A YOUNG man from Ayrshire has found his dream job caring for those who need it in the area.

Jack Kennedy, 23, is one of two care co-ordinators who look after the teams in North Ayrshire for Cera Care caregivers.

The teams deliver care at home to a wide range of individuals who need additional support to live independently in their own homes, and Jack’s job is to manage the teams and ensure everyone delivers care where they need to.

Jack was into technology and worked for an electrical retailer, but when his friend said he was going to work for Cera Care as a care worker, it stuck in his mind.

He had studied sound production at college and played with various bands in Ayrshire, but when he saw the job as a care worker advertised last year he went for it, because he knew his friend enjoyed the job.

Jack, from Troon, said: “I used to pop into the office regularly in my job in care at home and indicated my interested in administration as well as front line care.

“When the job as a care co-ordinator came up in our team, I was encouraged by the branch manager Suzanne Wylie to apply for it and took up the promoted post in February this year.

“It’s quite different being office based – but it doesn’t stop there.

“When we are short staffed, as we have been a lot during Covid, I am out with the teams again providing care at home too.

“Because I worked on the front line before I was promoted, I know all the people we care for - our service users - so it makes it easier for me when planning shifts and rotas for the team. I understand which people like to be visited at certain times of the day.

“It makes it easier for me to provide the support I do as line manager to all the care workers.

“I manage a team of 30 care workers. As well as supporting them, it’s down to me to deal with any queries from the people we support.

“I have a brilliant team and they have been very supportive to each other during the challenges we have faced with staff absence during Covid, which is particularly difficult just now.

“We are the people at the end of the phone if a care worker has a query or is looking for additional support, or someone new still learning the ropes and we can support.”

The North and South Ayrshire care team is 45 strong looking after a wide range of individuals across the area.