Get to know our members: Daniel

Daniel, you've been coming to Destined for over 15 years now. How did you first come across it?

[Daniel] I think it was my mum that first suggested it and said I should give it a try. I wasn’t sure about it to start with. I was nervous, but then as soon as I started talking to people I got used to it quickly.  Now I love it.

Can you tell me a little bit about your work at Destined?

[Daniel] I come to Destined Monday to Friday, I work on maintenance and lots of other things. I look after the Bullet Tunnel we have and also do a bit of gardening. I work part-time, so whenever I have free time I just come down.

[Charlene] Daniel is really good at just knowing what needs to get done. Every week is different around here. Some weeks a programme or an event will be on and we can rely on Daniel a lot to help out with those extra events. Depending on what’s going on, Daniel could be here the whole day until about 9pm at night.

Charlene, Daniel’s taken on more responsibility recently, how did that come about, and what support does he get from the team?

[Charlene] It’s a fairly recent development in terms of Daniel being paid for some of the work he does here at Destined. 

And we’re really hoping that continues to grow. With that change has come a lot more responsibility. Daniel now has key holding duties when he’s working at events, which is a huge responsibility given the size of the site and the buildings here.

But it’s something he’s clearly capable of, with the right support. It was something we were conscious of here because we wanted it to work for Daniel and for us. He’s only officially stepped into this role in the last few months, although he’d been working towards it for a long time. The support is always there for him. We check in regularly to see how he’s feeling about things. And Daniel is really good about telling us how he’s getting on, and if there’s ever an issue we talk it through and make adjustments. But to be honest, there’s very little support Daniel actually needs.

Sounds like Daniel keeps everything in motion here. What would happen if he wasn’t here for a day or two?

[Charlene] The place would just fall apart. There would be chaos!

But if Daniel’s not able to be here, he’s really good at letting us know in advance so we can make other arrangements. But I have to say, he really is missed when he’s not around. There’s no one who knows what goes on across the whole site better than Daniel. From when the bins go out, to who’s delivering what and when, he’s always one step ahead of everything. All of those small things are really important, if they don’t get done, everything would grind to a halt.

Daniel, how do you stay organised and keep on top of it all?

[Daniel] Well, things like the bins are easy. They go out on Wednesdays, but I usually put them out on Tuesday just in case the bin man comes early. 

If I need help, I have a friend at Destined who can help me out. It was a bit of a learning curve to start with, but I just got on with it and now I know what I need to do.

[Charlene] As you’ve heard, Daniel is really on the ball. We are always there to support him to find ways to manage things that suit him, especially when it comes to things like room bookings. We can have quite large events in the conference room, and different organisations might ask for the space to be set up in different ways. They might need audio equipment or carting arrangements and that can be quite complex to sort out. 

What works really well for Daniel is drawing out a plan of the room on paper, mapping out where the tables and chairs will go. He’ll also take photos on his phone so he can refer back to how the room was set up before. Those little tips and tricks have worked really well for him.

Daniel, you must have to deal with a lot of different people and members day to day. How do you find that?

Oh I really love it.

Charlene, how much have you seen Daniel develop over the years he has been at Destined?

[Charlene] I think Daniel underestimates just how far he has come, especially in the last couple of years. Not only has he taken on more responsibility here, but he has also moved from living in his family home in a rural location to his own apartment in Derry, about a mile from the centre. 

It’s coming up to two years now since he made that move, so it’s still early days in the grand scheme of things. But it’s been a big transition. Moving from living at home all his life to living independently has brought a lot of responsibility, managing a home, bills, maintenance, and making everything safe and secure. All of that has really laid the groundwork for the role Daniel is doing now at Destined.

When I think about it, while we supported Daniel to make that move and live independently, it has actually worked out to our benefit as well. He’s been able to bring everything he’s learned and take that into his role here at Destined.

Daniel, now that you live so close, how early do you set your alarm?

[Daniel] About 6 o’clock.

[Charlene] And he’s at Destined for 7:30am, or 8am. By the time I arrive at 9am, he’s got the lights and heating on, and the doors open. Everything is ready to go. You really notice when Daniel’s not there. You pull up and it’s dark inside. It’s just not the same. 

Even when we had snow in January, I thought he wouldn’t be in, but of course he was. And not only that, he had the whole car park salted, even right round to the café, which he didn’t have to do. He had the entire site sorted. He’s fantastic.

Daniel, what’s your favourite thing to do after a day at work?

[Daniel] When I finish up here late in the evening, I go to my local pub on the way home. It’s called Annie’s Bar. 

[Charlene] It’s only a stone’s throw from Daniel’s apartment, which is great. After he’s had a drink or two there, he doesn’t have far to go. We’ve an ongoing joke at the minute because there’s traditional Irish music in Annie’s every Thursday evening, and for the last few months Daniel’s been more than happy to work late those evenings!

Finally, Daniel, what would you say to someone who’s a bit nervous about coming along to Destined?

[Daniel] I would just tell them not to worry about it and to come along and give it a try. You might be nervous at the start, but you’ll make friends quickly.