“If you think it’s something you’ll enjoy and you’re ready for the challenges, go for it. It’s not always easy, but it’s so worth it.”
Jessica Carson, a 19-year-old Support Assistant from Ballymena, has known from a young age that caring for others was in her future. Having already practiced in health and social care for two years at Triangle Housing Association, it is clear she is on the right career path in care by supporting residents in the Ballymena-based supported living facility.
Early influences and education
Jessica’s passion for care work was rooted in her upbringing. At a young age, she was drawn to helping others and was surrounded by family members who shaped her understanding of care. “From when I was four or five, I was always the type to help others,” she recalls. Growing up with family members with complex needs meant that hospitals and caregiving environments were familiar to her and gave her an early awareness of the importance of care.
Although Jessica had been accepted into Ulster University to study nursing, she chose to defer. “I thought I’d take a break from education. I increased my hours at Triangle Housing Association and realised I really enjoyed the work,” she says. What started as a temporary decision soon became a long-term commitment.
Getting started in social care
After finishing school, Jessica chose to pursue a BTEC Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care rather than taking A-levels. “I wanted something more hands-on, and that course offered me the opportunity to explore both housing and social care in depth,” she explains. During her studies, she began looking for work in the health and social sector to gain practical experience, which led to a part time job at Triangle Housing Association.
Jessica learned about Triangle Housing Association and the great work the organisation does through a family friend, a social worker who mentioned that the organisation was hiring. “The opportunity was ideal for me as it allowed me to gain placement hours while working part-time. After I finished my course, I applied for the full-time job and that’s where it all started.”
Triangle Housing Association offers a variety of services, from supported living to social housing. Jessica works in one of its supported living facilities, a 13-bed unit for adults with learning and physical disabilities. “The residents range in age from 30 to 70 and have different levels of need,” she explains. “Some require support with personal care, some are non-verbal and some have neurological conditions, so I really do get the opportunity to care for people across many diverse areas of social care.”
The reality of first-time work
Transitioning from education into health and social care practice was a significant shift. Before her current role with Triangle Housing Association, Jessica had worked in a chip shop and a village store. “It was definitely a shock to the system, but I wouldn’t change it for anything,” she says. Starting out as a relief worker while still in college allowed her to ease into the role. “You can pick up shifts when it suits you, which really helped me balance work with learning.” Once she finished college, she formally applied for a full-time position and moved into a 37+ hour work week at just 17 years old.
Support from her team was key. “My colleagues really helped me settle in. Management was fantastic too; they got me through all my training and made the transition easier.”
Professionally, the experience has been invaluable. “There are things you can only learn by doing. I’ve gained skills here that I never would have in a classroom.” Transitioning from school hours to a full-time job was challenging, but Jessica adapted quickly and embraced the learning curve.
Meaningful connections
For Jessica, the most rewarding part of her role is the relationships she builds with service users. “The bonds and trust we share are everything,” she says. Without that connection, care becomes much more difficult. “Some service users won’t accept help unless they trust you. That bond is vital.”
One standout moment for Jessica was taking a service user into town by herself for the first time. “It was just one-on-one, and he came out of his shell completely. It was so rewarding to see how much he enjoyed it.”
She’s also learned Makaton, a language program that uses signs, symbols, and speech to help people with learning or communication difficulties, to communicate with a non-verbal resident. “I didn’t know anything about Makaton when I started, but I picked it up through daily interaction. Now, I understand her completely, it’s like second nature.”
Jessica is happy where she is in Triangle Housing Association but isn’t opposed to exploring other career progression avenues of social care, particularly working in children and young people’s services. Encouraging other young people to consider a career in social care Jessica concluded, “If you think it’s something you’ll enjoy and you’re ready for the challenges, go for it. It’s not always easy, but it’s so worth it. You learn so much more from the job than you ever could from a classroom.”
Feeling inspired? Working together to change people’s lives… Make a difference by embarking on your journey into social care. For more information on how you can start your journey check out our A career in social care page or read more social care stories here.
Or listen to Jessica talk more about her journey on her Care to Chat Podcast here.