Cardiff Cares Academy, an initiative from Cardiff Council’s Into Work Advice Service, is transforming lives by helping residents start rewarding careers in social care.
Sylvia only popped into Central Library Hub, looking for help to pay her council tax. Having been out of work for a year, she was feeling very low, with little hope for the future.
But a chance reunion with a fellow school mum at the Hub set in motion a series of events that changed Sylvia’s life for the better—and now she’s helping to change others’ lives too.
Sylvia bumped into Yin, an Advisor from the council's Into Work team, at the hub – a familiar face from the school run a few years back. After learning about Sylvia’s situation, Yin encouraged her to enrol in the Cardiff Cares Academy – the Into Work Advice Service’s initiative delivering training, support and mentoring to help people start a career in the care sector.
Now working for Comfort Care Recruitment and Training, a domiciliary care agency in the city, Sylvia is thriving and has her eye on the next steps in her social care career.
She said:
“It's been fantastic. It's been amazing – it's a personal story for me. It was just at a point in my life where I felt like giving up and I met the team at the Cares Academy.
“The support has been great – it's just a full package. It gave me that lift, that motivation that I needed to do, what I love to do.
“The training is fantastic. And I am really, really grateful for this. I had about six job offers all at once, and they still helped me. There was no pressure, just allowed me to make the decision where I wanted to go to.
“It's given me back my life and the fact that I'm able to change lives and provide support to vulnerable people – that’s what motivated me to join the Cares Academy.”
Cardiff Cares Academy is working with employers who are recruiting now. The Academy helps people interested in a career in social care, whether they have no experience, or have worked in the sector previously and need to refresh their skills. The team supports candidates to apply for various care roles across the city, including domiciliary care, residential care and day centre opportunities.
Cabinet Member for Tackling Poverty and Supporting Young People, Cllr Peter Bradbury, said:
“Care workers provide not just support, but dignity, compassion, and connection to those who need it most. Their work is essential, because they change people’s lives for the better.
“It’s wonderful to hear how Sylvia’s life has been changed for the better by becoming a care worker. We need more people like her to use their skills to help others live more independently.
“Cardiff Cares Academy delivers personalised training and support and help to get into a role that’s right for the individual.”
If you are interested in starting a career in the care sector, or returning to work as a care work, finding out more about the free training and support available at Cardiff Cares Academy. Visit www.intoworkcardiff.co.uk/cardiffcares or call 029 2087 3107.
