Progressing my career

I started working for the Trust just over five years ago. The job was at a residential home for older people with learning disabilities. I was only just out of my teens and, although my previous job had been in social care, this was a different type of setting to what I’d experienced before. Fortunately, I had colleagues who made me feel welcome and helped me to learn the job.

One great thing about working for the Trust is that, because it manages a lot of different services, there are often opportunities to move internally within the organisation and to try something new. Two years after I started here, I was keen to have a fresh experience. The Trust was opening a new project, a supported living service for young adults with learning disabilities. I’d always wanted to work with younger people, so I applied and, thankfully, I was successful.

My new job was completely different. I’d gone from working with older people who needed a lot of support to working with people my own age who lived in their own flats and were fairly independent. I enjoyed it so much. It was really satisfying to help people gain important life skills, like applying for jobs and learning to drive.

The Trust offers the opportunity to study for a Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care to all support workers who pass their probation. I took the course and it was useful in allowing me to take time to think about the ways we support people and the rights that they have.

Gaining this qualification also helped me to get promoted. I’m now the Service Coordinator at another service for young adults with learning disabilities. I manage a team of support workers and oversee support plans and rotas.

With my promotion came the chance to gain another qualification – a Level 5 Diploma, which is the equivalent of a year of a university degree. It’s fantastic that the Trust pays for this and that I can study whilst I work.

This job is so rewarding because you can see that you’re making a difference to people’s lives. When a person we support progresses or achieves greater independence, that’s amazing. I’m in a job where I’m helping people, and I’ve also been given opportunities to learn new things and develop my career. As a person in my twenties, that’s great.

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