FOUR members of Czajka Care Group have become ‘I Care Ambassadors’ to inspire and encourage more people into the industry.

John Carrington, Jean Robinson, Lynne Taylor and Janet Fryer are part of a national team of ambassadors, which was formed by the Skills For Care organisation to highlight the numerous jobs available in the industry.

The team visits schools, colleges and job centres across Yorkshire, running a range of careers activities, offering advice and holding one-to-one question and answer sessions.

They also give guided tours of Czajka’s five care homes, including Currergate in Steeton and Beanlands in Glusburn, so people can see what it is like to work in a care home for themselves.

John, who has also been made an ‘I Care Associate', said: “It’s the perfect way for people to find out what it is like to work in care. We talk honestly and enthusiastically about our every day jobs to people who might be thinking about getting into the industry, and also to others who have never even considered it.

“Often the people we talk to have never stepped foot inside a care home, and many have pre-conceived ideas about what it is like to work in one.

"We are able to provide people with first-hand accounts of what a job in our homes entails, and most importantly they can meet our highly-trained and staff, as well as our valued residents.

"We are also able to give people a real insight into what it takes to work in care and we have found that these sessions are incredibly rewarding, both personally and in terms of the number of people who then go onto express an interest in working for us.”

Czajka Care Group’s managing director, Konrad Czajka, said: “Czajka Care Group has been at the forefront of the local care industry for more than 20 years and much of our success is based on our ability to attract and train talented staff.

"We have a 350-strong team and I am delighted that John, Jean, Lynne and Janet are helping to encourage the next generation of people into our industry.”