Â鶹ÊÓƵ

A Social Care Academy in South Tyneside will officially launch next week to support people interested in a career in adult social care and provide learning and development opportunities for those currently working in the sector.

The Academy, based at the Millennium Phab Club in Jarrow, will seek to improve recruitment, ongoing development, career progression and retention of the adult social care workforce. It will open its doors on Monday, 15 January and people are encouraged to drop in to find out more between 12.30pm and 4pm.

The Care Academy will be working in partnership with local providers, Skills for Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, local education and training establishments and South Tyneside Works to provide a variety of courses as well as delivering bespoke training for the adult social care workforce to support the development of services.

In addition to its base at the Phab Club, the Academy will run practical training sessions at the Living Better Lives Resources centre, also based in Jarrow, as well as providing  training within the workplace.

The number of adult social care jobs in the North East is set to rise by 22 per cent over the next 12 years yet many posts remain unfilled and retention of staff is a key concern for employers.  

Councillor Ruth Berkley, Lead Member for Adults, Health and Independence, said: "We want social care to be viewed as a career of choice. By raising the profile of adult social care and highlighting the career development opportunities within the sector, we hope to be able to place it at the forefront of people's minds when thinking about future careers.

"By investing in improving the skills of those working in the sector, we can work with our local market and care providers to raise standards and improve outcomes of those in receipt of care and services."

She added: "Caring for others is one of the most important roles in our society, and I have always advocated that this is a profession and vocation. 

"From speaking to those who work in the care sector, I know the dedication they bring to their work, and the satisfaction they feel in fulfilling their role.

"The Care Academy will encourage those from across our communities seeking to gain an understanding of the skills required to gain employment in this sector and help them to prepare for employment opportunities. It will also support care sector employers in the Borough to recruit staff and develop existing staff.

"The introduction of the Care Academy shows the value we as an Authority place in the care sector and recognise the critical role they play in supporting those needing care."

Earlier this year the project won a share of £8.8million in government funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund - the successor to European Structural and Investment Funds - which means the Care Academy is a fully-funded three year project.

Anyone interested in finding out more about a career in care is encouraged to drop into the Phab club on Grange Road in Jarrow on Monday, 15 January, between 12.30pm and 4pm or visit