What is a good 'social' job?

[user1492958275]

I'm looking for a new job, I'm not qualified in anything really.

I'm currently a care assistant have been for years now and I LOVE my job, but it's so anti family, it's long hours, lots of driving and currently I'm pretty much working to pay for my car/petrol/wear and tear/repairs and insurance.

I want to hand in my notice and do something else, try something different and just know where I'm gonna be day to day.

Care can be an extremely lonely job and whilst I've made many friends through the years from this job I would really like a job where I can see/speak to people daily in general chit chat, if only on breaks etc.

Sometimes I can go whole days not really having a real conversation with anyone bar my OH or parents, face to face.

I'm not keen on working in a supermarket but not against it. It doesn't seem to social either.

Not sure what other options I have really. I've only an NVQ 2 in health and social care.

Just wondering where other people may look in these conditions? Generally hours aren't a massive deal but don't want to work late evenings anymore. Really anything between 9-7 would work well for me, with regular colleagues / customers.

[Temporaryanonymity]

Every thought about becoming an Activities Coordinator in a Nursing Home?

[Brown76]

What about a personal assistant (PA) to a worker with disabilities. I know someone who is a wheelchair user who works in an office and who has a PA to assist her with her professional life, accompany her to meetings etc. Very interesting and meeting all sorts of people.

If you have telephone and office skills (or could get some work experience of them) what about trying to work on reception. Maybe you know someone who works in an office setting or care home who could give you some experience. I did this job in several companies and it was much more based on experience which I got through temping and friends than on qualifications. I really enjoyed it because I had regular colleagues but also saw different visitors every day and was able to help everyone's work day go smoothly.

[backaftera2yearbreak]

I'm a welfare rights advisor. Help with benefit applications and challenge decisions for a LA. Started as a volunteer at CAB and went from there. Very rewarding but frustrating at the same time. Impossible to have 2 same days.

[Ttbb]

Have you considered retraining? Maybe a nurse or a health visitor?

[Brown76]

Or what about...
Pharmacy assistant
Health care assistant
Phlebotomist

[GRW]

What about working in a day care centre for adults with learning disabilities, or the elderly? Or you could consider working as a learning support assistant at a special needs school. Your NVQ qualification and experience would stand you in good stead.

[Lozmatoz]

Try your local CRC or NPS, basically probation.

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

You sound as though you're really good at carecwork so have you thought about moving to a care home or extra care scheme? You'd be with other care workers and, although it's shift work, the caee workers tend to either be nights or days not both. And lots of care homes run a long-shift pattern where you work 07.00am - 8pm 3 days per week so although it's long and not family friendly on those days, you get a full time wage and have more days off although obviously you work ft hours in the three days. It might be worth asking around

[zippydoodaar]

I would say hca or activities person in a care home. Or how about a manager in a sheltered housing development for older people?

[user1492958275]

Ahh, thank you everyone for such great responses!

I should mention I did do a stint (5 months) in a care home and I don't know if it was just bad luck or what but I found it absolutely horrendous. I didn't agree or appreciate it in anyway.

Everything was ran down to a timer, breakfast lunch and tea all within an hour, if you didn't eat at set meal times then you didn't eat. A nightmare with Dementia patients.

Bed bound people were forced to sit in wheelchairs and not changed between meals due to 'lack of time' lazy staff, 10 staff to 50 patients (so doable when 30 odd residents were fully functional, just elderly) it truly put me off for life. I have no desire to go back to these conditions, I just came home upset/angry every night.

What type of training do you need as a Pharmacy assistant?
I wouldn't even know the first steps to becoming a nurse or a welfare rights adviser.

I do find genuine happiness in helping other people, this IS what I want to do with my life, but change is great, all I want is to do what I love with set hours/rotas and each day know I did something that counts.

[butterfly990]

Receptionist, facilities management assistant

[zippydoodaar]

What about something in the NHS?

www.jobs.nhs.uk/

[Polarbearflavour]

Look on NHS jobs. How about an occupational therapy assistant, physiotherapy assistant, radiography assistant etc? You would probably start on pay band 2 or 3 and in time they may well sponsor you to do a foundation degree and become an assistant practitioner on a band 4 salary?