Elaine
Elaine has built a career in care management.
Why working in the care sector suits me
I started employment as a Support Assistant in early 2014. I applied for the position as I had studied Psychology and wanted experience of working with people which would assist me in a career within mental health. Little did I know that through this experience I would change career direction and aim for a career in the Social Care sector instead.
Why I am proud to work in care
I soon realised that I enjoyed supporting vulnerable people and I gained so much satisfaction and compassion every day through giving people an easier life and better wellbeing. I truly love going to work supporting others and seeing other thrive and more.
After a year I began to assist my manager with reviewing support plans and planning rotas. I took on work within the office and used my good communication, IT and administration skills. When the position of Support Worker came up I got it. I worked hard by supporting people and assisting my manager and continued to learn more.
Peter
Why I would recommend it to others.
When the position of Service Manager came up for my locality I again went for it. I got the position and am now Service Manager within nearly 4years of starting employment in the care sector.
Why working in the care sector suits me.
I have had a very varied working life from personnel and staffing through retail and tourism to construction. All of these areas have involved dealing with people in one way or another, and to be effective it is necessary to form relationships which work.
Happily I have always been able to form such relationships and to maintain them to the benefit of all concerned. I suppose it really comes down to meeting people where they are and not trying to fit them into some preconceived pattern. By doing this you respect them for who they are, accord them their dignity and ultimately enable yourself to fully meet their needs as a carer.
In the past I have worked as a volunteer in care settings, and have first-hand experience of being a care giver within my own family. This has given me the opportunity to put some of this experience to work to help others.
Why I am proud to work in care.
Working in care carries its own reward. You are helping people to stay in their own homes, in their own communities and in touch with their families. By giving care in the way we do we are effectively saying to the people we support that we value them. We value their lives, their hopes and aspirations in the situation in which they now find themselves, and that we will do all that we can to help them to realise these goals. Such aspirations may be quite mundane or they may be lofty and ambitious and ultimately unattainable but I feel we owe it to each other to try. I am proud that we do.
When we support a person it is rare that that person is the only one that we support. They may be the name on the care plan but there will usually be family members whose burdens are made a bit lighter by our input. I have been, and am currently, the recipient of such indirect assistance and it is greatly valued. This is also something to be proud of.
Why I would recommend it to others.
In a word; fulfilment. There is no better feeling than being able to help another person who for whatever reason is unable to help themselves in some respect. Yes I know we are paid, but my wages aren’t what cross my mind when supporting someone. I served on the Children’s Hearings for twelve years without pay and the satisfaction for a task well completed is exactly the same. I suppose it goes to the heart of who you are and your reasons for doing this kind of work.
During my working life I have often received praise and thanks for a job well done, or for going the extra mile, but none of that compares to the feeling that you get when you have done the best you can do in a care setting and the person you are supporting lets you know that they appreciate what you have just done for them.
I believe that there is a carer in all of us to some extent. If you are a mother or a father, a brother or a sister, or just a very good friend, you will at some time have had the care of someone who for whatever reason has depended on you. If that is the case then at some time in your life you were, and perhaps still are, a carer. I thoroughly recommend it.
Jade
Jade used her experience in homecare to build a career as a Police Officer.
Why working in the care sector suited me
I decided to join the police whilst working in hospitality and during the application process I thought it would be better to move to a role more suited to my future goal in which I could gain the relevant experience and skills.
I started working in the care sector in 2013. It was a job I had never really thought of before or imagined myself doing. When I first started I had to overcome some personal challenges as I didn’t realise the level of responsibility involved in this work. Initially I had a lack of understanding of the vulnerabilities of the people requiring support. With training and support from my manager at the time, my knowledge, understanding and confidence grew and I quickly realised that this was a role that came naturally to me.
Working in the care sector suited me because I could work independently and the hours could be flexible to suit me. It also suited me during my application to the police because I was gaining essential skills required for me moving forward. You have to learn to quickly adapt to the different environments you are going into and this is something I use every day as a Police Officer.
Every day, the police attend incidents involving vulnerable and elderly people. My previous experience and extensive training working in the care sector allows me to be able to quickly recognise conditions like dementia. It also allows me to educate my colleagues and provide awareness to them.
Why I am proud to have worked in care
I loved working in the care sector. I didn’t realise I would love it so much. The fact that people were relying on me daily to remain at home independently and to carry out day to day tasks was both fulfilling and rewarding. It gave me a great sense of pride that I was helping making a difference to their lives. If I hadn’t wanted to join the police from such a young age and it wasn’t my life ambition I don’t doubt that I would still be in the care sector today. I was and am proud to have been a carer.
Why I would recommend it to others.
For anybody looking for a new challenge, or anybody who wants to make a difference to someone’s life, I would recommend becoming a Support Assistant.
Working in the care sector is not easy; you have to be hardworking, reliable and respectful. These qualities are essential along with the willingness to learn however with training and support you can develop the required skills for this role.
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