Michelle Jenkinson
Administrator – York
Hi, I’m Tracy McGaw and I work as a Shared Lives Service Manager, and also manage a small caseload on Supported Living. I started working for Avalon in 2016 but I have worked in the health and social care sector now for the last 15 years.
Prior to working with Avalon, my background was in supported living and community support so Shared Lives was all new to me, but I am so pleased I took on the challenge, as I absolutely love it! It is so rewarding being able to provide a break, short/long term or emergency placement which is a home from home environment and is so much more person centred. My experience over the years has mostly been supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism, sensory needs, health issues and behaviours of concern but I also have two children of my own who are diagnosed with autism.
I am very passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of others and although my role as a manager allows me to do this, I still try to cover support shifts where I can so I can maintain the direct contact and support with our customers as this is something I thoroughly enjoy and don’t want to lose sight of. Mental health is also very close to my heart and when the opportunity came up to train as a mental health first aider a few years ago, I jumped at the chance!
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and extended family which also includes our array of pets. I am also very creative so to fulfil this passion, I will quite often have some kind of art or craft project on the go! I am also a keen advocate for autism support and acceptance, so I am involved in a school autism parent support group. My aim is to use my experiences in a positive way, being there and supporting others in similar situations but also to help raise awareness and understanding amongst parents and teaching staff, as autism is still very much misunderstood.
01904 693104
tracymcgaw@avalongroup.org.uk