Councils come together to champion care and support workers

Bristol City Council has joined authorities across the South West in
supporting a new campaign to raise the profile of care in a drive to recruit
the right people to the sector.

The campaign, which focuses on the positive role of care workers, is
designed to support care providers across the region as they can experience
difficulties in recruiting. This can in turn affect the availability of care to
people who could be living independently at home, or in care homes.

It’s a challenge that local authorities want to address by making people
aware of how rewarding and worthwhile care work is as career choice, and
encouraging the positive image that care deserves.

This is the first time local authorities have taken a regional approach to
raising the profile of care and 16 councils across the South West, and Health
Education England, are supporting the campaign.* The Association of Directors
of Adult Social Care and Skills for Care and Skills for Health are also lending
their support.

The campaign website www.proudtocarebristol.org.uk
features interviews with care and support workers, and links to recruitment
opportunities. The campaign also features first-hand personal accounts from
real care and support workers, who talk passionately about their love for care
work.

Cllr Helen Holland, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Bristol City
Council, said:

“We’re really pleased to be working in partnership with so many
other local authorities across the region on this campaign, which I hope will
inspire more people to consider a career in care.

“Care can provide all kinds of flexible work, and if we work more closely
together, we can make the most of training opportunities to help progress
careers in care.
It really is time that people working in the care sector got the recognition
they deserve for the huge contribution they make to our society.”

The campaign is aiming to reach all potential care workers, but is
specifically targeting key audiences including younger people and those who
have studied for a health and social care qualification; parents considering a
return to work; people aged 50 plus who might want to give something back to
their community; and students seeking employment over holiday periods.

Jess from Hengrove works at Milestones Trust and is one of the carers
featured in the new campaign. She said:

“Leaving school I wasn’t sure exactly
what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted a job that would help people.
After initially working with children, I decided that I wanted to support adults
with learning disabilities so I started working as an apprentice in the sector.
It was a challenge, but I found the work extremely rewarding and now I work
full time at Milestones Trust. My job involves helping people to live as
independently as possible and make their own choices, and helps people to build
their confidence to take part in community life. I’d honestly recommend my job
to everyone – although it’s hard work the rewards are brilliant and I go home
each day knowing I’ve made a difference.”

The Proud to Care campaign originated in Devon where care providers have
seen marked improvements in their ability to recruit high calibre applicants to
caring roles.

Devon County Council’s Principal Social Worker, Geraldine Benson, and Torbay
Council’s Head of Integration and Development, John Bryant, are the two joint
leads for the campaign.

Geraldine Benson said:

“We want the incredible people who work in the
care sector to feel proud of their vocation and for others to see it as an
enormously rewarding area of work that they can become involved in. We want
people to see that it has great career prospects, with many opportunities for
progression in care and health including nurses, social workers and registered
care managers.”

John Bryant added:

“Working in the care and health sector is very
rewarding, helping people at a time of their lives where that support can have
really positive consequences and can go a long way in enhancing a person’s
quality of life.

“This campaign recognises the value and commitment of care and support
workers across the South West. We hope that people everywhere will take a
moment to visit the campaign website, listen to the real stories and be
inspired to apply for any of the vacancies now available.”