Partners In Care

Welcome to the Care Ambassador Scheme managed by Partners in Care in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole.

Started in Dorset in 2003, the Care Ambassador Scheme has a nationally recognised identity for raising the profile of training and careers in the sector. This Scheme covers Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole and is managed by Partners in Care (PIC).

What is a Care Ambassador?

• Care Ambassadors are people working in social care who act as role models to inspire and encourage others to consider careers in the sector.

• They are nominated by their employers and chosen for their enthusiasm, commitment, confidence, the wish to portray a positive image of the care sector, and the ability to convey their passion to others in an informed way.
  

• The Ambassadors are involved in programmes of working with schools, colleges, the Society Health & Development Diploma and Apprenticeship partnerships, and a wide range of community groups and organisations such as Jobcentre Plus, Gateway to Work and the Prince's Trust.

• Care Ambassadors continually promote their own organisation as well as the sector as a whole and can be an organisation's best recruitment tool by being a direct link to the future workforce.

Why get involved?

A real plus point is that Care Ambassadors will promote their own organisations within as well as the sector as a whole. At events Ambassadors will talk about what they do, where they are working and why they love the job that they do. As a result Ambassadors can be an organisation's best recruitment tool - a direct link to the future workforce.

Partners in Care supports opportunities for continued professional development for the team of Ambassadors, focusing on key areas including presentation skills and team work, with resulting benefits for the scheme, the individual and their employing organisation.

"Our Care Ambassadors are all different ages, have a huge variety of job roles and all have very different routes in to care. What they do have in common is that they are all enthusiastic and passionate about raising the profile of social care!

The Dorset Scheme now has 6 newly trained pairs of Care Ambassadors made up of services users and their support workers. Who better to give information about the sector than those you actually use it?!

Given the facts about an aging population and the changing agenda around the personalisation of social care services, it is more important than ever to encourage people into the profession. This can only be done by raising the profile and image of care work, and demonstrating the career routes and opportunities available.

There is no better way to inspire a new group or generation of social care professionals and we only ask for no more than four hours of your staff member’s time per month.

So what’s new?

Produced by the Care Ambassador team with the support of Skills for Care, this DVD showcases adult social care as a valuable career choice. It considers the rewards and challenges of working in different settings, including care for older people and supported living. Apprentices past and present share their experiences and the career progression opportunities an apprenticeship has given them.

Interested in getting involved or just want to find out a little more?

Please give Katie a call on 07717 773520, or 01202 862411 email Care Ambassador Co-ordinator or contact the Partners in Care office on 01202 639026.

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As part of Apprenticeship week 2012, the Care Ambassador scheme in association with Oakmead College of Technology is coordinating an interactive careers event for Social Care students.

If you would like the chance to hold a stand and for more information please contact Katie Bennett on 01202 862441 or email her at katie@picbdp.co.uk.

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Skills for Care news article 20th October 2011

Skills for Care has refreshed its innovative career pathways e-tool to include new qualifications on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and additional case studies.

The interactive e-tool has been created to help make working in social care not just a good job, but a great career. It is designed for people considering starting in social care and for those already working in the sector keen to see what career development opportunities are open to them.

The updated interactive pages use text and video to explain 'what is social care?', 'starting in social care' and 'developing your career'.

Under 'developing your career' the career pathways matrix allows individuals to identify their particular social care interests against job 'levels' to find what roles there are and see what range of qualifications are needed for those roles. It also includes case studies and contacts for more information.

"The interactive e-tool has been created to show that working in social care is not just a good job, but a great career," says Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

The e-tool can be found at: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/careerpathways