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ISS Healthcare lends support to children’s book aimed at inspiring future carers
| Published: 14th March 2019 12:07 |
A MEMBER of staff at a care provider in Wales has lent her support to the creation of a children’s book aimed at inspiring future health and social care workers (March, 2019).
To promote the book, Ravina Goodland from ISS Healthcare met with pupils from Blenheim Road Community Primary School in Torfaen to discuss her experience of working in the care sector.
Ravina said: “We were thrilled to meet the year six pupils from Blenheim Road Community Primary School and talk to them about what it’s like to work in care. It was important they got a real feel for what it’s like to work in care so they could portray this truthfully in their book.
“I really enjoyed spending time with the children, and they were all very enthusiastic and asked all the right questions, I was only too happy to be involved with the project as it’s extremely important to educate the next generation about what a fantastic and rewarding career this can be.”
The project was a joint effort developed by the Gwent Regional Partnership Team, Aneurin Bevan Health Board and Petra Publishing and Blenheim Road Primary School to produce the book, entitled ‘Billy the Superhero.’
Billy is a young boy who loves superheroes and is inspired to become a real-life superhero (a doctor) after seeing the way health and social care professional’s care for his Nan.
Through Billy’s story, the book introduces the topic of health and social care to children with the aim of sparking an interest in its rewarding career prospects.
The story was developed by year six pupils with support from storyteller, Mike Church from Petra publishing company.
As part of the project, professionals from the health and social care sector, nurses, occupational therapists and a home carer visited the pupils to talk about their roles and help inspire the children and the story.
Chris Hooper, Facilitation and Engagement Officer for the Gwent Regional Partnership Team, said: “Provision of health and social care is a high priority for the Gwent region. Key to delivery is attracting and recruiting people with the right values and skills required for the sector. As people are living longer and choosing to receive care in their homes the need for community-based health and social care support is increasing and the recruitment and retention of staff is a key issue for social care providers not just across Gwent but nationwide.
“We recognised that as a region we needed to engage more with schools and ‘set the scene’ for careers in health and social care at a much younger age. We also wanted to raise the profile of the sector and bust some of the myths held about the sector by the wider public.
“We felt the best way to engage with younger children and introduce the values and ‘soft skills’ needed to work in the sector was to develop a story book that could be read in school and at home. The development of Billy the Superhero was a real collaborative effort with ourselves, Aneurin Bevan Health Board and PETRA publishing leading the project and Blenheim Road Primary School pupils’ who were invited to write a story that other children would find engaging.
“We’re extremely thankful to Ravina from ISS Healthcare for spending time with the children and providing them with a taste of the full spectrum of health and social care roles and the amazing work that goes on in the sector. The children and storyteller reported that these visits were extremely useful and helped shape the book.”
‘Billy the Superhero’ is now available in every library across Gwent. There has been widespread interest in the book across Gwent and beyond with copies going to different organisations, such as the Office of the Older Persons’ Commissioner and Bangor University.
ISS Healthcare provides care support to thousands of people, with services commissioned through authorities in the area or purchased privately by individual service users or their families.
Its aim is to deliver care, which improves the lives of its service users and that treats them, and their families, with respect, dignity and compassion.
ISS Healthcare believes its services should not only comply with regulatory standards, but that it also delivers excellence and promote overall wellbeing.
It is looking for kind, committed and reliable people, who have excellent communication skills and a genuine care for others to join its team.
New recruits are offered a five-day training induction and a 12-week onboarding program in order for them to obtain a care certificate. ISS Healthcare also offers flexible working hours, both full time and part time, as well as competitive wages, generous holiday allocation and a refer a friend bonus scheme.
Anyone interested in a position should call 01495 759977 or email ravina.goodland@isstorfaen.co.uk.
For more information about ISS Healthcare, which has offices at Torfaen Business Centre, please call 01495 759977 or visit www.isshealthcare.co.uk.
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