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6.
October
2020.
“The most worthwhile journey”


6/10/20
A Cardiff-based actor, more used to treading the boards and the TV lights than a career in social care, is championing his new role as a domiciliary care worker.

 

Bill Bellamy, a founder member of theNational Youth Theatre of Wales who trained at the city's RoyalWelshCollege of Music and Drama, has described his experience of becoming a care worker in the city during the COVID-19 emergency as"one of the most worthwhile journeys that I have been on for many years."

 

Back in the spring, Bill responded to one of the Council's social media appeals to recruit more care workers into the role, at a time when the sector was facing some of its greatest ever challenges to care for and protect elderly and vulnerable people in our cityy as well as keeping staff safe.

 

After registering with Cardiff Works, the Council's own in house recruitment agency, Bill was supported through the various courses and qualifications he needed to become a care worker by the Council's Adult Community Learning service, which as well as providing recreational learning opportunities also offers into-work training to support people into employment.

 

Bill is now working as a care worker in the community, providing care to people in their own homes.

 

He said: "As the Covid-19 pandemic hit us, minds, and certainly my mind, turned to the thought of what can I do to help out my city in its time of need. The industry I had worked in for over thirty years completely disappeared with little prospect of it starting up again soon, so it was lucky for me that the Council call out came at exactly the right time.

"A few days after I answered the Twitter call out, there then began a whirlwind couple of weeks where, along with a dozen or so volunteers we were trained up at the Council's expense.

 

"I have completed courses in food hygiene and preparation, safeguarding, learned about dementia and generally how to protect the vulnerable. I also attended a Manual Handling Course which was intense but very valuable training where we learned how to lift correctly and how to put people into their beds, help clients move safely around their homes and the use of hoists and slings.

 

"A couple of remote learning courses in Infection Control, First Aid and Medication Supervision followed and it began to dawn on me how much money and effort the Council had invested in me.

 

"The one thing I was lacking was some experience in the community so a few weeks I did some ‘shadowing' work with skilled carers. I will always be grateful to Roy, Marianne, Tara and Louise as they showed me the ropes and we dealt with a myriad of clients, each with their own specific needs.

 

"I will never say that I will not go back to a life in the Arts but, at present I am thoroughly enjoying making a difference in my hometown. I am learning all the time. 

 

"The job of a domiciliary care worker is certainly more challenging than I would ever have thought but it is also infinitely more rewarding. I am lucky that such unusual circumstances have given me a glimpse of a branch of Cardiff Council's work that is often overlooked and undervalued."

 

The Council's workforce, alongside its commissioned social care providers, have safely delivered more than 600,000 hours of adult and children's domiciliary care since the start of the pandemic, and have continued to support adults and children in care homes and supported living arrangements during these challenging times. More than 150 Council staff were re-purposed from their usual roles to support frontline services across adult and children's social care services.

 

Cabinet Member for Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Susan Elsmore, said: "Cardiff's care workers have done an amazing job in supporting older and vulnerable people. Their response to these extraordinary times has been remarkable and the city is extremely grateful for their work to keep our loved ones safe.

 

"Bill's story is inspirational. It's a wonderful example of adapting in difficult circumstances and it's great to hear how rewarding he finds his new role. We hope his valuable and honest insights will inspire others to consider a role in the care sector in Cardiff."

 

The Council continues to recruit care workers to provide care and support for vulnerable people of all ages in part-time roles or as a full-time career. We are keen to speak to people who may have left the profession and want to return, and those with no experience who are looking for a change of direction.  Full support and training is provided.

For more information on joining Cardiff Council or one of its social care providers and to explore opportunities for starting an exciting new career in social care, visit:https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident/Social-Services-and-Wellbeing/Adults/Be-a-Careworker/Pages/default.aspx