PEOPLE in the Okehampton area are being encouraged to consider care work as a career at an event being held in the town next week.

The Health and Care Jobs Fair is being held in the Charter Hall on Wednesday afternoon.

It is being organised by Devon County Council and the NHS as part of the county council’s Proud to Care campaign, which aims to address a shortage of people coming forward to do care jobs.

There is a major shortage of care workers in Devon, mirroring the national situation.

‘We have a real issue here in terms of attracting people to work in care, like elsewhere in the country, and the event is aimed at trying to find solutions to that challenge,’ said organiser Angela Welch from the county council. ‘It feels like the right thing to do. Okehampton is a good community, it has a big heart, so this really draws on that.’

County council human resources strategy manager Sally-Ann Turner said both care jobs and volunteering opportunities would be promoted at the event.

She said Okehampton College students would be attending to find out more about a variety of opportunities, including a new role which is half way between a carer and a nurse.

’We are going to see a greater need for adult social care jobs in the future and we are very keen to support people to be independent and healthy at home, or in a care home if they need support,’ she said.

‘The kind of roles we will be promoting will include support workers in learning disabilities and mental health, and they’ll be community roles too, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social care assistants. Voluntary roles include befriending support.

‘We are really hoping that people will come along and have a piece of cake and some refreshments and see what is on offer.’

Care agencies and care homes in the Okehampton area will be attending the event, along with community organisations including the Okehampton and District Community Transport Group.

Ms Turner said that formal qualifications were not necessarily required for care work vacancies.

‘We are looking for people that are caring, compassionate and committed,’ she said. ‘People can come in and train up and work through an apprenticeship route or through other training to study for their care qualifications.’

Councillor Kevin Ball, who represents Okehampton on the county council, said: ‘We are doing this so people can come and have a conversation about what caring looks like and whether it might fit with their career aspirations.

‘There are probably people out there in the community who don’t know what they want to do. To them, I’d say why not come along and talk to people doing all sorts of different roles. You never know, there might be something you’d be interested in.’

The free event takes place in the Charter Hall on Wednesday, June 6 between 2pm and 5pm.