North East Community Workshop Ltd.

I am 60 years old and have 2 children and 6 Grandchildren. I am very family orientated and they are all a very important part of my life.

I have worked in the Care sector for 29 years. My Journey began in 1992 at the age of 32 after my 2 children were of school age. After having my children and meeting other families at baby and toddler groups, I realised how fortunate I was to have a healthy family and 2 healthy children.

I decided that I wanted to look into a career in the care sector, my kids had started school and I was able to return to work. I was fortunate to get a post with The Council care team in 1992 where I worked until 2002.

I was given essential training for me to carry out my role. During my time there, I was part of the “Personal Care Team,” where I supported people of all ages, but mainly elderly people. I was also part of the Palliative Care team that supported people who were receiving end of life care at home, I also offered support to family members.

I found these situations very hard emotionally and felt as if I was “part of the family” to them at times. I had to try and remain as professional as possible.

It was during these years that I first met a family who had a daughter with a learning disability. I knew at once that I would love to work with and would have so much to offer people with learning disabilities.

After considerable thought on how working shifts would affect my own family, I decided to pursue openings to work with adults with special needs.

I was successful in getting a post in 2002 supporting adults with learning disabilities. I supported people in a core house (which was staffed 24 Hrs per day due to the level of support the occupants required) and people in another 4 houses where occupants were more able.

I learned so much while working with this client group, such as using different ways in which to communicate with people, I learned how to Lind Westbrook Manager North East Community Workshop Ltd.communicate using BSL, using Makaton, Storyboards, pictures and symbols.

I attended a range of training courses such as dispensing medication, administering medication, recording procedures, manual handling, Safe use of a hoist. Skip Training and many others.

I achieved an SVQ 3 in Promoting Independence and Health and Social Care. I wanted to get into the managerial side of Care Work so that I could be involved from the point of referral to the person getting support. To do this, I needed to do more training.

In 2007 I went back to college to undertake and achieve an HNC course in Health and Social Care.

In Feb. 2008 I worked as Care Coordinator in Aberdeen. The post set me new challenges, which I embraced as it was a new area of work for me. With support and guidance from my seniors, I learned and was able to carry out many new tasks, such as, holding staff support meetings, client meetings, client review meetings and working alongside care managers and other professionals to ensure we provided the best possible service to each client. I built up good relationships with staff, clients family members, when necessary helping to cover shifts. I co-ordinated services for 20 /22 clients and endeavoured to make sure the service we provided ran as smoothly and as efficiently as possible.

In 2012 at a managers’ meeting we discussed the need for new day service in Aberdeen which would provide work-based training skills for adults with learning disabilities, Autism etc.

My manager. discussed the possibility of me being seconded to the new company (N.E.C.W.) as Manager. The offer was greatly appreciated and I jumped at the chance to be involved in setting up the new service. Once suitable premises had been found, it was all systems go! I worked between both jobs until the number of clients deemed it necessary for me to be at the workshop full time. At this point my role as co-ordinator ended and my new full-time Managers role at N.E.C.W. began.

We are now into our 8th year and the company has gone from strength to strength, with a lot of hard work from all involved. I am so pleased that I chose the career path in care. I have found it a very rewarding career and feel I have been able to give something back, by helping others to make their lives better!