Social care Apprenticeship programmescase studySt Mungo’s Broadway

Tony AndersonApprentice Project Worker, St Mungo’s Broadway

theapprentice’sview

Until the age of 45, Tony had been unclear about which career path to take. Following a period of voluntary work in social care, he secured an Apprenticeship position and successfully completed the Intermediate Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care, adult social care pathway.Tony has embraced this new direction and is looking forward to a long, rewarding career in the sector.

“The Apprenticeship is amazing and I would recommend it to anyone; in fact I already have. It can provide knowledge, new friends and a direction in life, if that’s what you want.”

AboutTony Anderson

Background

Before joining St Mungo’s Broadway, Tony had been unemployed for many years. He had spent some time learning about the mechanics trade from his father but didn’t progress this career path. Tony’s personal experience of substance misuse and homelessness led him to volunteer at St Mungo’s Broadway, a homeless project that he felt passionate about. He personally understood the many issues that its clients faced and wanted to give something back. “My work in social care is what I expected, as I’ve had personal experience of being on the client’s side, including having a key support worker to help you. Having an idea of how things worked at organisations like St Mungo’s Broadway has helped me to settle into my apprentice role.”

Career progression

Tony discovered his passion for the social care sector later in life when he became a volunteer for St Mungo’s Broadway. He thoroughly enjoyed this support role and sought paid work within the organisation fairly quickly. When an opening for an Apprenticeship arose, Tony grasped this opportunity that offered experience and future prospects. He then commenced the Intermediate Apprenticeship in adult social care, which he completed within 12 months.

“I chose the Apprenticeship route because I thought it was a good idea to gain some knowledge and skills, whilst studying and getting paid at the same time.”

As part of his Apprenticeship, Tony spent about 16 hours per month studying and completing assignments, through the support of a tutor. Hands-on experience of meeting new people and travelling to different parts of the country to observe various projects, has given Tony greater perspective and an insight into how other projects are run.

“For me, the best thing about the apprentice role was being part of a supportive team, yet feeling like an equal. I found that very inspiring.”

A role in social care

Tony’s first role in social care has been fulfilled at St Mungo’s Broadway in Bristol. He works with many clients that are homeless and living on the streets, from anything between a few days to a few years. The service provides outreach work and overnight accommodation. Tony is currently working in a part of the service where clients are more stable and might be recovering from substance misuse and perhaps started to find work.

Tony feels that he has learnt a lot about himself through the Apprenticeship and has been recognised within the team for his great communication, people skills and rapport with clients. He is a good team player, which is an important asset when working closely with colleagues to support clients with their needs. This could be helping them to contact their families, find voluntary work or regain some structure in their lives.

“The Apprenticeship has given me the most amazing work experience and I’ve acquired invaluable skills that I can take forward in my career. Each day is different but my priority is to support clients with their complex needs. There are always challenges like behavioural issues, but we overcome these together. The wow factor for me is when you see a client on their road to recovery, maybe from drugs, homelessness or a life of crime.”

After his Apprenticeship, Tony secured a part-time role as support worker at St Mungo’s Broadway and continues to seek full-time work opportunities. For the future, he would like to move into management and possibly divert into mental health.

Ongoing support

Tony speaks very highly of the support that he has received during and after his Apprenticeship from both peers and mentors. He had the opportunity to work with other apprentices and they supported each other with assignments and training.

“The support has been fantastic. I’ve had monthly supervision with my manager and fortnightly meetings with colleagues. Working in a team environment helps as we learn from each other. Being a fresh addition to the team is also good as you can bring a new perspective to the work environment.”

Tony has found that the reflective practice sessions at St Mungo’s Broadway have also enabled him to offload any issues, express his feelings and thoughts in a safe environment. Receiving constructive feedback from the team and advice on how to become better in his role has also helped his confidence.

“The Apprenticeship has given me a better chance of a fulfilling career and to progress further within social care. Having a foot in the door and the knowledge of how the organisation works has really helped.”

For more information about social care Apprenticeshipsand to access further resources, please visit:

www.skillsforcare.org.uk/apprenticeshipsYou can also see us online via:YouTube www.youtube.com/user/skillsforcare Facebook www.facebook.com/icareapprenticeships Twitter @skillsforcare

Skills for CareWest GateGrace StreetLeedsLS1 2RP

Telephone 0113 245 1716Email apprenticeships@skillsforcare.org.uk© Skills for Care 2014