As part of an initiative to attract people to work at the Village we’ve been running a campaign called Care for Your Career. The campaign profiles real people who work at the Village in a variety of carer roles. We’ve been introducing them via a series of articles and videos on Facebook and on the Careers Page of this website.
Our first clip starred Healthcare Assistant Shirley Liggett. Shirley, who grew up in Fiji, helped to care for her Grandparents and found it so rewarding she went on to make it her life’s calling. Shirley is passionate about making a difference and reckons she can see it in the eyes of the people she looks after, especially those with dementia who can struggle to communicate.
“They’re just glad that there’s someone with them who understands; someone who respects them for the lives they’ve lived and who understands what they need now to make their day-to-day easier”.
Our next video featured 17-year-old Cavalli Taotahi-Hohia who works here part time. After learning the ropes, she now plans to study medicine at university. The normally shy teen surprised everyone with her views on what makes a good carer.
“One of the important things you need to work in care is to actually care. It’s Important to be able to bond with the residents – they need someone like that. Being a good listener is also important. I really enjoy listening to their stories and hearing about experiences – they’ve all had such interesting lives and done
such cool things.”
In her video, Activities Co-ordinator Lisa Shepherd explained that life is never dull in her role. “Every day is different: I never know what I’m going to walk into! The lives and circumstances of our residents can change overnight – what they were able to do yesterday may not be possible today. And with that comes
the need to be adaptable, versatile and imaginative. I love it”.
Healthcare Assistant Summer Gower leapt into aged care immediately after leaving school. “I’d recommend it. Apart from anything else it’s a great stepping-stone if you want to go into nursing because a lot of what we do is what someone will do in hospital.”
She loves her work so much that she introduced her mother to caring, too. Now the two enjoy working together in the same wards with some of the same people.
Healthcare Assistant Bronwyn Leigh rounded out the series. For Bronwyn, working in healthcare was something she fell into after her kids went to school .
“I was grateful for the opportunity to climb the ladder, improve my wages and mentally challenge myself. And it showed my kids that it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can always get into study again!”
Prior to these interviews, none of our ‘stars’ had any experience in front of a camera but their heartfelt, unpolished stories have proven a hit with our community. There has been strong support for our carers and recognition from the wider community that their contribution is valued. We hope that these stories inspire others to consider a career in care, particularly in the aged care sector.
Click here to watch the videos.
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