Council launches Cardiff Cares Academy in an attempt to revive the understaffed care work sector in Cardiff
Job hunters in Cardiff, get assistance to enter care work sector through innovative training programme.
Cardiff Council’s newly launched, Cardiff Cares Academy aims to help people enter the sector without any prior training or experience in the sector. The academy has been holding information sessions at different hubs across the city, all through November and December.
According to Latefa Mohamed, the employment mentor on the programme, “The project is looking to tackle any issues for employment in the sector, that people may have. This includes lack of qualification or training, language barriers, transportation barriers.”
The Cardiff Cares Academy consists of a small team who help people to enter the care workers sector, from application to employment. The academy has introduced 42 people to the sector since its commencement.
Moumita Das, employment liaison officer for the programme said: “There are lot of myths in the market that this (care workers sector) is not the right opportunity for people…but that is not the case. People need to understand the whole thing and they need come out and step forward in helping people.”
According to a recent report by the Cardiff Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Council, there has been a 30% increase in the number of people needing care at home, since pre-pandemic numbers.
Some suggest that the issue of understaffing is due to lack of a uniform wage system. Moumita said: “We did a little bit of a feedback session with the employees who had worked earlier, and they have to come to us saying that wages are not one of the factors. The factor is the support which we need to give to these carers right from the start. And inform them what care is all about.”
As explained by the team, the process of recruitment happens in stages, where in after they are equipped with the necessary training and qualification for the application, they are introduced to the right employers and for the right role of the candidate’s choice. The team also revisits the candidate three months after the employment to check the candidate’s comfort and adjustment.
The academy’s schedule for the information sessions to be held December, have not been released yet but it will be made available on the Cardiff Council’s social media channels.