Hear from our staff
There is a varied number of fulfilling, interesting and diverse roles in adult social care and you can see what is currently available on our job vacancies pages.
Don't just take our word for it, here's what some of our staff have to say about their work:
Principal Social Worker
"The Isle of Wight is a fantastic place to work; I have worked on the Island all of my professional career and am proud of the team here on the Isle of Wight. We work hard to ensure the right environment for staff to carry out their roles and believe that our practice and work models should be mirrored in terms of shared values, support, and strengths. Social work teams have manageable caseloads which allows for meaningful direct work with the people we serve. We have recently introduced Agile working which has enabled staff to be less focussed on returning to an office, providing them with the technology to work remotely across the Island and being more efficient with managing assessments and reviews whilst giving staff the flexibility and work life balance. We deliver a quality training package which is not only tailored to the individual’s needs but one which is aligned to our key strategy care close to home. Staff are engaged in best practice forums which enables them to come together regularly, the forum content is driven by staff and enables discussion and debate on best practice, new policy, themes and topics. The voice of the workforce matters and so do our values, staff are engaged and morale is good, we invest equally in our staff as we do the people we serve. Come and join our shared vision of excellence in an organisation who is passionate about ensuring person centred delivery, strength-based approaches, and outcomes which make a difference to the lives of the people we serve."
Registered Manager, Shared Lives
"How did I get here?” a question I often ask myself to look back to when I first joined the Isle of Wight Council’s Adult Services as a Home Carer. Fuelled by my passion to “make a difference” to the lives of individuals living on the island and the career opportunities provided by the Isle of Wight Council, I find myself some 23 years on still working for Adult Services and still as passionate in terms of what originally led me to apply to become a Home Carer. I am very proud of my professional accomplishments over the years, working for the Isle of Wight Council has certainly given me job satisfaction. My professional development continues to be paramount seeing me graduate with a BA Honours in Social Work in 2015 and completing my ASYE through 2016.From Carer to Commissioning Officer and currently Registered Manager of a brand new and exciting service “Shared Lives” I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed the career opportunities available to me as an employee of the Isle of Wight Council and continue to actively contribute to making a difference to those we serve. As a “caulkhead” I love living on the island and never envisage leaving. There is always something to enjoy, whether it’s Cowes Week, the Isle of Wight Festival, Walking the Wight or taking part (or in my case “breaking down”) in the Scooter Rally……..it’s all part of the fun!"
Adult Social Care Social Worker
"I am a newly-qualified social worker nearing the end of my assessed and supported year in employment with the Isle of Wight Council’s adult services. I became a social worker, foremost, to work with individuals who require support. As I progressed through my first year in practice, I was able to utilise my knowledge and skills to empower individuals to become an agent for change in their own lives. Working for the council on the Isle of Wight has allowed me to put my studies into practice enabling individuals to recognise the role they have in achieving their own outcomes. I received support with my ASYE year from the workforce development team. Support has been tailored to my needs as a practitioner to develop skills and enhance knowledge as required. They have enabled and encouraged me to continually use reflection as a tool to inform my practice and maintain my values, which I feel has allowed me to develop in the role I do. Regular peer supervision sessions provide a platform to discuss challenges with colleagues from both adults and children’s services – invaluable as a newly-qualified worker. In my working environment there is always someone around to provide support where it is required. The Isle of Wight is a unique place to live; we have an eclectic mix of workers and this is also true for those we serve. Working as a social worker here allows you to work towards improving wellbeing for those we work for, and provides the opportunity to enhance your own personal wellbeing. Sandy beaches provide some time for reflection; there is a wealth of history to explore, which ranges from the keep at the castle, to the field of dreams at the Isle of Wight festival. I came to the Isle of Wight at a young age and I’ve not yet found a reason to leave."
