Encore Care Homes continues to invest in its team

Encore Care Homes invests significantly in the personal development of its staff and presents them with regular training opportunities throughout the year. The ‘Be an Effective Leader’ programme was launched to provide staff with the skills and tools required to manage a team successfully.

The ‘Be an Effective Leader’ course is carried out over a six-month period and consists of five one-day workshops and five half-day workshops. These workshops cover a range of topics including managing teams through communication, time management and how to resolve under performance. In-between training, each team member is asked to demonstrate what they have learnt so far in the daily working environment.

At the end of the programme, all participants create a presentation to share with the rest of the team, which details what they have learnt and how they have developed through the training. One team member, Jude Soffe, even rapped her presentation! Jude Soffe (care practioner), Tina Hughes (senior healthcare assistant) and Victoria Ross Leonard (care practioner) from Hamble Heights; Katie Chowdhiry (care practioner) from Fairmile Grange; and Zoe Ellemont (senior healthcare assistant) and Michelle Ayres (senior healthcare assistant who was unfortunately unable to attend the presentation) from Great Oaks, are the latest cohort to complete the training at Great Oaks. 21 members of the Encore team have now completed the Be an Effective Leader Training.

Luke Wiltshire, training manager for Encore, said: “It has been a pleasure facilitating the group’s learning and seeing people grow session-by-session. Our workshops cover a range of topics but heavily focus on learners exploring their leadership style and recognising how to adapt to different situations. Leadership is not a simple concept that can be taught in one training session. Our in-depth programme means that learners have a chance to implement what they have learnt in the classroom, into their role in our care homes, and then come back and evaluate their learning in a group setting.

“At Encore, we are passionate about learning and development and we hope by offering regular training opportunities such as this initiative, we will build a well led and inspired workforce for the future.”

Great Oaks is the latest addition of an established family of care homes managed by Encore Care Homes, with two other care homes in Dorset and Hampshire. The 80-bed care home is fitted with state-of-the-art facilities, which are designed to enable staff to provide the highest standard of 24 hour, personalised care and ensure residents are comfortable and happy in their surroundings. Please visit www.greatoaksbournemouth.co.uk for more information or call 01202 087444.