Staff Stories
Charlie – Senior Support Worker at Anam Cara
I joined Kisimul in 2019 after working as a Travel Agent for six years. I was suddenly without a job when Thomas Cook went into administration and thought: “What am I going to do?” I applied for the job at Kisimul, went for the interview and was delighted that they offered me the job as a Residential Support Worker. I was so happy they gave me a chance to join their team and since starting I have never looked back.
I love my job, I have learnt so many new things and the staff have supported me so much in my job role. They’re amazing!
My favourite part of the role is interacting with the young people and looking after them, seeing them grow and being a part of their development, whether it’s dealing with behaviours of concern, comforting them or taking them out on trips. This is by far the best job I’ve ever had. I am also working towards my Level 3 Diploma which will provide me with even more knowledge and understanding of working with our young people.”
Amanda – Care Manager at Acacia Hall
“I commenced my role as a Support Worker with the Kisimul Group in 1997, having previously worked as a Support Worker with the elderly in a retirement home. During my first few years with the company I undertook Level 2 diplomas in Special Care Needs and Playwork and a Level 3 diploma in Promoting Independence.
In 2000, the opportunity arose for promotion to a Senior Support Worker role and a year later I was promoted to a Deputy Team Leader, during which time I completed the NVQ Assessor award. This enabled me to provide additional support to team members in the undertaking of their diplomas.
Acacia Hall opened as a new service in 2003 and I was offered the position of Team Leader – remaining here to this day!!
Since being in this role, I have been supported to complete Level 3 diplomas in Children and Young People and Management, whilst more recently I have been undertaking the Level 5 CYP in Care Leadership and Management, and hope to have this qualification completed shortly.”
Alex – Residential Support Worker at Acacia Hall
“Since joining Kisimul, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working at Acacia Hall. I was welcomed by everyone and made to feel part of the team straight away. As this is my first time in residential care, I have been well supported in learning new things and gaining new knowledge.
My favourite part of the role is interacting with the young people and being part of their development, and seeing them grow. Before lockdown, I had the opportunity to take the young people to lots of offsite visits, including the zoo, beach, cinema and bowling. It has helped me to build my confidence and self-esteem, whilst being able to work alongside some amazing people from a range of different services.”
Luke – Registered Manager at Blythe House
“I started working at Blythe House when it first opened in 2011, as a Residential Support Worker, and I found it massively rewarding. Whilst learning my new role I was lucky to have worked with a very knowledgeable and passionate team and had a manager who helped me to develop new skills and expand my knowledge so that I was able to provide high quality of support and meet the individual and complex needs of the people we support.
Throughout my career with Kisimul I have been supported to complete both my Level 3 in Health and Social Care and my Level 5 in Leadership for Health and Social Care. The knowledge and skills I gained through completing these qualifications allowed me to progress from Residential Support Worker to Senior Residential Support Worker and now to Deputy Manager.
I have also been given the opportunity to expand my involvement by becoming a Safeguarding Ambassador, Infection Control Lead and by delivering training to staff.
It has been a pleasure to be part of Blythe House for nine years and see the people we support grow and develop in their lives.”
Julie – Residential Support Worker at Tigh Abaid
“I’ve been with Kisimul for just over a year now, after working as a Live-In Nanny in London for 15 years, and later a Reablement Support Worker for two years. I found I missed working with children and young people, hence staying in the care industry, but moving back to working with young people.
I really enjoy my job with Kisimul and I’ve found the support and guidance from my team at Tigh Abaid to be invaluable and inspiring. Working at Tigh Abaid is a really positive experience as the home is very family oriented and all about the young people who reside there.
The most rewarding part of my role is seeing the individuals develop their skills to become independent young people as well as watching them having fun.
Tigh Abaid Rocks!!”
Gertrude – Support Worker at Tigh Sogan
“Working for Kisimul Group has greatly contributed to my personal development. Being new in an environment has never been easy, but with the right support and guidance from staff and my manager, I was able to familiarise myself with the company’s culture that promotes proactive and positive behaviour support.
Regular supervision, training and feedback have also helped me to improve my knowledge, skills and practice in supporting the individuals to achieve their goals. My manager provided constructive feedback regarding my six months’ probation period, which has really boosted my morale and helped me to reflect.
Working with people with autism has also helped me better understand their conditions, supporting them in the way that best meets their individual and changing needs. I am happy to be able to work with colleagues and professionals to improve our individuals’ well-being.”
Margaret – Senior Support Worker at Tigh Bruadair
“I started the working for Kisimul many years ago and I have loved my job ever since. I began as a Residential Support Worker on days and worked across all teams to enhance my knowledge. During that time I learnt so much about the people we support and the home. I developed positive relationships with everyone and I feel that working across all of the teams allowed me to do this.
I then progressed and became a Night Senior which is my current role. Working nights enables me to spend time with the individuals before they go to bed, support them with their night time routine and getting them settled for the night. Sometimes we take part in night time activities such as stargazing, looking for satellites and even going out into the community to ensure people we support are receiving the same opportunities as everyone else as well as engaging in meaningful activities.
I enjoy coming to work and seeing the smiles on our individuals’ faces when they are talking about their day and what they have been up to over a cup of coffee. Seeing how happy they are makes the job that much more rewarding for me.”
Emmanuella – Senior Night Support Worker, Tigh Lenach
“I have worked nights for the past three years. Nights give you the time to concentrate not only on supporting the people we care for, but you can also take time for personal development, which is important to me as I look to move up the ladder at Kisimul.
“I love the role – it is warming to me. I’m not just helping care for people, I’m making friends every day. The variety involved in my work keeps it interesting – we are allocated tasks to do throughout the night, such as care plans and dealing with emails. The staff are all very kind and supportive.
“My shifts have also given me more time with my own children, so I get to go to school for meetings and to juggle my time how I want to – as well as having a happy working life.”
