Shay Ekunnrin

As a Complex Needs Support Worker at Keystage Housing, Shay’s background is rooted in advocacy, person-centred care, and risk assessment. Her work focuses on supporting individuals facing overlapping challenges such as mental health issues, substance misuse, and trauma within a housing context. Working in Complex Needs requires both resilience and compassion. Through experience in this role, it has been understood that progress is not linear, and that resilience and empathy are essential tools in helping residents navigate their complex journeys.

Shay has always believed that everyone deserves a safe place to call home. There has been a consistent drive to work in a role that supports individuals to live safely in their own homes, recognising that stable housing is the foundation for all other progress. She was drawn to Keystage Housing because of its values. The organisation’s focus on trauma-informed care and its commitment to treating residents as individuals with potential strongly aligned with her professional ethos, alongside a desire to be part of a team that manages complex support needs with both professionalism and genuine empathy.

In her role as a Complex Needs Support Worker, Shay is responsible for ensuring physical safety, providing psychological support, and maintaining legal compliance for residents.

Her vision is for the organisation to become the gold standard in trauma-informed care. There is a strong hope that Keystage Housing continues to be a place where individuals with complex needs feel safe enough to begin genuine recovery. This is important, as the potential in residents is evident daily. With the right environment and consistent support, even individuals who are considered hard to reach can transform their lives, and witnessing this progress is what makes the role meaningful.

Looking ahead, Shay aims to further develop academically within her role. Over the next five years, the goal is to build a track record of residents who were once in crisis but are now living independently as a result of the stability and support provided.

She brings a range of personal interests and a down-to-earth communication style to her work. The ability to connect with residents on a human level, often through shared interests, has proven to be an important first step in building the trust required for deeper support work.

Having worked with Keystage Housing for over two years, Shay has observed how the team consistently manages crisis situations using a trauma-informed approach. This experience reflects pride in representing an organisation that genuinely understands the complexities of homelessness and mental health.