Hannah at our Sparkles Disco
Hannah is a Support Manager at two of our Aberdeenshire services, having joined the organisation in Spring 2012.
Initially Hannah worked as relief support at three Aberdeen city services, learning the ropes by visiting people we support in their own homes. After a few months she was invited to apply for a Support Worker position, and was delighted to be welcomed to the friendly teams she had grown to know, on a permanent basis.
In her six years with Inspire Hannah has gained knowledge and qualifications in many different areas, which have helped her to progress her career and further her understanding of how best to provide support and guide those she manages.
"My favourite training courses were Introduction to Autism and Partners in Communication as they really gave a flavour of how people think and process information - this was very interesting and helped me understand the people we support better."
Hannah enjoyed her role as a Support Worker for a couple of years, and her passion didn’t go unnoticed. When an Assistant Support Manager position became available Hannah was identified as the ideal candidate. Hannah was hesitant at first, anticipating the challenges and responsibility of the job, but after an interview Hannah hit the ground running, and enjoyed the challenges her new role brought!
"I had a lot of support from my manager and others in the organisation have been very patient and welcoming. I had to do my SCQF Level 7 and my PDA (Professional Development Award in Supervision) for my managerial role really enjoyed it because I learned skills that support me in my job"
As a Support Manager, Hannah’s days are very varied so there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ day. Some are spent in the office, with others ‘on shift’ supporting the people we support. Hannah loves the variety of her role, as she’d be bored sitting at a desk all day.
Hannah has carved a career for herself, developing within Inspire.
“ I would definitely recommend a career in social care because it is a very important job. It’s vital. It’s real and tangible. It’s not an abstract job, although there are a lot of theoretical aspects to it, it’s hands on and engaging because you are dealing with real-life people in real-life situations. You can be proud that you are supporting people who are vulnerable and that is very rewarding.”