Monday December 16, 2024
From care worker to now deputy manager of BJP Home Support, Jonathan, who lives in Guisborough has worked in the care industry for 12 years.
What does your typical day look like?
“My day to day tasks can be anything from client assessments, spot checks, reviews for all the clients, creating care plans, helping the team with software issues and supporting Hayley the manager.”
What did you do previously and why the career change?
“I originally worked at Morrisons. I then met my partner who was a care worker at the time, and I worked at MFC Foundation. My partner went to university and asked to help a family that she cared for, and since then, I’ve cared for a family of three with down syndrome and began working as a care worker. From there, I was asked to improve the rota system and progressed to a care coordinator to then deputy manager at BJP Home Support.”
What do you love about your job role?
“I love meeting new people and trying to keep people in their own homes, if it is safe to do so. At BJP Home Support we are passionate about keeping people in their own homes where possible and I fully believe in that too.
“It’s always amazing to see clients that are not mobilised and then walking from treatment and care.
“I also love working closely with the family I care for and seeing what they get up to. I take them to football matches and activities, it’s always a good feeling to see them being happy. They have 24/7 care, they don’t have any family at all, we are their family.”
What was your perception of the industry before you joined it, and what’s your perception now?
“I didn’t know much about it at first if I’m honest. But working in the industry for 12 years, I can see how much health and safety has developed. The overall level of care has improved and there are spot checks now. There is so much training now and refresher courses that were never available. Years ago, you didn’t get shadowed when you started as a care worker or in a new role. We focus on making sure our team are confident in all areas before working on their own, which is something that didn’t happen across the industry.”
What would you say to others that are looking to join the industry?
“If you are a caring person, give it a go. It’s worth trying, but it’s not for everyone. There’s a lot more to it than making someone a cup of tea. So many of our clients don’t have a family, Christmas day is always hard, you don’t stop thinking about the clients when you’re not with them and around the Christmas period it gets tough when clients don’t have families to spend the time with.”
“Being a care worker is a great start for university student nurses. We get a lot of student nurses working alongside their degree, they get a lot of experience that they are always grateful for.”
What is one of your favourite moments?
“My favourite moments are providing care to clients and seeing their faces light up when they see you, and giving them personalised care and support. There is no better feeling than hearing positive comments about how well the care is provided, and the impact and the independence you give back to clients.”
Is there career progression in the sector?
“The opportunities are there within the sector and if you want to you can progress in your role.
“Here at BJP Home Support, we always look at our team first before putting a job role out to the wider public. It gives our team the opportunity to progress, and if we can’t fulfil the role in-house, then we go out to the wider public.”
What do you enjoy most about working for BJP Home Support?
Working for BJP makes you feel a sense of purpose and pride in being able to provide a great level of care to clients who really need support to maintain their independence.
Every day is different with different challenges which makes the role more interesting. Having a strong team who cares about what they do makes working for BJP easier.
