By Avallon McCormack, Registered Manager at Haviland House

At Guild Care, we offer a comprehensive training programme to all employees, both in our community services and in our care homes; Caer Gwent, Linfield House and Haviland House. This ensures that everyone who uses our services receives consistently excellent standards of care.

In this article, we explore the training provided at Haviland House and hear from Jules, Training Coordinator at Guild Care, and Stefanie, Practice Development Facilitator at Haviland House, about how this benefits residents and colleagues alike.

Stefanie inducting a new staff member

Strong foundations

Everyone who joins Guild Care brings different levels of expertise, but whether they are new to the care sector or have decades of experience, every recruit begins with a thorough induction, as Jules explains: “We offer a blended approach to training, with a combination of e-learning, in-person workshops, online quizzes and shadowing. This means that everyone understands Guild Care’s values and our person-centred approach to care from day one. Whether they are in admin or delivery roles, every employee goes through our induction programme and receives a training plan tailored to their individual role and career goals."

Stefanie adds: “Everyone is encouraged to learn new skills and pursue their ambitions at Guild Care. Many people have worked here for several years, and there are lots of examples of people who started out as care assistants and became managers and senior leaders.”

Dementia specialists

Every Guild Care employee also receives dementia training, but there is an additional programme for those working at Haviland House and Linfield House, our care homes which provide a dedicated home for people living with dementia.

Jules says: “One of the most powerful parts of our bespoke dementia training is the immersive workshop. The session places our colleagues in the shoes of a resident living with dementia and echoes how this impacts their senses, emotions and physical experience. It gives them first-hand experience, helping to improve their understanding and the level of care they can provide.”

Stefanie also benefitted from the experience: “The dementia training gave me a greater level of empathy for what it’s like to live with dementia and how this impacts your daily life”, she says. “From tasks as small as getting dressed in a morning, to the way it affects your vision, hearing and personality, the training gave me a deeper understanding of how we can care for residents in the best way.”

Always learning

“Every employee is on a learning journey, and this doesn’t stop with mandatory training”, Stefanie adds. “I’m currently studying for an apprenticeship alongside my day job, which not only expands my knowledge but also helps me to support my team who are going through their own qualifications. I’m also designing a new initiative around nutrition and assisting residents at mealtimes. That’s one of my favourite things about working here - we’re always encouraged to learn and try new things.”

Jules agrees: “Working here is incredibly rewarding, especially when I see people progressing in their careers and pursuing new interests and passions. This boosts job satisfaction and leads to strong employee retention rates, which ultimately benefits our residents, as they’re cared for by a longstanding team of people who love what they do.”

Jules begins training new team member Lissy at Haviland House

To find out more about life at Haviland House or any of our Guild Care homes, please call our Customer Relationship Team on 01903 327327 or email [email protected]. If you’d like to enquire about working at Guild Care, please contact our recruitment team on [email protected] or visit www.guildcare.org