At Severn Angels Housing & Support (SAHS), one of our key missions is to inspire empowerment — helping individuals take responsibility for their growth, wellbeing, and future.
A useful framework that helps us reflect on this journey is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — a psychological theory suggesting that human motivation follows a series of levels, from basic needs to self-fulfilment.
While the theory suggests lower-level needs are the foundation for higher ones, real life often looks different. People can be motivated by multiple needs at once, and the order may vary depending on personal experiences, trauma, or environment.
Physiological Needs:
Food, rest, and shelter form the foundation of stability. Without these basics, it is difficult to focus on goals or emotional wellbeing. Building routines such as budgeting, paying essential bills first, and maintaining a secure home environment supports both physical and mental health.
Safety Needs:
Safety is more than just physical security — it includes emotional, financial, and digital safety. Avoiding debt, creating healthy boundaries, and using social media positively all contribute to a sense of control and calm.
Love and Belonging:
Human connection is vital. Healthy friendships, supportive family ties, and positive communities create belonging, purpose, and resilience. Acts of kindness, volunteering, having a job you love or simply connecting with others can help rebuild trust and reduce isolation.
Esteem:
Esteem grows when individuals recognise their progress and strengths. Empowerment means taking pride in small wins, developing new skills, and challenging self-limiting beliefs. Confidence comes not from perfection, but from persistence.
Self-Actualisation:
This is the stage where people align their life with their values and purpose — becoming the best version of themselves. It is about giving back, following passions, and finding fulfilment in growth and contribution.
Why This Matters for Mental Wellbeing:
When these needs are overlooked or not balanced, frustration, resentment, and hopelessness can surface — sometimes leading to destructive behaviours such as drugs and excessive drinking or emotional withdrawal.
However, when we take responsibility for meeting our needs step by step, we develop resilience, peace of mind, and a deeper sense of self-worth.
At SAHS, and in life generally, we remind everyone that life has challenges for all of us — no one’s journey is without struggle. The true difference lies in our response: choosing growth, accountability, and purpose over blame and limitation.
Empowerment begins the moment you realise that you are responsible for creating change in your own life.
