When Sinéad Liddy first joined UNISON it was for the most common reason in the book: “For back up and support, just in case I had a problem at work.”
But six years later, she’s a steward in her health branch, and chair of the National Young Members’ Forum.
Sinéad, 24, is a community support worker in Antrim Town, providing supported living for people with learning disabilities. She started working for the NHS as a summer relief worker in the local hospital when she was 16, eventually becoming a full-time nursing auxiliary.
She joined UNISON when she was 18. A few months later she received an invitation to a drug awareness evening organised by the region’s young members’ group in Belfast.
“I knew nothing about drugs and had a genuine interest in the subject,” she recalls. “So I went to Belfast, which is about 30 miles away – I remember that I got lost on the way to the office. It was just a wee get-together, with a speaker, who was absolutely brilliant.
“After that, the group texted me about their next meeting – and the rest is history.”
What she appreciated about the group was that people “were talking about real stuff – working conditions, problems they were having with their managers, facility time – in a way that I could relate to. It makes such a difference when you’re able to say, ‘I know what you’re talking about, I’m going through that.’ And I never once thought that someone was going to laugh at me for saying the wrong thing.”
Within a year she was asked if she wanted to be elected as the young members’ representative on the Northern Ireland regional committee, which she did, slowly gaining confidence. At that time she also started her steward’s training.
But then Sinéad suffered a crisis. It started when she fell, injuring a foot and knee, which made work virtually impossible. Other health problems followed, which led to depression, which in turn was exacerbated by bullying by unsympathetic colleagues.
“I was living at home at the time and it got to the stage where I didn’t want to leave the house,” she recalls. “I wasn’t ready to see anyone or face any questions.”
Thankfully, concerned and friendly pressure from her regional officer led to her tentatively taking part in a national young members’ weekend in Sheffield. Though difficult, the experience got Sinéad back on track.
“When I returned from Sheffield things had changed. I wasn’t so afraid. I started to go back to the young members’ meetings, which were a massive confidence booster as well. I was thinking, ‘What are we doing next?” Being active let me think about something else.”
The change of job, from the hospital to the community also helped her move forward. She is now an active steward for her 20+ colleagues. She’s been involved in recent work by young members in attacking the stigma attached to mental health issues. Earlier this year, she became the first person from Northern Ireland to be elected chair of the National Young Members’ Forum.
“I genuinely love the work that being active in the union entails,” she says. “I think it comes from the enjoyment I get from helping people generally. I go to work and help people. In a different way, I help members.”
She also feels that she’s providing the support and camaraderie to others that UNISON gave her. “I really did get lost on my way to that first meeting,” she laughs. “But I’m not lost any more.”
November is young workers’ month. Find out more at unison.org.uk/YWM2015