This month, we caught up with Barbara Small, a Community Health Worker at New Kensington CDC. Learn more about how Barbara uses the Connect4Health platform.
What is your role and what does your average day look like?
I am a Community Health Worker (CHW) Mentor at New Kensington CDC in Kensington, Philadelphia. On an average day I work with the CHW's helping them with clients and answering questions about the Connect4Health platform while taking on clients of my own. I started working at New Kensington in 2021 when I entered the CHW training program, I graduated, trained for 11 months under workforce development, and then my position was created as a CHW Mentor.
What is your favorite part about your role?
My favorite part about my role is helping people. I answer calls from clients, I connect them with the CHW's and from there they get put in the system and they put the platform to work. People really appreciate having someone to just talk to, and having the platform makes it easier to make these connections. It's really pretty awesome.
What were your initial impressions of the platform?
My first impression of the platform was like "oh my" what is this and what do I do with it? It seemed confusing but after learning how to use it, I really look forward to searching for more to see what else I can find. I now find it very interesting.
How are you currently using the platform?
I use the platform every day. It is definitely my go-to for finding almost anything I need to help my clients. Even if they don't find the help they need at first, they really appreciate the fact that there is help out there and that there is someone out there that cares that they get it.
How has Connect4Health supported your work? Made it easier? Made it harder?
I honestly do not think that I would be able to do the work I do without the Connect4Health platform. Once I learned how to use it, everything became simpler. Knowing that I can just go in and connect anyone to almost anything has made me more confident in doing my own job.