Award Winner Spotlight: Meet Wilderness Way’s Empathy and Compassion Award Winner

At this year’s Wilderness Way Awards, Trevor Milburn was named the winner of our Empathy and Compassion Award – recognition that goes to the heart of what care means at Wilderness Way.

As a Residential Support Worker, Trevor spends his days building trust with young people, often through the quiet, consistent work that doesn’t always make headlines but changes lives all the same. One of the young people he supports put it best in their nomination: “Trevor is my support worker. He started this job, the same day I moved here, so we will always have that connection. Trevor has shown me so much love, kindness and respect. I have learnt so much from him. Trevor tells me every day how proud of me he is. But it’s my turn to say how proud of him I am. Incredible guy.”

A colleague nomination captured a different side of his journey – starting out with no prior childcare experience, and building from there: “Trevor started working at WW in December with no past experience in any type of child care. In the training week, he said he was as nervous as he was eager. Once he properly started, he showed that he’s a great team player, helping out anytime he’s been needed. He would come in on his days off for meetings for the child because he has an amazing relationship with them. Trevor has shown that even without experience, you can build a strong and positive relationship with a child and the team.”

We caught up with Trevor to find out more about his role and what the recognition meant to him.

How did it feel to hear your name announced?

“It felt amazing and really rewarding to hear that I had won a Wilderness Way Award. It made me feel proud because it recognised all the hard work, dedication, and effort I put into what I do every day. It was also really motivating to know that my efforts had made a positive impact and were appreciated.”

Tell us a little about your role and what you enjoy most about working at Wilderness Way.

“My role is to support young people in their daily lives, help them feel safe and valued, and encourage them to grow in confidence and independence. Every day is different, and my role involves building positive relationships, providing emotional support, and helping create a stable and caring environment.

What I enjoy most about working at Wilderness Way is being able to make a positive difference in the young people’s lives and seeing their progress over time. I also enjoy working as part of a supportive team and knowing that the work we do can have a real impact on helping young people achieve their goals and feel more confident about their future.”

Is there a moment from the past year that you are particularly proud of?

“One moment I am particularly proud of in the past year was working 1:1 with a child within a 2:1 service. Building a positive and trusting relationship took time, patience, and consistency, but it was incredibly rewarding to see the progress they made over time.

Being able to support them through challenges, help them feel safe and understood, and see improvements in their confidence and engagement was something I am very proud of. It reminded me how important consistency, empathy, and strong relationships are in making a positive difference in a young person’s life.”

What inspires you to go above and beyond in your work?

“What inspires me to go above and beyond in my work is seeing the difference even small actions can make in a young person’s life. Knowing that consistency, patience, and care can help them feel safe, build trust, and develop confidence really motivates me to always give my best.

I’m also inspired by the relationships I build with the young people and the progress they make over time. Being part of a supportive team at Wilderness Way pushes me to keep improving and to always look for ways to provide the highest level of care and support I can.”

How do Wilderness Way’s values influence the way you work?

“Wilderness Way’s values strongly align with my own personal values, especially around compassion, respect, honesty, and supporting young people to reach their full potential. These values influence the way I work with others every day by encouraging me to build positive relationships, communicate openly, and always treat people with understanding and respect.

I believe in being consistent, supportive, and approachable, which helps create trust with both the young people I support and my colleagues. Working in a caring and team-focused environment also motivates me to continue learning, supporting others, and always doing my best to make a positive impact.”

What makes the work we do at Wilderness Way truly meaningful?

“Many of the children we support have faced significant challenges, so being able to provide them with stability, care, encouragement, and positive experiences can have a huge impact on their confidence, wellbeing, and future.

What makes it especially meaningful is seeing the progress they make over time, no matter how big or small, and knowing that the support, patience, and relationships we build can help them feel safe, valued, and more hopeful about their future.”

What advice would you give someone starting their career at Wilderness Way?

“My advice to someone just starting their career at Wilderness Way would be to be patient with themselves and take time to build strong, positive relationships with the young people. Consistency, empathy, and clear communication are really important in this role, and trust takes time to develop.

I would also say don’t be afraid to ask questions and lean on your team for support, as teamwork is a big part of providing the best care. Every day can be different and sometimes challenging, but if you stay committed, open-minded, and reflective, it’s an incredibly rewarding role where you can genuinely make a difference.”

A Well-Deserved Recognition

Trevor’s story is a powerful reminder of what compassion looks like in practice – not as a single grand gesture, but as the everyday patience, consistency and care that helps a young person feel safe enough to trust again. As both nominations show, he arrived without childcare experience and built something real anyway – through showing up, staying consistent, and putting the relationship first, even on his days off.

Congratulations to Trevor on a thoroughly well-deserved award. At Wilderness Way, empathy isn’t just a value on a page – it’s what shows up every day in the people who do this work, and Trevor is a brilliant example of that..

Interested in being part of the Wilderness Way team? Explore our current vacancies.