A West Auckland care home, currently under review for closure by Durham County Council, has taken its first school student on work experience.
East Green Home at West Auckland agreed to offer a placement to Aimee-Louise Fullerton, a year 10 student from Staindrop School Business and Enterprise College, after the manager of County Durham’s Work Experience Team visited her father-in-law during a 10 day stay at the home.
Manager of the home, Mrs Bennett, was keen to give the youngster an experience of the world of work explaining, “The home plays an important part in the whole community and that includes helping to prepare our young people for work in the care sector. I am looking forward to working with students from the local schools in the future.’
Aimee enjoyed the experience assisting staff at meal times, taking part in the resident’s reminiscence sessions, giving manicures, helping out in the laundry and assisting with other general care duties. Her week was enhanced thanks to
18 year-old Elizabeth Carrick, a Health & Social Care level 2 student from Bishop Auckland College, who acted as a mentor to Aimee during her time there.
Work Experience Manager, Jaqui Gardiner, from Durham Education Business Partnership, organises work experience placements for schools throughout County Durham. It was while visiting her father-in-law that the idea crossed her mind to ask about the home about supporting the work experience programme.
Jaqui commented “My father-in-law Albert was very happy with the care and treatment he got whilst at East Green.
He said the staff could not do enough for him, even contacting him after he went back home to make sure he was ok.
“The carers made visitors feel very welcome and able to come in at any time. It was this attitude and the happy atmosphere that encouraged me to ask the home to support Work Experience.”
For further information about offering work experience placements to local schools, contact Jaqui Gardiner on 01325 3755963.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
