From Support Worker to House Manager
Our care services here at Strada Care vary, with different team dynamics supporting a range of client groups with a range of learning disabilities, mental health conditions, or physical disabilities. This includes adults of various ages, ethnicities, and past experiences.
We are proud of both our House Managers who worked their way up from Support Worker roles. Both had contrasting career paths before they came to work at Strada Care.
“Strada Care is proud to have a strong record of harnessing and developing the potential of individual team members delivering our care with genuine career progression.”
Success Story Case Study with Sharon Whitby
A few words from Sharon Whitby – Strada Care House Manager
This article looks at Sharon Whitby, one of our current House Managers, who found her roles at Strada Care very rewarding. Through encouragement to further hone her leadership skills as well as a range of training advanced by Strada Care, she was promoted to Team Leader and is now a House Manager.
“Before joining the care sector in 2016, I had various roles: as a receptionist, in accounts, supply service, team leading in the gas sector, business analyst, software testing and even warehouse assistance – all these whilst raising 5 boys!
I joined the organisation as a housekeeper at one of the group’s care homes, my first experience working with vulnerable adults who were elderly with dementia. I was offered the opportunity to move to a Supported Living service nearby in Merstham, part-time, supporting a different group not just with their housekeeping but with ALL aspects of living. These people have a learning disability and most have autism.
I enjoyed this rewarding role very much, quickly going full-time, and through the encouragement and support to develop my leadership skills, earned promotions to Team Leader, and more recently House Manager of the same clients living in two houses on a lovely plot in Merstham.
I’ve had an all-encompassing range of training from Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults, Moving and Handling, Mental Health to Nutrition. I was also supported to do my functional skills Level 2 in Maths and English so that I could study my QCF diploma Level 4 in Health and Social Care.
I feel life experience has helped me with carrying out my role in health and social care. I have raised a large family and like to think I treat people receiving care and support in the same way I look after my family, respecting certain professional boundaries of course! The diploma has helped me to understand CQC regulations, legislation and lead/manage on the progressive approaches driven by Strada Care that ensure people receive the best care.
Seeing people achieve a better quality of life and becoming more independent. There’s never a dull moment!”
A few words from Reza Shamtally – Strada Care Managing Director
“Sharon has been a role-model team member, who has responded with determination to the the encouragement and opportunity that Strada Care has provided.
Sharon’s key strengths include: a willingness to embrace change – pivotal in implementing changes to both our financial and Care Software processes.
She has persevered with the introduction of IT systems including Care Vision, providing vital feedback to the software producer.
She has also empowered clients to take up new interests and pastimes, join new religious groups, support their sexual curiosity and friendships, and also move to a new house with a more compatible cohort, and finally support them to explore the internet in a safe way.”
If you would like to know more about career progression at Strada Care please visit our Career Development page to find out more.