Partners In Care

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

Katie Bennett co-ordinates the scheme, which was first piloted in Dorset by Partners in Care in 2003. So much has happened since those early days, and we now work with Care Ambassadors from over 30 different adult social care settings.

What’s it all about?

Care Ambassadors are people working in social care who volunteer to act as role models to inspire and encourage others to consider careers in the sector. Katie currently works with a team of 45 Care Ambassadors, each nominated by their employers and chosen for their enthusiasm, commitment, confidence, and the ability to convey their passion to others in an informed way.

The Ambassadors are involved in an overall programme of work 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.

Each Ambassador is likely to be involved with the scheme for on average about 2 hours a month.

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.

Katie Bennett has built a dedicated team over the last 3 years

"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!"

So what’s new?

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.

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.

The Skills for Care career pathways e-tool is for people considering a career in social care and for those already working in the sector who are keen to see what career development opportunities there are.

The interactive career pathways matrix allows readers to identify their particular social care interest against job ‘levels’ to find what roles are at each level and see what range of qualifications are needed for those roles.

www.careerpathways.skillsforcare.org.uk

The Care Ambassador Scheme is currently working on a small project in partnership with LINks, looking at awareness of the Care Quality Commission. A Local Involvement Network (LINk) is a network of local people and groups who have joined forces to improve health and social care services by listening to people. They're independent of the local council and the NHS and exist throughout England. LINks began in April 2008, and aim to give everyone the chance to have a say in how health and social care services are planned, delivered and reviewed.

If you'd like to know more about LINks please visit their website at makes a change.

Please find below photographs taken at the development day on the 29th April at The Brownsward Hall in Poundbury.

Please click through the pictures and save any you would like to keep.