Caring Approach to Training

Bennetts Castle Care Home, of Dagenham, has received praise at the Learning at Work Day event for its progressive training policies. The event was run by the Campaign for Learning and was attended by members of the business community and Phil Hope, Minister for Adult Skills.

The care home, run by Castle Care (UK Ltd) has been supporting its staff in their endeavours to improve literacy and numeracy through learndirect courses.

Manager Eddie Kasprowicz and senior care assistant explained,

“Being a care assistant is not an easy job – the most important thing is finding someone with the care skills and compassion the role requires. Learndirect is helping us support the right people in gaining the literacy skills they need to complete the paperwork that goes with it.”

Caring and Investment

Bennetts Castle cares for 60 residents and employs nearly an equal amount of staff, who are legally required to hold relevant NVQ qualifications. The care home is also currently working for an Investors in People award.

Eddie continued: “I was first approached by our local learndirect centre UK eLearning just a few months ago. Learndirect seemed the perfect solution for us because people could fit it in around their shifts and identify and work on specific areas of weakness.”

Learndirect, operated by the government-backed Ufi, provide training and education for adult learners and have over two thousand centres across the UK, of which UK eLearning is one.

Pablo Lloyd, Ufi Deputy Chief Executive, added:

“Mo and Eddie stole the show at the Learning at Work Day event with their enthusiasm and commitment to learning. It was a great pleasure to speak to them both, and to hear first hand how people are making the most of learndirect, and fulfilling their own potential. It also highlighted the importance of literacy and numeracy skills for people in all kinds of jobs. Working to get UK plc qualified to Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE level) in these areas is a key priority for the Government, and we can contribute by offering flexible and accessible courses and qualifications.”