Looking for your next challenge? York Care Homes Unite to Promote the Benefits of Working in Care

Two York care homes, Ebor Court on Great North Way in Nether Poppleton and Handley House on Green Lane in Clifton, have been celebrating Recruitment Month throughout July where they are spreading the word that social care is the place to work for a rewarding and successful career.

Using the tag line, ‘you come for a job and end up with a career’, the teams are promoting the benefits of working in a care environment to draw new workers to the sector, as well as those who are keen to progress through the ranks.

Each day, care team members have been sharing information on social media about working within a care home environment, access to training and career growth opportunities, along with their personal highlights throughout their career.

The posts have been a huge hit, with many comments each day from resident’s families, friends and people within the local community thanking them for all that they do and even sharing their own stories about how the team member has impacted their lives.

During the month long campaign, Handley House Activities Co-ordinator, Sue Swatman, shared her experience working at Ideal Carehomes. She said, ‘In my time with Ideal Carehomes I have learnt so much, grown as a person and met some incredible people. I always loved to help people and I found my passion helped me to reach new and exciting career heights. Management at Handley House have always supported me to achieve my goals, giving me access to many educational pathways to continue to progress in my role. I feel the guidance I have been given had made me extremely confident in my work and I look forward to what the future holds’.

100 year old resident, Peggy Maclagan, who has lived at Ebor Court care home in York for two and a half years, said, ‘I think it is really important the work Ideal Carehomes is doing to showcase the role of a career. The team at Ebor Court are the most dedicated group of people you could wish to meet, who constantly have exciting ideas to keep us entertained, socialising and happy. They do more for me than I could possibly have ever imagined and now I couldn’t imagine my life without them – they are all super stars!’.

After successfully launching the Ideal Academy training pathways prior to the pandemic, Head of Development and Engagement, Sarah Colling, is keen to attract more people to work in social care. She said, ‘We have run the Recruitment Month to reach out to anyone looking to start a career in care, or those who are looking for the next step in their care career.  We have so many ‘success stories’ of people throughout our teams who have moved up from Care Assistant all the way through to Home Manager after successful training via our Ideal Academy, and as a growing company opening more care homes, there are always plenty of opportunities for career growth’.

Alongside the recruitment campaign, Ideal Carehomes are proudly committed to supporting the team’s wellbeing, launching an internal wellness pathway giving them direct access to any support they may need. The pathway consists of a 24 hour counselling support line, face to face stress management training, regular mindfulness techniques and advice on nutrition, exercise and ways to reduce stress and improve overall health and wellbeing.

Regional Director, Lisa Harding, said, ‘There are very few jobs that have such highly rewarding outcomes as social care and the stories we have shared this month have really been testament to that. Over the course of the pandemic, the media has really shone a light on how amazing care workers are and it is wonderful to see them get the recognition they deserve.

We are keen to hear from people living in the local York community who are seeking fulfilling careers within care. Whilst our environments are second to none, it is our staff team who make our homes the best places to live, and who help our residents to retain their independence whilst supporting them to live an active lifestyle. We are looking for people who really want to make a difference to the lives of others’.

Ebor Court and Handley House currently have full, part time and flexible opportunities available across a host of roles. All new staff will complete a thorough induction period and will have access to the most innovative and supportive care technology available. For more information about working with Ideal Carehomes, visit www.idealcarehomes.co.uk/careers, call our friendly team on 0113 385 3887 or email via recruitment@idealcarehomes.co.uk.