[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Yay, can bring in some cash at last.

Now, before you all get too excited for me it's not a 'normal' job,as such, or even an IT job.

I am going to be doing some support work helping adults with intellectual difficulties become independant in the community i.e. they will be living in their own flats or shared houses and need someone around to help with shopping, budgeting, prompting for medication, housework and the like. All with a view that they can ultimatley take on all these skills themselves and live totally independantly.

I will be employed on a casual basis at first with most work being in the evenings from 4pm, helping through the eveings (to 10pm) including 'sleepovers' where I will stay in a staff flat or shared house being available purely for emergencies overnight.

Really quite looking forward to it, although the pay is not exactly fantastic. I've been saying for a while that I'd like to do something other than IT with my life. The issue has always been the huge pay drop, but as that is currently enforced might as well give this a bash.

Wish me luck.

[Joolzr]

Good luck! Sounds like a great time to try out a new career and see if it suits. Every cloud and all that.

b.w

Julie

[Tia Maria]

Congrats - spend the cash wisely - I suggest alcohol, gadgets and more alcohol!

Cheers

Tia

[mcacmartin]

Congratulations! Sounds like it'll be interesting if nothing else.

Have a celebratory beer!:cheers

[wiki]

Best of luck - one of my staff left to do the exact same thing last month and she's really loving it :) I hope you do too.

[LesleyS]

Good Luck, so pleased for you, doing things for other people gives us a sense of purpose, even if the financial reward isn't that great.
Well done for getting the job!

[Moorf]

Congrats BBB :clap a change is as good as a rest, and all that... OH also wants out of IT but has NO clue what to do...

:nice1
Moorf

[KerryS]

I'd love to leave IT too - it was never what I wanted to do, but now I'm scared about the drop in income and how I'd survive.
Good luck - your new role sounds really interesting, and much more fun than IT is right now.

[Jo Jo]

That's great news - congratulations. I did the exact same sort of job for 6 months when I was younger, and really, really enjoyed it. It was so rewarding, and I learned so much. Hopefully I managed to teach people something as well!

[Mickstim]

Wonderful news BBB - and I'm sure you will be bringing some pleasure laughter their way too. Good luck!

Bx

[peebles16]

Well done BBB :clap

:cheers
Karenx

[thezorbster]

Well done Sam - at least it will keep you off teh streets.

[mgbridges]

Congratulations BBB! Always a challenge changing direction/career but I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Good luck
Anneliese

[Jennispink]

Congrats BBB:cheers:clap

OH starts his new job tomorrow also in a field he wasn't originially looking in. I think an enforced break in finances is a very healthy thing in an upside down back to front sort of way.
I actually applied for this job for him without telling him so he was a bit surprised when called for interview and absolutley bowled over (but very pleased too) when the job was offered. More resonsibility than he's ever had the guts to apply for before and not too ad money either. Like you say BBB, any money better than no money:D

[NZ Hopeful]

Well done BBB, it sounds like it could be a real challenge! :clap

[Sam B]

Good luck BBB. J used to do this in the UK and he really enjoyed it. He is now doing an IT degree - so you are travelling in the opposite directions!

[Leccy-Lee]

Awesome Sam, sounds very rewarding my friend.
If it doesn't work out though, theres always DJ BBB still ;)

[jackie m]

Congrats & well done sure you will love it :D
Jackie

[JandM]

Really pleased for you. I see a lot of people who do this work (in the course of my work doing workshops for special needs people). They do wonders, and are much loved and appreciated in return.:nice1

[andrewp]

Awesome BBB. Good luck.

If it doesn't work out though, theres always DJ BBB still ;)

Surely we can still listen to BBB on Expat FM?

[SNK05]

Fantastic news BBB....I'm sure you'll love it!

Sue n Kev
xx

[lockstock]

Go for it Sam. Enjoy the change:raebanana

[benandclare]

Good on Ya BBB :clap:clap

[SharpBlade]

Yeah, well done. I am sure this new job will be very rewarding. Laura

[dusk]

congrats and good luck with it :)

[nickydwuk]

Good luck with the new venture. Should be quite rewarding (not financially though:yes)

[thewoodies]

Fantastic news :raebanana:raebanana:raebanana:raebanana

[victoria24]

good call triple B, you could use the opportunity to broaden peoples musical horizons also...

[Mrs Pony]

oh good luck indeed! Sounds very rewarding! Have fun!!

[migratory birds]

The pay is never fantastic when our work involves caring for others (teachers, parents, homeless, mentally ill, etc) but the sense that I have you, never having met you, is that you have a wonderful sense of humour and a gentle kindness that those who need to extra bit of assist will find ease and comfort in.

Thanks for doing the work you'll be doing. The world needs more extensions of goodness from one to another.

[tea drinker]

great news :nice1

[pinkpiggy]

I'm also sure Sam will love this kind of work and be good at it. He's always one for helping others when he can. For me personally, I already work where Sam is going to be working (in the office) but see with my own eyes, daily the love and respect support workers receive from the people they support through to coordinators and at the very top from our CEO.

Blimey that sounds a bit preachy. Oh well, here's to Sam, my DH. :cheers

[Andy-Dee]

I cant tell you how happy I am you have found something rewarding. It sounds like great experience and I'm sure you'll be FAB at it.

GOOD LUCK = GO SAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

[Hippywench]

:cheers

Good luck. I hope you enjoy it.

[veronica]

go for it its a job that our neighbours here do in Christchurch and while yes it can be rewarding it can also be stressfull, its all part of the University of life and a regular wage doesn't hurt either, take care

[Kim39]

Enjoy it Sam, as something like this can be very rewarding. Whilst your there though see if you can get one, or two into Xpert11 as my exisistence all depends on more numbers coming in ;)

Kim

[Steadybears]

:cheersCongrats BBB - better get in your cheese cake and coffee before you start!!

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

:cheersCongrats BBB - better get in your cheese cake and coffee before you start!!

Most of the work will (initially at least) be evenings and overnight, so cheesecake opportunities still exist.

Every cloud.......

[Pookeko]

Yay BBB! :)

(I did this same work before we left for England!)

[Hejwitch_uk]

Excellent - some good news at last. Have followed your posts for a while, and realise that this is a break you had coming to you. :yes I lecture in health & social care to people who want to do this for a living, and from reading your posts, would say that your sense of humour, intelligence and general 'way of being' will make you a brilliant asset to this line of work. Although the pay is never brilliant, I reckon you'll get loads of satisfaction from what you'll be doing. Enjoy!! :D:cheers:nice1

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Thanks everyone.

Had a half day's training yesterday. Not specifically for me as a new bod, just co-incidental it was happening as I start. Very informative and made me look forward to the challenge even more.

Meeting the first guy will be doing some 1 on 1 with this afternoon, then I have a few evenings to attend with existing staff at shared houses and flat complexes over the next week. A Week on Saturday I'm really throwing myself in the deep end and doing a whole 24 hour (9am to 9am) shift in a shared house with two clients. On my own!

I've always found this the best way to learn new skills - just roll my sleeves up and get stuck in. Not a big one for reading manuals.