Charity champions health sector jobs with recruitment day

Award-winning charity Everton in the Community is set to host a special event to showcase roles in Health and Social Care across the region, to help boost local people’s job opportunities.

The event is part of the charity’s SCORE (Supporting Careers Opportunities, Recruitment and Employment) programme, which celebrates its first anniversary this month, and takes place on Saturday 14 January at the People’s Hub on Spellow Lane from 11am until 3pm.

SCORE works with individuals aged 16-30 from across the Liverpool City Region who are looking to start or even change their career, by providing training, employment support and recruitment into jobs and apprenticeships in the Health and Social Care sector.

The recruitment day comes as recent data from Skills for Care shows 165,000 vacancies in Health and Social Care went unfilled in 2021/2022, up 52% from the previous year. Figures from the Youth Campaign report also show Health and Social Care generates the largest number of jobs of any UK industry sector and is set to see the fastest growth over the next five years.

Among those who have already secured a job as part of SCORE is 31-year-old Melissa King, who had previously applied for numerous jobs within the sector but was unsuccessful. Frustrated, she turned to the SCORE programme when she was 30 for help.

Melissa said: “I studied healthcare at college and had been trying to get my foot in the door with the NHS for some time, but the application process was extremely daunting, and it felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere.

“Then, I found out about the SCORE programme and immediately signed up; they had a lot of resources available for me including application and interview help and I was able to find out where I was going wrong in the process. My personal coach also helped me strengthen my application and work on my interview skills.

“Most importantly, the team was patient and kind during what can be a really stressful time, helping me through each step of the process – and it paid off as I got the job I wanted!”

As part of this weekend’s event, attendees will be able to register for the SCORE programme, as well as having the opportunity to apply for active vacancies on the day and gain advice from industry experts.

Once enrolled on the programme, a careers advisor will be appointed, who will offer personalised guidance and support through in-person and online sessions. The sessions include job searching, CV checking, registering with the NHS job service TRAC, help with application forms and mock interviews.

Healthcare organisations taking part on the day include Mersey Care, North West Ambulance Service, Transition Care, Health Education England, Liverpool University Hospital, Methodist Home Association and Park Haven. The SCORE programme has had recruitment success with nearly all of these partners.

Maxine​ Roberts, programme lead of SCORE and Everton in the Community’s employment and enterprise manager, said:

“Since the launch of SCORE, we’ve seen huge success in the number of people securing roles within the Health and Social Care sector, so we’re thrilled to be embarking on a second year and hosting this event to showcase a diverse range of positions.

“A career in this sector can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling, but it can be challenging to know where to start. We want to highlight the range of roles on offer as there are plenty of vacancies in the Health and Social sector to fill, not only care-giving roles, but also admin and IT – there’s truly something available for everyone who attends on the day.

“As a charity, we’re passionate about futureproofing care for the community, a significant industry which we all need and use throughout our life. Programmes like SCORE will help fill those vacancies with people who will go onto fulfil promising careers and become a part of a talented and dedicated workforce.”

Since launching, 24 participants have moved into employment – of which, 13 into the Health and Social Care sector with roles ranging from Administration, Person Centred Care roles, Support service roles for H&SC such as Catering and Health Care Assistant roles within the NHS at the New Royal Hospital Liverpool.

Registration for the event isn’t essential – the charity encourages people to turn up on the day any time between 11am and 3pm.

For more information about the work of Everton in the Community visit: www.evertoninthecommunity.org