CareTech Foundation Impact Report 2018/2019 >> Improving skills among young people facing challenges
CareTech Foundation seeks to support partners working with young people to improve employability and skills, particularly in the care sector.
- 169 disadvantaged young people supported with employability skills
- 64 already employed
- 26 in the care sector
Employability support, training & qualifications provided
EY Foundation supports young people overcome barriers to getting into work, to promote careers within the care sector and help care leavers fulfil their potential. So far, 25 young people have benefited through the Smart Futures and Our Future programmes, supported by 38 volunteers and three employers. All the young people received the CMI Team Leadership qualification.
So far Skills for Care has supported 123 candidates who have been involved with pre-employment initiatives and 105 have received specific support.
27 peer mentors have also been trained to support people from vulnerable backgrounds into work placements.
Many of the participants received new accredited qualifications, as well as training in safeguarding and de-escalation:
- 23 Completed Cache level 1
- 46 Preparing to work in adult social care qualification
- 23 secured moving, handling and host training
Fact sheets
Increased resilience & wellbeing
The EY Foundation assessed young people’s attitude and confidence on a number of skills before and after being involved in the programme. Presentation, business, networking and time management skills improved the most as a result of the programme, all crucial to sustaining employment. Ability to build productive relationships, application/ CV skills and interview skills were also all seen to have increased significantly. EY Foundation have also recently adopted the Warwick Edinburgh Scale to assess wellbeing and resilience, as requested by CareTech Foundation, and will report back using this scale in the next quarter.
CareTech Foundation is supporting the development of Barnardo’s Journey app – aiming to increase resilience of children and young people leaving care and increase the likelihood of employment, training or education. So far, the programme has identified and engaged with a test group of 75 care leavers and care workers, reporting an 80% satisfaction with the prototype tool, and a 10% increase in ‘keeping in touch’ opportunities by care leavers. Data will be provided next year which will demonstrate attitudinal and behavioural outcomes.
“The scale of the challenges facing young people leaving care are well documented, which is why they are a strategic priority for Barnardo’s. We’re always looking for innovative new ways to scale and improve the services we offer – through doing this we can reach and support more young people in need and help them get the best possible start to their independence. Barnardo’s are delighted to be working with CareTech Foundation to make this happen.”
Michelle Lee-Izu, Corporate Director for Children’s Services (England), Barnardos
Into Education Employment or Training and Number employed in Care Sector
Crucially, all of the grantee organisations have committed to reporting back the proportion of their supported young people who at the end of programme are heading into education, employment and training. So far, 64 young people are already in employment, with 23 in further training 26 have been employed in the care sector.
Skills Development for the Sector
Rebecca shares how taking part in the Skills for Care ‘Seeing Potential’ project delivered by Upturn has supported her to find a career she loves in care:
“Having applied for more than 50 jobs and constantly being rejected I was often told I had no relevant skills. I didn’t really achieve anything at school and had little or no work experience. The constant rejection started getting me down – I had no confidence or self-belief and had no aim in life.
“After being referred by the Job Centre to Upturn, I received five weeks of one to one intensive support, advice and guidance and slowly began to feel more confident but was still unsure what type of job I might enjoy and excel at. My talent coach at Upturn suggested I complete A Question of Care: A Career for YOU?, an online, interactive video challenge based on real life scenarios from the social care sector. I know I have a caring nature and enjoy helping people but I’d never really thought that I could be a care worker as I have no direct experience or qualifications. But Upturn went through different roles and opportunities available in the care sector and then we visited The Fed Care Village based in Prestwich for a look round and felt that this was something I could be good at given training and support.
“I received support to complete the job application form which was invaluable as I hadn’t realised I had gained life experiences, such as caring for my disabled friend, which would be relevant for the role of a care worker and I was thrilled to secure an interview.
“I was feeling nervous about the interview but received fantastic support to prepare from Upturn. First and foremost, The Fed recruit for values and behaviours and I was asked to bring five items in a ‘memory box’ which represented me that I would be happy to discuss at the interview both with managers and village residents. I felt my values and personality had the opportunity to shine through and I instantly felt this was the role and organisation for me.
“I’m pleased to say I was successful at interview and have been offered a role as Residential Social Care Worker. I am excited to start work and feel prepared and ready to start my career journey. Upturn will continue to support me in my new role which is really important to me. I can’t thank them enough for all their help and support – they have changed my life around – thank you.”
CareTech plc Mentors
So far, the young people benefitting from EY Foundation’s Our Future and Smart Futures programmes have been supported by 38 CareTech plc volunteers.
As a Locality Manager, I have responsibility for ten residential and day centres, but I’ve never been a mentor before. Being a mentor reminded me about why I got into care in the first place. It was fantastic to be able to pass on my passion for the sector, and to see that grow in others.
Julie, Locality Manager Potters Bar, CareTech plc
I think the fact that this was a mentoring, rather than a managerial, relationship meant that my mentee could be more honest. She told me she had never had support of this nature before. I also feel the business benefited from the programme, as a cohort of young people who had expressed an interest in the industry were brought right into the heart of the business. She may well pursue a career in the care sector in the future. It’s a really rewarding experience for the mentors and the mentees.
Lucy, Senior Estates Administrator CareTech Community Services
