Jobs

Mark Owens, Jarman Centre, Hemel Hempstead

Mark Owens gets on well with people, a talent that stands him in good stead for his job at Hemel Hempstead’s Jarman Centre for people with learning disabilities.

Besides working as part of a unit team to help and encourage individuals to improve their abilities through group work, crafts, games and other activities, 23-year-old Mark runs a weekly dance group open to all clients.

“It’s the best,” he said. “I love getting on the floor and dancing and the clients enjoy it even more.”

Mark, who moved south from Liverpool a couple of years ago, has been in the care business for the past four years, and he reckons it’s a career with great prospects. “There’s lots of scope, loads of training and chances to move up.”

He says: “ We do lots of different stuff with the clients, taking them out as well as doing things at the centre. Of course you get sessions where things don’t go well but when they do you get a real buzz.”

Looking after elderly relatives and belonging to the St John Ambulance Service started Mark thinking about caring for a living. He thought about nursing but, when a college course didn’t work out, he tried his hand at bar work and in a residential care home for older people.

He also worked in a specialist unit for older people with mental illness and challenging behaviour before becoming a day services support worker at Jarman 15 months ago.

Some of the people he helps care for can manage most things for themselves, with prompting and encouragement. Others are unable to communicate and can do very little independently, so the support they need reflects this.

While he admits it’s not easy work - “We’ve got a real mix of needs and that can be really demanding” – Mark has decided that it’s the right job for him and is planning to take an NVQ course to get better qualified.

“Lots of people say they couldn’t work with people who have learning disabilities but how do they know? Sometimes you do have to put up with a lot of stick, but that happens with lots of jobs. I’d say if you think you might be able to do it, get stuck in and give it a go.”