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A unique motivational careers guidance scheme aimed at broadening the horizons of health workers is being rolled out across Northern Ireland after scooping a national award.
The Realising Your Potential programme, which is being delivered by the adult guidance service, EGSA, aims to build the self-esteem and ambition of support staff such as cleaners, porters and care assistants.
The scheme, which consists of a series of tailored workshops, has been awarded a prestigious National Career Award by the UK-wide Institute of Career Guidance.
EGSA’s Director, Eileen Kelly, says the workshops have already had a real impact on nearly 200 support workers in the health and social care sectors:
“We know that thousands of frontline support staff could benefit from enhancing their qualifications and realising their full career potential. This programme is transforming the lives of many individuals.
“It’s a ‘win win’ for staff, who gain in confidence and motivation, and employers, who are able to untap the full potential of their workforce.”
One individual who’s benefited from the programme is Debbie Connor who works as a domestic assistant at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. She’s now planning to study for a qualification that will enable her to become a higher-paid nursing auxiliary, and says the scheme quite literally helped her realise her own potential.
“Before I did the workshops, I thought the only skill I possessed was being able to clean,” she says, “but the programme’s adviser helped me realise that my work actually requires other skills. For example, we’d chat to the patients and that really lifts their spirits – we’re actually providing them with very important emotional support.
“I would never have considered that I had the potential to become a nursing auxiliary – this programme really has changed the way I view myself.”
Ann Hamilton, Community Facilities and Services Manager with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, says the programme has made a big difference to the 25 staff at the Causeway Hospital who have participated in it.
“We could see that there was great potential among the domestic and catering staff to develop their skills through the courses we offer,” she explains, “but, for many individuals, the thought of undertaking a specific course lasting several weeks was just too daunting.
“Realising Your Potential provided those staff with a tremendous boost to their self-confidence, and most are now embarking on additional training which will enhance both their personal and their career development.”
The Realising Your Potential programme has already been delivered to almost 200 health workers in Northern Ireland, with support from the Department of Health’s Widening Participation Unit at the Beeches Management Centre.
Moreover, the approach used within the workshops is applicable across a wide range of jobs and skills, and EGSA is now working with a number of private and public sector employers to enable staff in other sectors to avail of this opportunity.
It’s now hoped that another 1000 staff in the health and other sectors will receive it within the next two years.
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