Francesca's story | From fashion to a career in care
After being made redundant from her previous role as a fashion Brand Consultant, Francesca Hadley decided this was her opportunity to pursue a career change and gain more experience in the care sector.
Searching for jobs online, she came across an opportunity at National Care Group's Springvale service in Manchester, as a Volunteer Support Worker. The service, which is run by NCG's National Neurological Services, supports four residents with acquired brain injury and other challenging behaviours, all of whom require support in recreational activities and independent living.
After a successful interview, Francesca started her new role in April, and began her journey towards supporting and helping individuals to live rewarding and fulfilling lives. Over this period, Francesca developed her skills and understanding of how to provide excellent person-centred support to individuals with complex needs and how day-to-day processes work.
“Learning from fellow Support Workers and management has helped me with my personal development, as I’ve grown to have a better understanding of the care home system and different types of conditions the individuals have,” said Francesca.
Francesca has been a great addition to Springvale, with staff and the individuals we support talking positively about her attitude towards care and her willingness to learn. Michelle Palmer, Registered Manager at Springvale, said: “Francesca has fitted in so quickly at Springvale, especially given that this was her first role in care, she’s always looking to improve her knowledge and is keen to gain more experience at the service.”
After five months as a volunteer, Francesca was offered a part time role as a Support Worker, which she happily accepted, and is now looking forward to continuing her journey at the service.
Alongside her role as a support worker, Francesca will also be studying for her Masters Degree in Art Therapy at the University of Chester, with her time volunteering at Springvale helping her being accepted on the degree course.
“The voluntary experience really helped towards me being offered a place on the course, and I’m hoping that it will benefit me in developing my skills further and communicate better with the individuals we support,” said Francesca.
Francesca is one of many examples of people who have come from a different background and thrived at National Care Group, by showing a genuine desire to make a positive difference to people’s lives.
National Care Group are committed to helping our staff develop their skills and knowledge to give them the best opportunity to grow within our services and unlock their potential.
Want to join National Care Group and help support us in our mission? Visit our recruitment page to search for a job.