COUNCIL TO GIVE
THE coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we all work over the last few months. With some of us working from home many others, including council staff, are still out and about, but not necessarily doing anything resembling what they were employed for previously.
In fact, thousands of UK council staff have been redeployed in “critical” roles during the coronavirus crisis.
Critical front-line services like recycling, social services, child care, burials and emergency highways and council house repairs continue, while hundreds of support staff are working from home to keep the council operating.
But staff working in some services are being retrained and redirected to help provide critical services.
Some of those council workers in Wales have spoken about how working life has changed for them.
THE LIFEGUARD TURNED
CARE WORKER
Nia Matthews has worked as a parttime lifeguard at Pembroke Leisure Centre for the past three years in between her studies in chiropractics at the University of South Wales.
The 20-year-old from Maidenwells now shadows care staff at a residential home in Tenby.
“It’s really given me such an insight into how care homes are run,” she said.
“I have really enjoyed it and I didn’t expect to. I’m surprised how quickly you pick it up, it’s very hands on, it’s very different to my role as a lifeguard.”
Nia admitted that everyone working at the care home was cautious of coronavirus.
She said: “Everything is still running smoothly for the sake of the residents. Everyone is cautious but we have all the protective equipment and you change between seeing other residents.
“It’s very well managed, the whole situation, it’s difficult because the staff are the only people residents get to see so you take more time with them.
“Because of the system they have there, it does take the stress completely out of it and it is very well run. Hospitals may be a bit more frantic.”
Now in her fourth week, she said it had been a “really positive experience”.
She said that she now saw things in a different light.
“I have never been to a care home before this, so I was very closed minded.
“Everyone has been so nice. I’ve been really lucky. It has given me such a massive appreciation of the work of carers and what they do; I had no idea.
“I’ve loved talking to them and the residents. They’re all so lovely, and they have so many amazing stories.
“It’s great spending time with people, helping them to get out of bed in the morning and encouraging their independence, helping them with their personal hygiene, keeping everything tidy and keeping their spirits up.
“You do hear people saying that you’re either the sort of person who enjoys care or you’re not; but I’m honestly so keen – I didn’t expect to be. It’s great seeing people look happy.”
Nia, who lives with her dad and twin sister, said her family had supported her with her new job role.
“I consider myself lucky that I’m quite healthy, so when the call was made to be redeployed, I was more than happy to help.
“I feel like I didn’t have a reason not to step up, which encouraged me that was the right thing to do.
“I happen to live in a house with perfectly healthy people and so I’m not exposed to people’s different complications and troubles.”
THE LIBRARY WORKER NOW A HELPLINE CALL CENTRE TEAM-LEADER
In normal times Bethan Lee’s main job includes the management of community library services.
Today you’ll find her working from home with a headset and a laptop helping to change the lives of some of Swansea’s residents for the better.
For the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, Bethan is working from her living room while her husband works from the bedroom and their son does his schoolwork in the kitchen.
Bethan’s now a virtual Helpline call centre team-leader at the heart of a hub supporting those who have been told to stay at home and shield themselves from the virus.
For them, Bethan and her newlytrained team at Swansea council are a lifeline.
“My normal job, as one of two principal librarians, involves working at the Civic Centre in Swansea where I oversee the purchasing of books and the management of the community library service and the eBook service,” she said.
“The last thing I did before I changed roles as a result of the coronavirus pandemic was to start working on the end of the financial year information for the library service. Now, things couldn’t be more different.”