ASYE Social Care Practitioner
"I joined the Isle of Wight Council as a social work student in my final year of study at Portsmouth University. From the outset of this role I felt very welcomed and extremely well supported by not only my line management but the team around me. Following on from my 6 month placement and the completion of my degree, I was eager to cement a role within Adult Services. I knew this was the best possible environment for me to be in, not only to thrive in my personal development, but to continue to work in such a positive atmosphere. When starting my role 6 months ago as a newly qualified social worker, I was enrolled on the ASYE programme. This has been recently transformed by the Workforce Development Team. These transformations have made the ASYE programme better tailored to the individual strengths and the opportunities that will suit my development. I am halfway through and feel that I have been given a plethora of chances to undertake training, shadowing and other developmental opportunities that are vital as a newly qualified worker. I have been able to direct my learning and create a plan of how to become a competent and confident practitioner. My supervision is consistently regular and is based on reflective practice; this allows me to continually develop my skills and look at progress made. My supervisor is very knowledgeable and this further supports my practice and my team are always more than happy to offer advice or support anytime. Alongside regular supervision, I have monthly peer supervision which allows an opportunity to share best practice and bring a myriad of situations to unpick within case discussion. During these sessions there is a real feeling of safe and supportive environment to feedback my thoughts, which is invaluable. Island life is an additional perk to being an employee of the Isle of Wight Council. Sandy beaches, rolling hills and endless picture taking opportunities make the island a great choice for everyone. This can be continually enjoyed on a daily basis as visiting individuals in any corner of the island always consists of a beautiful journey. The island is bursting with things to do and with cafe and cake shops in every village; you are never short of places to try. I am only new to the Isle of Wight Council but I am excited for what the future holds. There are always opportunities for career progression, training and support to make you aspirations achievable. I am the kind of person who always wants to be looking to the future and I feel that the council will provide me with many options and directions to consider when I am ready."
Community Outreach Reablement Support Worker
"The Isle of Wight Council is a beautiful place to live and work. It has something to offer everyone; from award winning beaches to National Trust protected countryside and an abundance of cafes and restaurants to eat out. As part of the Community Outreach team I am lucky enough to travel all over the Island visiting residents who use our service. I became a Support Worker with the Isle of Wight Council’s Community Outreach team in 2017. My knowledge and experience from previous healthcare roles on the Island proved helpful but not essential as training was provided to carry out the necessary tasks involved needed in reablement care. The Outreach Reablement role is very rewarding, being part of peoples’ lives to assist and enable individuals gain independence, with support from leaders, reablement coordinators and management. We all work as a team to ensure the best outcomes for Islanders using our service. There is also a very good support network amongst colleagues. The workload is manageable and being on a continuous rolling shift pattern enables me to make plans in my time off, making a good work/life balance."
Community Services Reablement Leader
"I have been working in The Reablement Team since May 2016, I started as a Response coordinator and recently became a Reablement Leader and have felt supported with this transition within the Isle of Wight Council and the Reablement Service. I have worked in the care industry for the past 6 years and love doing my bit to helping others, especially the elderly. Helping those that leave hospital, once medically fit, and helping them succeed in returning to independence is an absolute joy to be a small cog in the chain to see that as a whole. Something that I can embrace and feel that I’m doing something worthwhile with my job it’s so rewarding in so many ways. The Isle of Wight Council are supporting me with my Diploma in Level 3 to further my skill set and this is contributing to put my knowledge into practice in my day to day role and assisting those to help themselves as much as they can but to feel supported at home. In my working environment support is on hand at all times and this generates my enthusiasm to continue to work efficiently and to work in an agile environment. I have been living on the Isle of Wight for approximately 11 years and still everyday find a new area to explore from sandy beaches, to stone throwing into the sea and the darkest of forest colours to explore. There is no better place to live."
Community Reablement Leader
"I have been working professionally with the Isle of Wight Council for almost 3 years and currently hold a position as Reablement Leader. My role involves caring and assessing individuals within the community to ensure their needs are effectively met, meet CQC guidelines and ensure a person-centred approach is practiced. I have worked within private care for 10 years, When coming to the council I was extremely anxious starting a new role. I was supported and assisted to meet new challenges and was given the opportunity to complete my NVQ Level 5 in management and leadership in which has been a personal lifelong goal. I was supported and encouraged to better myself and progress to a higher level. The Isle of Wight is a beautiful place to live. I have lived here all my life and would not wish to live anywhere else. The council provide amazing opportunities and support you fully to achieve your goals."