Harry

Sociable Harry thought he had found his dream job in hairdressing, but it wasn’t the hair cuts that had him sold. Harry loved meeting new people every day and getting the opportunity to have a good natter with his clients. When the outbreak of Covid-19 stopped his new career in its tracks, he wasn’t sure quite where to turn next.

Luckily, a friend pointed him in the direction of ECL and he was immediately taken with the idea of being able to provide vital, practical support to people in his community. He applied for a Community Care Assistant position and was invited for an interview. Harry says, “the interview process was really straightforward, and I was so proud when I was offered the job on the spot. It gave me a real confidence boost and I went into work feeling like the company had faith in me from the outset.”

His first weeks certainly didn’t disappoint. “My early impressions of ECL and the job itself completely exceeded my expectations,” he says. “Everyone was so warm and welcoming and instantly made me feel part of the team. The training I received was thorough and engaging, and I found shadowing experienced staff incredibly helpful. It gave me great insights into the realities of the job and plenty of chances to ask questions while I was learning the ropes.”

Harry has been relieved to find that the support doesn’t end at induction training. From fellow Community Care Assistants, to planners, Trusted Assessors and management, there’s a culture of celebrating everybody’s successes. He says, “you can feel how much everyone cares about each other here. Staff are always encouraged to pursue opportunities for progression and to keep learning.”

While Harry may have said goodbye to the salon, his new role allows him to keep doing the things he loves – meeting new people and delivering a gold-standard service which makes their lives better. He says, “the best thing about working for ECL is helping customers to get stronger and healthier, and the enormous sense of pride and accomplishment that comes along with that. I’ve never been happier at work than I am here at ECL. It’s so rewarding to be doing a job where you can make a tangible difference to people’s lives.”