National Mentoring Month
The past ten months have seen us challenged in ways that we never could have ever imagined. Along with the rest of the country, we have been through every emotion humanly possible; fear, anger, hope, joy, anxiety, pride.
We have been incredibly privileged to have such an empathetic team of mentors to turn to, mentors that have constantly been by our sides, assuring that we have not faced these raw emotions alone. Without whom, we wouldn’t have made the journey through this pandemic so confidently.
January is National Mentoring Month and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to recognise and share our gratitude with our incredible mentors.
New Beginnings
Our inductions have both a practical, interactive and e-Learning elements. Throughout the training, our new team members are supported by mentors inside and outside the home. Your first mentor being a ‘buddy’ who you are partnered with. This buddy will support and guide you for your first two weeks, and even once you are confident within the home, your buddy will always be available for any support you need thereafter.
We spoke to some of our newest team members who shared how they felt during the first days with us.
Pamela, Care Assistant
“On my first day I felt like a child’s first day at school. I was shaking, I couldn’t remember any of my training/induction and felt like hiding in a corner. But I’m not a quitter and my house leader guided me through each day. During my first few shifts the whole team were on hand and kept asking me if I was ok and kept reassuring me when I felt out of my depth. To be told by my mentor that after a couple of shifts he thought I’d been doing the job for ages as I was so naturally suited really boosted my confidence and I think I even walked taller for a couple of days thereafter.”
Rebecca, Care Assistant
“I chose a care job as I wanted to help people and make a difference. I was terrified on my first day, but the home gave me loads of support. My ‘buddy’ made a huge difference and really helped me.”
Samantha, Care Assistant
“We had our training days and then our first couple of weeks I was with experienced carers who showed me the job and the pc system. There was continuous support from leadership and supportive calls from the central support office checking how everything was going and asking if there was any more support or help needed. This support still continues.”
Welfare Helpline
If there were any circumstances in which you would feel more comfortable talking to someone outside the home, our remote wellbeing team are available 24/7 for on call support and guidance. Jay is a member of our wellbeing team who is available to support with, well, pretty much anything!
Jay, Welfare Team
“I can support with any aspect of anyone’s role. I’m available 7 days a week, no-one ever knows when we are going to need help, so it would be daft to put a time on it! Team members can come to me about anything they want to, it’s nice to receive calls just to have a chat. I receive both work calls and calls about people just struggling with everyday life issues. I sometimes advise speaking to the home manager first, lots of issues can be dealt with quickly this way. Other times I’m simply at the end of the phone to listen confidently. My thinking is don’t let things build up, squash them whilst they are still small and easy to deal with.”
One of Our Amazing House Leaders
“I find it very useful being able to speak to a mentor, Jay is great with replying, often gets back to me within an hour or less. I feel less overwhelmed and it’s so helpful to vent sometimes. I use it as a safety net. Previously I was in contact with Jay more often, but this has helped build resilience and confidence, so I need to speak with him less. I’d recommend speaking to him, or any other mentor at least once weekly (sorry Jay!)”
We are a home and a family full of leaders, and when starting your journey with us you will have their support and guidance whenever you need it. The culture of our home relies on the individuals within, which is why we strive to invest time into our newest members so that they can become the leaders in care they have the potential to be.
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