INSPIRATION

Personal experiences

Some careers change your life. Some careers change others’. And some change both.

It doesn’t come much more rewarding than providing care for your local community. Cosy up with a cuppa and delve into the personal experiences with people who’ve chosen careers in care.

carer goole
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Goole Community Support Services, East Riding of Yorkshire.

carer bridlington
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Burlington Care Centre, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire.

carer beverley
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Beverley Day Centres, East Riding of Yorkshire.

carls story
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Carl’s Story

megans story
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Megan’s Story

carer stacey harper
“I am empowered to carry out my visits around the residents and my own life.”

Working in care provides mum-of-two Stacey Harper with the ideal work and home life balance. 

Her evening shifts gave her the flexibility to take her children to and from school when they were younger, which was a real perk of the job. Stacy works as a support worker for the council’s STARS service, helping East Riding residents to return home after a stay in hospital.

Stacey first embarked on a career in care following a period looking after her own grandma. Nursing had always been an ambition, but she couldn’t afford to go to university. A job in adult care gave her the opportunity to receive on the job training to kick start a career.

Stacey said: “Doing a job that is rewarding is something that makes me feel really good. I’m not sure I would get this feeling in any other job. It’s also like I’m self employed as I am empowered and trusted to carry out my visits to fit around the residents and my own life.

“The support from my management team and peers is amazing, especially during the pandemic. It’s nice to know that I am working for an organisation, or in an industry, where there are career opportunities if you want to take them.”

carer patrick foley
“…as you go through life and learn great skills, naturally care for friends and family through illness, this role seemed like the perfect thing to do.”

Patrick Foley’s career path has been a varied one to say the least.

After leaving school he found a job as a butcher, a career which spanned 16 years. From here the 61-year-old moved into retail store management where he was part of an £10m turnover business.

As retirement beckoned, and with a real thirst for education, Patrick decided to embark on a Psychology degree at the Open University before teaching in a secondary school for two years.

Patrick’s desire to stay active and utilise his vast life skills meant he decided not to retire after all. Instead he found the perfect role as a part time community support worker, helping to reable people in their own homes following time in hospital. He is now in the final months of a Masters degree in Mental Health Studies.

He said: “I wouldn’t have dreamed that he’d be doing this 20 years ago. Yet as you go through life and learn great skills, naturally care for friends and family through illness, this role seemed like the perfect thing to do. It doesn’t actually feel like a job!”

carer debbie jones
“Last week we had a tea party for a member of staff who was retiring and a resident’s birthday.”

The former prison manager relocated to the region in 2019 for her husband’s job and had planned to retire.

However, boredom got the better of her and she decided to put skills to use and embark in a career in adult care.

Debbie already had experience working in the care sector. She began her career in care aged 17, progressing to being a manager of a care home. In 2001 she decided on a career change into the prison service. After retiring from the prison service, she worked as a supported living coordinator, helping vulnerable young adults with learning disabilities. This set her in good stead for her most recent role as a senior care assistant.

She said: “I decided to get back into care to stop the boredom and I’m loving it. Every day at work is a pleasure and not like being at work at all. Yesterday, we spent the day making hanging squirrel feeders so that the residents can feed and watch the squirrels. Last week we had a tea party for a member of staff who was retiring and a resident’s birthday.