social care apprenticeship programmes case study Oaklands Community Care, Derby Debbie Stojak Service Manager the employer s view David Glover Mentor

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Melina Phelps
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1 social care apprenticeship programmes case study Oaklands Community Care, Derby Debbie Stojak Service Manager the employer s view David Glover Mentor

Derby-based Oaklands Community Care is a social enterprise company and has been successfully delivering care and support services to people with learning disabilities and mental ill health for over

2 Derby-based Oaklands Community Care is a social enterprise company and has been successfully delivering care and support services to people with learning disabilities and mental ill health for over 25 years. As a domiciliary care agency, it supports short and long-term care, enabling people to live where they choose and have access to education, training, employment and social activities. Oaklands was awarded Best Employer of under 250 staff in 2007 and in 2009 was the winner of Best Partnership with People who use Services ; both Skills for Care Accolades. Oaklands has held a three-star accreditation by the Care Quality Commission for five years. about Oaklands Community Care

background Debbie Stojak, service manager for Oaklands Community Care has been with the organisation since it started and has seen many changes in the care sector over the last 25 years.

3 background Debbie Stojak, service manager for Oaklands Community Care has been with the organisation since it started and has seen many changes in the care sector over the last 25 years. She feels that the turning point for adult social care was when the Department of Health published its Our Health, Our Care, Our Say Green Paper in 2005, setting out its vision to provide people with good quality social care and NHS services in the communities where they live. Oaklands adopted these policy changes, so that service users could benefit from greater independence and choice, enabling them to move forward through a supported pathway. Debbie believes that these changes have required care organisations to review their workforce development plans, so feels the apprenticeship programme is integral to this. setting up an apprenticeship programme Oaklands Community Care was approached by Skills for Care to consider adopting an apprenticeship programme. Debbie admits that she was initially cynical about how the apprenticeship programme would fit into the organisation s workforce development culture. She took the idea to the senior management team that was concerned about how the current employment climate had hit young people and saw this as an opportunity to offer a structured training programme. recruiting the right apprentices Mentor David Glover, known as Dave, project manages the organisation s apprenticeship programme. Working with the management team, in conjunction with Derby College, he has overseen the first intake of five apprentices, responsible for recruiting, training and mentoring the young apprentices, who are aged between 18 and 24. Working with Derby College, Dave pioneered a new recruitment process that doesn t only consider GCSE qualifications as the minimum entry level. He wanted to take into account life skills and the characteristics and personalities of the candidates. The right attitude, skills and values of an applicant were seen as pre-requisites for working in care. Dave designed a person-centred workshop that involved a number of the service users from Oaklands. He was keen to promote the organisation s underlying ethos of dignity and respect. The candidates were able to interact with some of the people that they could be supporting in the future. Following the workshop, five candidates were recruited onto the programme. Skills for Care supported Oaklands with funding for year one of the scheme, and a decision was made to pilot and launch the scheme in March 2010.

one of the best things about the apprenticeship programme is the flexibility that it offers both the organisation and the apprentice.

the apprenticeship programme Debbie believes that young people develop in different ways and that they can achieve anything in life, as long as it is broken down into stages.

Dave has also trained six members of staff to become a support network for the apprentices, answering questions and offering open feedback.

4 one of the best things about the apprenticeship programme is the flexibility that it offers both the organisation and the apprentice. There is no rigid format, rather a pathway for apprentices to achieve their ambitions and grow. the apprenticeship programme Debbie believes that young people develop in different ways and that they can achieve anything in life, as long as it is broken down into stages. Apprentices can learn and improve their skills at their own pace, with access to constant support. Ongoing support and mentoring has been an important part of the programme. Dave has also trained six members of staff to become a support network for the apprentices, answering questions and offering open feedback. Through college assessments, individual and shared peer learning, the apprentices have been able to apply their knowledge to their practical daily roles. The scheme has given Oaklands the opportunity to nurture a new type of project worker within the care sector. The apprentices value their training positions because of the rewards, flexibility, responsibility and opportunities available.

it doesn t always matter where the apprentices have been

If you connect with people, you can build on the rest at

the potential to develop and grow, and those that relish the

5 it doesn t always matter where the apprentices have been before, what they ve done or even haven t done before. If you connect with people, you can build on the rest at Oaklands we look for apprentices with positive attitudes and the potential to develop and grow, and those that relish the opportunity to embark on a career in care Debbie Stojak Service Manager David Glover Mentor

6 the future The first wave of the apprenticeship programme has been an outstanding success. Oaklands has worked with some of the most enthusiastic young people who offer fresh, innovative ideas and are happy to challenge practices and make recommendations. The five apprentices have been offered permanent, full-time positions within the organisation, as they complete the NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care. They have become ambassadors for the programme and are ready to share their experiences with the new intake of apprentices for 2010/11. Oaklands will be working with Derby College, Connexions and Remploy to recruit the new apprentices. Debbie concludes: One of the best things about the apprenticeship programme is the flexibility that it offers both the organisation and the apprentice. There is no rigid format, rather a pathway for apprentices to achieve their ambitions and grow. We need the industry to change and apprentices are breathing new life into the care sector. I would recommend the programme to those care organisations that want to employ person-centred ambassadors for the future. For more information about social care apprenticeships and to access further resources, please visit: or You can also see us online via: YouTube Facebook Bebo Skills for Care West Gate Grace Street Leeds LS1 2RP Telephone apprenticeships@skillsforcare.org.uk Skills for Care 2011

the employer s view social care apprenticeship programmes case study Hertfordshire County Council

the employer s view social care apprenticeship programmes case study Hertfordshire County Council social care apprenticeship programmes case study Hertfordshire County Council the employer s view Paul Rainbow Senior Learning and Development Officer, Adult Care Services Hertfordshire County Council