Today (Sunday, 8th March 2026) is International Women’s Day – an occasion marked all around the world to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about discrimination and campaign for gender equality.
Here at Seashell we want to do our bit for International Women’s Day by celebrating the women who work here and go above and beyond for our young people.
This year, we spoke to Residential Support Worker Thureya Ali Yusuf. Thureya moved to the UK from Kenya in 2023 specifically to join Seashell and care for young people with complex disabilities. This is her story.
Tell us about finding this job at Seashell.
I moved over from Kenya having previously worked in a school. I was a primary school teacher and the school had a unit for children with disabilities. I had good training in that school and working with those children… they just felt like my own children. I just really wanted the best for them. Seeing a difference in their life was so rewarding and it had a big impact on me. I knew then that I would like to do that type of work my whole life.
I knew I needed a change so I wanted to go somewhere completely new but still do something I was very passionate about. I found an agency that was recruiting for jobs in the UK so I applied and just went for it. After lots of paperwork, medicals and the visa to sort it was soon time to fly!
I landed on a Thursday, we did a visit to Seashell on the Friday and on the Monday I started my induction. The agency was really good and put us up somewhere within walking distance of Seashell. I remember meeting Debbie and the other managers and members of staff on the Friday and they were all so lovely and supportive.
I think I was prepared psychologically for a new culture and I knew it would be cold too. But still, moving from Kenya to the UK in November was quite a big difference.
My daughter is with me now but she didn’t come immediately. I looked for a house, then applied for her visa and she came over later.
We’re now both really settled here. My daughter is very happy and when I work with the students at Seashell I feel so proud. It is life-changing work and I love that. I don’t think I could fit somewhere else now.
What is your favourite part of the job?
When we have activities off site I love seeing the young people enjoying what they are doing. It is wonderful they’re able to have opportunities at Seashell. We have the option to take them swimming or to a cafe and they can do something they love.
What has been your proudest moment at Seashell?
When I was working with some students in their third year there was a young adult male I worked with who had some behaviour difficulties. He would not accept me in the beginning. When he did accept me it was wonderful. Once he had accepted me he always wanted to work with me from then on. He was so funny and lots of staff told me it usually took him a long time to accept anyone and it wasn’t easy, but it was quite quick for me. He really liked me and bonded with me.
Then there was another male adult I worked with. One day he was still in bed and he wouldn’t get up. He used his communication device to tell me he wasn’t going to College. I asked him if he was going to talk to me and that was the first time he opened up to me and talked to me. He wrote on his device that he didn’t want to go to College because he didn’t like the work experience he was doing. He was doing gardening and he told me he wanted an office job instead. I called his teacher and Seashell was able to sort him some different work experience instead. He was so happy! He always kept to himself but after that moment he was so friendly to me. Seeing that connection and his friendships… it was wonderful. He has now graduated and works in Seashell and it is wonderful to see him so happy.
What would you tell people about Seashell?
I love Seashell. It has been so good to me. The staff are so good and they have really adopted me. They talk to us and whatever the problem you have you can come and talk to them. You feel that you are needed here and appreciated here.
When you go to another community it is a new environment, so it is not easy to settle and feel like home. The first few days it was cold and I was adapting to a new environment but once I was settled in I thought “this is the place. I am here until I retire”.
All the managers are so supportive. Two of the staff in House 11 have been my mentors and have been so good. Even though I had my job working with the children in Kenya, it’s very different here to what I was doing there. But I have very good mentors and managers and everyone is so supportive and they have made me feel like this is the where I am supposed to be.
It you’re interested in a rewarding career working with our young people, visit our Jobs Page.
