We recently caught up with Katie Steele to hear more about her return to AFG in 2024 and her recent promotion to Area Manager in March of this year.
Katie is a familiar face across our organisation and joined us almost eight years ago as a Support Worker. Since then, she has progressed and has recently been promoted to Area Manager of the Cheshire West region.
Read below to hear about Katie’s AFG journey.
- What made you return to AFG?
The decision to return to AFG was a combination of things including personal values, professional growth, and a genuine belief AFG’s mission. I feel AFG has culture that aligns with my own values and always stood out to me for its person centred support and empowering culture. There are opportunities to grow, stretch our leadership practice, and contribute to meaningful organisational improvement which have always been a huge motivator for me. AFG offers a benefits package that reflects its commitment to staff wellbeing and work–life balance.
- How did your time away influence your decision to come back?
I realised how much I value the work AFG does, I started my career in health and social care working within AFG with adults with learning disabilities and my time away has made me realise I’d like to end my career within AFG. Since working within different organisations and I’ve realised that AFG’s values are the ones I find most fitting with my own. I felt my work at AFG gave me more satisfaction compared to other organisations I worked for during time I was a way.
- What felt different when you came back to AFG?
One of the first things I noticed was how much the organisation had evolved. People seem more connected, more involved, and more invested in the work. There’s a stronger sense of shared purpose, and staff are more willing to go bove and beyond. Teams communicate more openly, support each other, and share responsibility rather than carrying things alone.
- What advice would you give to colleagues who are thinking about developing their career or exploring new opportunities at AFG?
Don’t let a “no” knock your confidence. Going for opportunities, even when they don’t work out, is how you build momentum, not lose it. Over the past six months, I applied for several roles and wasn’t successful, but I didn’t let that stop me. I kept going, kept learning, and that persistence led me to progress into an Area Manager role.
I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. With the right mentoring, support and coaching, progression is always possible, sometimes just not in the way or timing you first expect.
- What makes AFG a Great Place to Work?
- Having the access to resources that help people do their jobs well.
- A commitment to learning and development.
- A strong sense of teamwork and collaboration.
- Values driven – AFG isn’t just about policies or processes, it lives its values through person‑centred practice, ethical decision‑making, and a genuine commitment to helping people achieve independence and meaningful outcomes.