Caring is sharing skills with trainees

Kibble launches mentoring scheme for students

A scheme aimed at tackling Scotland’s care worker shortage has taken on its first group of trainees.

Kibble, which is based in Paisley, is behind the People Can Care programme, which is directed at people who are interested in becoming child and youth care workers.

It gives them the chance to gain skills in Kibble’s nationallyrecognised training system, while gaining invaluable experience in a real working environment.

Trainees will work in Kibble for 12 months and learn about every aspect of what it takes to work with some of the most vulnerable young people in the country.

Chief executive of Kibble, Jim Gillespie, said: “I am delighted to welcome the first six trainees to our new programme, People Can Care.

“We know that Scotland is facing a shortage of care workers and that organisations like Kibble must do more to encourage people to consider child and youth care as a career.

“Kibble is one of Scotland’s leading child and youth care charities and, as such, trainees are well placed to learn here.

“Our new trainee programme is the first step in the journey to help tackle Scotland’s shortage in care workers and give these trainees the chance of becoming confident, skilled child and youth care workers.

“Working in care can sometimes be tough, but it is a rewarding and fulfilling career knowing that you help young people achieve their potential.”

The first cohort of trainees will work alongside full-time staff for 12 months as they learn exactly what it takes to work in child and youth care.

Trainees will learn by direct observation, practice experience, direct teaching and mentoring.

After working in all aspects of Kibble for a year, the trainees are guaranteed a job interview with a view to being given permanent positions.

Marie Duncan, learning and development manager at Kibble, said: “Every trainee is assigned a mentor who will be on- hand to offer guidance and support throughout their time at Kibble.

“We take great pride in making sure that our staff have every opportunity to develop new skills, and our trainees will be just the same.

“This is just the beginning of the programme, and we hope that we will be able to offer more opportunities like this in the future for others considering a career in child and youth care.”

Our new programme is the first step in helping to tackle the care worker shortage