At Maples, being compassionate is more than kindness, it’s about truly seeing people, respecting their independence, and supporting them without judgement. For our Support staff, compassion means meeting people where they are, even when things are difficult, and remembering that recovery isn’t a straight line.
Whether it’s helping someone take a step forward they’ve been avoiding, listening without rushing to solutions, or simply recognising the effort it takes to face each day, compassion shapes how we connect with and care for the people we support.
What Being Compassionate Looks Like for Support Workers
For Support Staff at Maples, being compassionate can mean:
- Respecting someone’s independence, even when you think you know the “best” way forward
- Listening fully to their perspective, especially when emotions are running high
- Balancing encouragement with patience, so progress doesn’t come at the cost of trust
- Acknowledging the effort someone puts in, no matter how small the step may seem
- Offering person-centred support that feels genuine, not prescriptive
One Key Worker shared:
“It means respecting people’s independence and personal decisions. I try to set my emotions aside and see things from their perspective, even if they’re upset with me. It’s about maintaining trust and respecting boundaries while still helping them do what they need to do.”
Small Actions, Big Impact
Sometimes compassion is found in quiet moments, listening to someone talk through a bad day without rushing them, remembering a detail they shared weeks ago, or adapting your support plan to match their energy levels.
It can also be about recognising someone’s daily effort:
“I make sure I express that I notice the effort they put in every day, in a way that feels encouraging, not patronising. Trying your best today matters more than what happened yesterday.”
Why Being Compassionate Matters in Recovery
Many of the people we support at Maples have experienced trauma, addiction, or situations that made them feel disconnected from their best selves. Compassion creates space for understanding, reminding people that difficult experiences don’t define their worth.
By acknowledging that everyone has days they’re not proud of, and that recovery is about doing your best in the moment, we help build a community where people feel safe, respected, and empowered to move forward.
As one team member put it:
“It’s about building a platform for someone to feel better and take their life in the direction they want it to go in.”
At Maples, compassion isn’t just a value on paper. It’s in the way we listen, the patience we show, and the trust we build. From the smallest act of kindness to the most challenging day of support, we carry it with us, because compassion has the power to turn everyday moments into the first steps toward change.
Read more about our new values in our re-branding blog
