Im currently unemployed and have been taking part in an adults back into employment project for long term unemployed.

Im looking to work in healthcare and work my way up the mental health system initially as a health care support worker and build qualifications from there getting into the professional nursing or therapist route.

Ive been offered a placement in a mental health and learning disabilities hostel/outreach type centre where i will be working full time unpaid for 5 weeks with a job at the end if i meet the required performance. They dont guarantee to employ you though so there is still risk even if you perform ok.

Now is this typical of the NHS to gain access to health care jobs when you have little experience????? Or is it a function that im at the bottom of the job pile and in this economic climate employers can afford to trial people out in this way??

Just wieghing up my options as its a minimum 30 hours a week unpaid and it will cost me £25 a week travel too, so need to consider if its worth the risk or if id be better of spending those hours job seeking???

Obviously id still be looking for jobs when not working just cant devote so many hours if im doing 30 hours work.

Any advice please!!!!

 

have you tried getting a position as a HCA or is that what you would be starting as? I know when i started working for the NHS as a HCA i was just put on the bank staff for 3mths until i was then offered a permanent position?

The NHS dont tend to mess you around though so i would say it was worth going for

 

the roles Health Care Support Worker so broadly similar to a HCA in many ways. Supposed to be permenant work on completions with support to help work towards a level 2 NVQ.

 

If quali's are a problem, why don't you do an access to nursing course then step onto the nurse training?

 

That would be a good starting point, and if you got NVQ 2 and 3 you could get a secondment to do your nurse training via your employer if that was the route you wanted to take.

I say go for it, its a good opportunity and them knowing you are dedicated and willing to do the work for free anyway is more than likely going to work in your favour

 

I dont need a qual to do the HCSW role as you work up to it on job. This role enables me to experience the whole spectrum of care which will be useful for me later on when i have to decide which route i take if i want to go a lot further up the ladder.

 

Sarah you got there first Ive essentially got 3 choices once ive got some experience, therapist/.counsellor route, mental nursing, and the psychology graduate route.

 

I would definitely go for it, you sound like you know what you want, and the above choices would all be fantastic.

I do think the NHS are a superb employer, even though im no longer an employee they definitely look after their staff considerably well and with lots of perks. I think when our youngest is older i will go back down the route i wanted to before i stopped working ( midwifery )

Sarah

 

lGo for it - you may find out you don't like it - experience of a job is a great thing.

 

Go for it but I disagree with the NHS being a good employer...but as my mum said when I left the NHS, you'll always be working in somewhere where its warm and dry.

 

Got to be worth a go mate, Its all about experience. I was medically discharged over a year ago, I was told the same thing again and again at interviews.......no experience! It just takes one person to give you a go and everything will change.

At least you have your gratuity and pension til you get yourself sorted.

Best of luck

Leigh

 

you got a job yet RS_liegh???

Pensions good!! Gratuity is mostly in the house but i just about get by at the moment and im looking to take a lodger soon so i wont technically need to work as i will just about cover all the bills then.

Im lucky i worked on a mental health project before i left navy so got a bit of useful experience there!! (they thought a nutty person would be good for the mental health project - takes a nutter to know a nutter )

 

have worked for nhs for 11 yrs

they will f**k u if they can

 

Yes mate, got a job teaching for Flagship, then spent a year trying to get a 'proper' job. I am now the engineering manager at a private hospital - ex CPOWEA.

Leigh