merseyside Live and Learn Group Development Worker

My name is Shirley Peacock and I’ve been a paid worker at People First Merseyside since August 2016. Before this I worked for 10 years as a ‘Tenant Support Officer’ for a Charity called Housing Initiatives which provided supported accommodation for people with Learning Disabilities. My job was to work with Sefton and Liverpool Social Services/Councils to identify and assist adults with Learning Disabilities to move into ‘Independent Living’ and maintain their tenancy. I dealt with a variety of things from Housing Benefit to dealing with ‘neighbour nuisance’ issues. It was a very challenging role but one I got a lot of job satisfaction from. At Housing Initiatives, some of our Tenants where also members of People First and their office was in the 3tc Building where we were also based. I was invited by Judy to spend the day in the People First Merseyside’s office and I became a huge fan from the second I walked through the door! I remember thinking how amazing the members were and they inspired me so much I decided there and then that I would be absolutely honoured to be a part of the Organisation. The rest is history! I am also a qualified Nurse and worked at the Royal Liverpool Hospital for 20 years. I was a Ward Sister, a Renal Specialist Nurse and a Diabetes Specialist Nurse. I loved being a Nurse and sometimes miss it, but I would never go back.