Laid-off Devon tourism workers asked to take Care jobs in COVID-19 crisis

DEVONIANS laid-off or made redundant from tourism, hospitality or catering roles due to restrictions and business closures related to the Coronavirus are being asked to become carers (April 2020).

As COVID-19 cases rise, Devon’s homecare service providers, who are at the frontline like other healthcare professionals, are urgently seeking more staff to care for the vulnerable and elderly.

Catherine Porter, Manager at Guardian Homecare, which has teams operating in Exeter and surrounding areas, said: “Approximately 49,000 people normally work in Devon’s tourism industry according to Devon Tourism Advice, which is a website funded by Devon County Council, and many more are dependent upon it.

“Devon is a county reliant on its tourism and hospitality industries. Huge swaths of people were involved in these sectors directly and indirectly supporting them, whether they were hotel receptionists, cleaned holiday lets, served drinks in pubs or waited on tables in restaurants. These people may currently be finding themselves out of work and if they haven’t been furloughed, then they will need to provide for themselves and potentially for their families.

“As they have worked in customer-facing industries, these are the sort of people we would like to employ. We’re expecting our teams who provide an invaluable service to the most vulnerable in our society, who can’t look after themselves for various reasons, to be stretched to the limit as the virus gathers pace. So, we need to take on more staff and wish to sign up 100 new team members now.

“We’re asking anyone who needs work, those who have recently been made redundant or laid off to get in touch. There are lots of people-focused roles in tourism, hospitality and, also, retail where people are currently unable to work, and we’d be very grateful if they helped swell our numbers as we face the impact of this virus head on together.

“There may also be fit and well people out there who are normally self-employed who can’t work at the moment due to the economic issues related to the crisis and as a result of social distancing rules, such as hairdressers and beauticians, or those whose work has greatly reduced. They can help us too, even if just on a flexible part-time basis while they keep their businesses ticking over.

“Our carers are frontline staff and while our teams are coping well at the moment, we’re bracing ourselves and we need more staff to urgently boost our numbers. Full training is given.

“Those we look after can’t care for themselves, so are a daily lifeline to them. They are scared and worried at the moment, as we live in uncertain times. They need physical and emotional care. Some are bedridden, some are physically frail and others suffer from dementia. We’re hoping local people and communities will come together and help us meet the challenges ahead.”

Guardian Homecare, which has teams operating in Exeter, delivers personalised home care supporting people wishing to stay living safely and comfortably in their own homes in south Devon.

“If you are fit and well and want to make a substantial difference to people’s lives at this acute time, we can train you quickly and enable you to help those who are vulnerable, who may not see a person other than their carer from one day to the next. We really need your help to add to the front-line workforce and ensure that the elderly in particular have help.

“Anyone interested should get in touch. Our office team will be able to have a chat with you and they will be able to set up interviews via Skype or Facetime to talk you through everything. The Government has also taken steps to ensure a quicker turnaround on DBS checks, so we can get people into work more quickly than before.

“We will be able to provide our free, full training on a fast-track basis to make sure everyone we take on is ready. This includes a company induction, first aid, information on dementia, health and safety, food safety, infection control, handling medication and moving and handling service users, with the opportunity to achieve Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) after the initial three months probationary period.

“New recruits are given free uniforms, access to national staff discount scheme for all major brands as well as 28 days paid holiday, paid travel between calls and paid mileage.”

Anyone wishing to help the elderly and vulnerable in south Devon during the current crisis, can sign-up be a home carer with Guardian Homecare by visiting www.guardianhomecare.co.uk or https://www.facebook.com/GuardianHomecareUK/jobs/.