To support more young people into care sector roles, Calico Enterprise and The King’s Trust teamed up to provide a four-week training course called ‘Get into Care’.
Ten young people aged 18-28 successfully completed the scheme, which aims to futureproof their careers by providing the skills and work experience needed to thrive in care roles.
Lindsey Danson, Operations Lead for Skills & Training, said: “We often get young people coming to us frustrated at not being able to get jobs because of lacking experience”.
She continued: “Get into Care gives practical experience and training for them to build skills and gain real life experience. This not only gives them the confidence, but it also shows the employer how they can be the perfect fit”.
The course included two weeks of on-site work experience at Barley View care home in Whitworth, alongside two weeks on classroom learning provided by Calico Learning & Development.
The group were also offered careers coaching from Calico Enterprise’s Steps to Employment team and successfully completed a dementia awareness training course, provided by Alzheimer’s UK.
Calico is part of the Thrive partnership which is helping to transform the way young people access employment opportunities in and around Burnley.
Megan Arkwright, Thrive Partnership Co-ordinator, added: “The training is like a four-week interview where employers can see how they work and get to know them, instead of relying on a CV and interview.”
During the celebration event, each young person got up to speak about their experience over the four weeks, telling the audience what they learned and enjoyed during their time at Barley View.
25-year-old Richard was one of the participants. Talking about his experience, Richard shared: “I have autism, so I’ve always struggled to get out and connect with people. Get into Care has done wonders for my confidence, and it’s helped me with my anxiety”.
He continued: “The programme has totally changed me. Old me never would have been able to get up and speak… or take part in singing! I can’t wait to use my new skills in future”.
Many talked about growing in confidence, how they enjoyed learning new skills and what it takes to work in care. They also shared their favourite moments, with many talking fondly about getting to know the residents, playing board games and getting to make new friendships.
After speeches, all 10 were presented with a certificate to show their achievement.
Schemes like ‘Get into Care’ help young people overcome barriers often blocking them from securing employment, include transport. To ensure everyone on the scheme was able to get to Barley View every day, a minibus was provided – alongside daily lunches.
Megan continued: “By providing food and transport and removing the need for a uniform or dress code, it takes away that initial investment in sustaining a role and remove the financial barriers faced by many young people today”.
The King’s Trust – formerly known as The Prince’s Trust – was established in 1976. In the past 50 years, they have supported over a million young people from disadvantaged communities.
