THE new managing director of UK company Corinium Care is heading into South Africa on a fact-finding mission.
Clare Janik has just taken the helm of the agency which provides 24-hour live-in care to elderly and disabled people in the UK. Many of its registered carers come from South Africa.
She and her staff will be hosting seminars in Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Knysna and Cape Town between May 30 and June 15.
“Corinium Care has had a close relationship with South Africa since its formation in 1995 and it’s important that I maintain those links,” said Clare, who has never travelled to the African continent before.
“It’s an opportunity to meet and thank some of the carers who have been with Corinium Care for many years. They are fantastic ambassadors for the caring profession.”
The award-winning company is one of the leading care agencies in Britain. It has 17 staff and more than 800 registered carers providing 24-hour care for people in their own homes. Its South Africa recruitment office is in the Eastern Cape.
The aim of the seminars is to explain to potential carers what the role involves.
Past and current carers with Corinium Care will be on hand to answer questions. Most are women aged 45-60, whose children have left home and who want to travel or visit relatives in Britain. An increasing number of younger women are also looking at care work as a career option.
“The people who join us from South Africa are hard-working, kind and compassionate. For many it’s a new career, and a new start in life with a reliable source of income,” said Clare.
Alongside Clare at the seminars will be the company’s agent in South Africa, Lindy Wareing, who began her career with Corinium Care as a carer in the UK.
“I know how it feels to travel half way across the world and face a whole new experience so I can tell potential carers what the job is like,” said Lindy.
On June 6, carer Claudine Murray will be on hand in Port Elizabeth to talk about her experiences. She switched to the caring profession from gardening in 2008 and has worked for Corinium Care ever since.
Corinium’s carers from South Africa usually spend three to six months in the UK. All registered carers take part in Corinium Care’s free, award-winning, five-day training programme in the UK which includes personal care, dementia care, recognising signs of abuse, and moving and handling.
“We’ve seen a huge expansion in the care business in the UK because of the growth in the elderly population, and an increasing awareness that live-in care allows people a choice as to where they would like to be cared for,” said Clare.
All who attend the seminars must have eligibility to work in the UK. The seminar dates are: Johannesburg (May 30), Durban (June 1), Port Elizabeth (June 6), Knysna (June 8) and Cape Town (June 15).
For more information, contact Lindy Wareing on 046 675 1994 or email mail@coriniumcare.co.za
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