Happy Birthday WeCare Wales
We’re celebrating our first year by launching a campaign to help change perceptions of what care jobs involve and encourage more people to choose a career in care.
Around one in 17 adults in Wales work in the sector, making it a larger employer than the NHS. However, the growing demand for care services means that an estimated 2,000 additional people a year are needed to work in the sector by 2030.
Many people believe that working in the sector involves a lot of personal and direct care, that it’s low skilled work with little reward. Those involved in the next stage of the campaign are hoping to change such perceptions by highlighting what makes their job worthwhile, the various progression routes available and the ability to gain qualifications while you work.
One person who chose a career in care is Abbi-Lee Davies, Head of Service for residential care at M&D Care, from Carmarthenshire.
Abbi-Lee said: “I was unhappy in my previous job. I desperately needed to change my career and saw a vacancy for a support worker. I didn’t have any qualifications to work in care, but I’ve since been able to do my qualifications while I work.
“People think that working in care is a low-skilled job with lots of personal care, but it’s a profession. I’ve been able to build on my career over the last seven years by taking part in a fast-track management scheme. I’m now responsible for overseeing the management of residential homes. This includes managing the staff and making sure the residents are happy and progressing with their programmes. It’s definitely opened doors for me.”
Martin Katawaluwa is a Residential Child Care Manager from Wrexham. Martin took a part time role as a care worker in a residential children’s home while studying for his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 2006. He said: “I believed my career would take a certain path after my Master’s, however what I found is that I enjoyed working in care so much, I stayed.
“I progressed through the ranks and now I’m a manager of a home with children between 11 and 18-years-old and have completed another Master’s degree in leadership.
“Working in the social care sector isn’t without its challenges. There can be difficult days, but for the right person it can be a very rewarding career. You’ve got to be someone who understands people and genuinely want to help them and make a difference while putting your own needs aside.”
Join in the conversation on social media by using #WeCareWales
