Last Updated on March 14, 2018
Skills for Care has launched new online guidance for providers on offering meaningful work experience to encourage new workers to social care.
The new guidance looks at how providers can support people who are new to the sector, to start work in their organisation.
Skills for Care says that offering pre-employment training as part of the recruitment process is a great way of ensuring people have realistic expectations about working in social care, and can develop the skills and knowledge they need before they apply for a job. This can help providers to stem the flow of wasted resources in recruiting people that aren’t going to stay.
Providers can decide what to offer, based on the needs of the business. Such offerings might include:
- An apprenticeship.
- A traineeship.
- Work experience as part of the local sector routeway.
Skills for Care has produced an overview poster which explains the ways providers can support people into work. There are also practical and step-by-step guides.
A key part of any pre-employment training programme is giving people the opportunity to undertake work experience. This can help individuals see if adult social care is right for them – and if they’re right for adult social care.
Borough Care works with its local Jobcentre Plus and college, to support people interested in working in social care to undertake work experience. A spokesperson said, 'We’re passionate about supporting people who are interested in working in social care, to have a meaningful experience and really understand what it’s like to work here before applying for a job with us.
'Offering work experience has also developed the skills of Borough Care’s existing staff who support placements through mentoring and coaching.'
Skills for Care has also developed a new Offering meaningful work experience guide to help providers plan and deliver work experience.