Eight job vacancies announced at Macclesfield care village
By Alex Greensmith
23rd May 2023 | Local News
A care village in Macclesfield are seeking to expand with new staff, and there keen to recruit more locals from our town.
Belong Macclesfield in Upton Priory, is located on Kennedy Avenue.
The social care employer have 140 staff, with 75 per cent of staff being from Macclesfield. And you could be next to join them!
They pride themselves on staff retention, with the number of team members who have worked there since they opened 16 years ago being in the double figures.
Macclesfield Nub News went to meet with three workers at different stages in their Belong careers to find out why they think they are a great employer.
Amber Houghton, who is from the Whirley area of Macclesfield, joined Belong when she was a teenager.
"I've been here for eight years where I went from a Support Worker to a Lead Senior Support worker role," said Amber.
"It was great to have that sort of progression.
"I worked in care before I came here, and I saw an advert online. I was attracted to work here as in the pictures the staff had no uniform, which meant everyone could be themselves.
"The benefits of not having a uniform makes the place feel more homely, which is good for both us and the residents."
Claire Knight, Village Nurse Manager, came as a nurse in August and has already been promoted, having impressed while on probation.
"Previous colleagues I worked with at another home told me to come here and said it was a really good placed to work," recalled Claire who lives in the Chester Road area of Macclesfield.
"I came here and immediately was impressed. I remember everyone being so friendly to me on my first day.
"It is incredible that a lot of the staff here have worked here for a long time. I like that there isn't a set routine in the work day, it is very flexible to the needs of your resident. "
"I've never worked like that in care before, previously things had been very regimented."
Bistro Catering Manager Debbie Wicks comes from Congleton to work at Belong Macclesfield, and has worked there since the site opened.
"I stay here for the friendly staff, and the relationship we have with the residents," she said.
"It is not like your traditional idea of a care home, it is up to date. The village-like atmosphere feels amazing.
"You can go into the hair salon and it doesn't feel like you're in a care home. And it is the same with the Bistro, which is open to the public.
"Because of COVID, I don't think the community and families of the residents realise that we are here. We offer affordable lunches, cooked on-site that you can buy, as well as the food we cook for the residents as well. My dad lives in town but comes here twice a week for breakfast, he loves it, it is such good value for money."
Belong offer a good rate of pay, with some roles being close to £12 p/h. They also have nearby sites in Crewe and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
"I love working here for the people", added Claire.
"I love spending time with the residents, no matter how different they all are. It is like having 72 adopted nanas and grandads to me.
"That's how it should be for me. As you'd expect your own family to be treated the same way, so I see them as if they are our grandparents."
Belong Macclesfield are a sponsor of Macclesfield Nub News, and help support Macclesfield's free online newspaper.
"The residents are all different characters, and seeing each of them is a special part of your day," added Amber who has even convinced a relative to join the Belong team.
"If your'e thinking about joining it, go for it. Every day is different, and it is rewarding to work here.
"When there's a big celebration like the Jubilee or the Coronation, it feels extra special."
The newly-announced jobs are a mixture of full-time, part-time and casual roles.
Caroline Ray, General Manager at Belong Macclesfield had this to say to any potential hire:
"What is often missing from the conversation about careers in social care is the tremendous sense of job satisfaction that people derive from knowing they are making a difference to people's lives, and that's true across the wide ranging roles in a care village, from working as a carer, a housekeeper or an assistant in the bistro.
"Just striking up a conversation can easily make someone's day, and there is a terrific sense of camaraderie that comes with working together with people with the same values to achieve shared goals.
"People are also well supported in their roles. Belong supplements competitive rates of pay with discounted use of the on-site facilities in the village hub and meals on shift, as well as an employee assistance programme, which offers counselling services and supports personal and professional development.
"For those who want more responsibility and progression, Belong provides excellent career development pathways.
"We have an ethos of 'growing our own', and it's not unusual to find managers who started out as support workers or administrators. The opportunities are immense."
Macclesfield: Click HERE to browse all the jobs and apply for them.
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Belong Macclesfield are a sponsor of Macclesfield Nub News, and help support Macclesfield's free online newspaper.
See Also: Belong Macclesfield celebrates their 15th anniversary
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