Meet the Team: Q&A with Stephanie Young

Stephanie Young joined the Abertillery branch of ND Care & Support as an Administrator in May 2017 and has been with us ever since. Her role is crucial in helping our Carers to deliver the highest quality service. Find out all about what she does…

Do you have a background in care work? Can you tell us more about your career journey so far?

Prior to joining ND Care & Support, I had no experience of working in the care sector. My background is working in a business administration environment, specifically retail. I manage payroll duties, setting up Care Worker phones, admin duties as required, as well as managing reception within our branch in Abertillery. I organise training for all new Care Workers joining us, getting them ready to begin their role. I have also recently completed Business Administration level 2 and I’m now completing my level 3 in Business Administration.

What does a day in your role look like?

Each day varies, with different needs of the business. For example, on a Monday, I process Payroll and the rest of the week is structured with tasks such as organising training, setting up Care Worker phones, sending letters, dealing with Care Worker requests for any personal protective equipment (PPE) that they require, invoicing, and dealing with any external or internal enquiries. it is a very busy and challenging role, which makes it very enjoyable.

What key skills are required to do your job?

1. Organisational skills
2. Patience
3. A friendly and confident attitude
4. Good communication skills
5. Helpful attitude

What do you enjoy most about your job and why?

I really like working towards and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the business, wherever possible. When I know things are running smoothly, I know that the service users are being looked after and that makes me feel satisfied at the end of the day. I enjoy meeting different people too. As I manage the reception area, I get to see and speak to the majority of people who walk through our door, which is fantastic!

What day-to-day challenges do you face in your role?

A challenge for me is receiving or dealing with incorrect information. It can be tricky, as these issues take time to correct and amend. Unfortunately, this can mean that my day ends up going off-plan for the goals I had set for myself. Also, as with any business, we are all working to strict deadlines and at times, these deadlines can affect the care of individuals. When this is the case, it means that they have to be made a priority, no matter what my other plans for the day might have been.

What challenges does the wider care sector face? How do you feel you are making a difference to this?

There’s certainly been an increase in the number of people requiring our services, as we are all living longer and many people now want to remain in their own home for as long as possible. To meet this demand, it can be difficult to find the right people to join our team and help us care for our clients when they need it most.

To help make a positive difference in the sector and in the care we deliver, we are introducing the new PASS System app. It will be a much quicker application that enables us to see the care that our service users have received, as well as any issues that we would need to know. This information will be received in real-time through the app, which will be a fantastic benefit to our team and to service users, as we will be able to deal with these issues as they arise.

What is your proudest moment in work or your greatest achievement in your career and why?

To date, my proudest moment in work is achieving my level 2 qualification in Business Administration. I felt this was a real achievement and I am currently completing my level 3 now too. ND Care & Support is a great place to develop yourself professionally and achieve something that perhaps you never thought you would on a personal level too.

What advice would you give to candidates who want to go into care work?

If you want a rewarding career, this is it!

Be prepared for change – any changes made are always for the benefit of service users. Be prepared for challenges – being challenged in your role keeps you motivated. Be committed to the role – service users like and need consistency because much of the time, we are their lifeline.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself

I have 12 tattoos and counting…

What is your favourite quote and why?

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else too.”

I love this quote because what can be more rewarding than knowing you’re helping someone else when they need it the most? I find helping others to be the most rewarding thing!

Contact us to find out more about registering with ND Care & Support as a Care Worker and tune in soon to meet the next member of the ND Care & Support team…