Campaign aims to promote the ‘endless opportunities’ in health and social care sector.
The NHS and social care employers are recruiting across Tees Valley looking to attract people of all ages and aspirations.
That’s the message from Discover Care, a new campaign which aims to promote the wide variety of career opportunities in health and social care, showcasing the sterling work of Tees Valley professionals already working across the sector, who hope to inspire others.
Discover Care has brought together the region’s leading health and social care employers and educators, including local authorities, to highlight significant opportunities to become one of the caring professionals of tomorrow.
Project lead Anna McLaren, Widening Participation Ambassador at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The partners who have come together to create the Discover Care project are all invested in the long-term success of our much-needed health and social care employees of the future.
“Discover Care aims to demonstrate the wide variety of rewarding career opportunities available in the sector, at a time when research has shown that people do not see a career for themselves in health and social care, despite the continuous high demand for more caring employees.
Young people aged under 25 in particular are not considering health and social care as a place where a rewarding career can be developed, which is, of course, concerning, but we’re hoping we can turn this around.”
Anna believes many people are “simply unaware” of the job opportunities in the sector and the different routes into achieving them, whether it’s volunteering as a community responder to set you on the path towards becoming a paramedic, using skills in finance or supporter worker roles, or attending college and university courses to become a social worker, radiology assistant or mental health nurse.
“Through Discover Care, we aim to bring more awareness to the wide variety of roles available at many different levels and encourage more people into training for a fulfilling career or into voluntary positions that can lead to paid employment,” she said.
“We know if more people of all ages and aspirations could discover what’s available, it would open their minds to a career choice they had possibly not even considered.”
Promotional days like ‘Work Ready Wednesday,’ in collaboration with the Employment and Training Hub based in Wellington Square, Stockton will also focus on opportunities across the sector.
A ‘Bootcamp in Care’ week is also expected to support people to take their first steps towards a career in health and social care, which can be started with no formal qualifications.
Anna said: “We’re interested in people’s personal attributes, like kindness and compassion, and practical life experience, hobbies and interests that can be applied to roles in health and social care.
For example, someone who enjoys being creative and could be helping people in the community through something like activities coordinator or if you like being organised there are many administrative vacancies.
“There is a wide variety of jobs, not just in hospitals or the ambulance service, but out in the community too.”
She added once people find a role that suits them, there are many ways they can develop their careers and fulfil their potential, over a career lasting many years.
“It might start with a volunteering opportunity, an apprenticeship or learning on the job before working your way through the ranks to where you want to be. Employers across the sector are investing in their staff to help develop skills and qualifications to progress on the job,” Anna said.
“The opportunities are endless and by sharing stories of passionate health and social care staff already working in the profession across the Tees Valley, we hope we can inspire others.”
For more information go to Discover Care website and find more on social media search Discover Care on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.