A former RAF serviceman who switched jobs for a high-flying career in care is now in the running for one of the industry’s highest accolades.
Neil Jeremiah, from Trebanos in Swansea, served as a senior aircraftman in the Royal Airforce for nine years where he spray painted military aircraft for a period of 9 years before deciding an RAF career wasn’t for him.
After trying his hand as a double glazing salesman for two weeks, the 45-year-old applied for a job in care and has never looked back since.
The dad-of-two, who now works as Area Operations Manager for Tracscare in Swansea, delivering support to people with mental health needs and learning disabilities, has now been shortlisted for the excellence in Mental Health gong in the Wales Care Awards 2016.
The prestigious national awards, run by Care Forum Wales, acknowledge the hard work and exceptional performances of those in the care sector.
As a finalist, Neil will now attend a glittering awards ceremony at City Hall in Cardiff on Friday, October 21.
It’s an impressive achievement for the keen rugby/football supporter whose rapid rise through the ranks at Tracscare over the past 15 years now sees him responsible for 10 of the company’s specialist residential Community Mental Health Homes/support services with approximately 65 people living within these services
“I honestly can’t believe it,” said Neil, who has two children aged six and five.
“I enjoyed my time in the RAF, it gave me a lot of life experience, lots of good memories, but I certainly have no regrets about moving on into the career I’m in now.
“The Wales Care Awards is a great occasion and to be a part of it is very humbling, however I’m sure there are more deserving people out there than myself but I’m just so pleased that my hard work has been recognized and I will surely enjoy the occasion.
“I just discovered a passion for mental health and a passion for supporting and seeing the people we support develop and progress, and that really inspires me.”
Neil, who is team Manager for Welsh division one rugby side Trebanos, completed his initial RAF training at RAF Swinderby in Lincoln and was stationed at various RAF bases in Scotland and England as well as a 6 month tour of the Falklands Islands in 1992.
He left the RAF at the age of 27 and applied for a job as a care worker where he remained for 12 months before joining Tracscare 15 years ago as a support worker.
“I was in the RAF, single and living in military accommodation and I just felt I needed to get out and find my own way in life and get a mortgage, like the majority of people do etc., so I came back to Swansea,” said the former Cwmtawe Community School pupil.
“I didn’t know what to do. I applied for lots of jobs – one was as a double glazing salesman. I lasted two weeks with that one, sales was certainly not for me.
“Then I saw an advert for care work with another firm and I went there for 12 months. It was meant to be. It was tough going initially but I stuck it out. I knew then that this was the profession for me.
“I went to work with Tracscare as a support worker and found it very rewarding working so closely with the people we support on a day-to-day basis. I discovered a passion for mental health and that’s when I progressed.”
Neil, who won a Tracscare company award in February this year, took on his first management role in 2004 where he managed a home supporting eight people with mental health needs.
He was promoted to his current role six years ago and is now a mentor to over 100 members of staff, supporting the manager of the services to assist them to understand the responsibilities they have to the people they support and how to deal with difficult and challenging situations.
One of the highlights of his career so far is formulating and implementing a recovery star model support plan into all our mental Health Services within the organization– an ‘outcomes’ based measurement tool recognised by the Department of Health allowing the people we support full involvement with set their own meaningful goals and tracking their progress through their recovery journey.
“It’s all about progression, developing people and assisting them to move on to further independence out of residential care or assisting them to lead a fulfilled life as possible within residential care environment,” he said.
“We have lots of positive stories of people we have supported who’ve moved on out of our services onto have their own flat, we had a recent person who went on to get married and have children.
“ I believe that everyone working in this industry can make a difference and impact positively on people’s lives.”
Neil previously attended the Wales Care Awards as a guest many years ago and said he was surprised to be chosen as a finalist this year.
“I don’t think of myself as warranting the award, I’m just doing my job,” he said.
“I do feel I go the extra mile because I have a passion for mental health, our next project is arranging a Mental Health awareness day within Tracscare on October 16th, and the message for the day will be “Empowering Change Together” which will focus on reducing Mental Health stigma that still exists within residential settings”.
Neil was nominated for the award by Gemma Howells, Tracscare’s marketing manager.
She said: “Neil will always put the people he supports first, promoting equality and their rights before anything else. His passion and drive is clear to all. He wants everyone to understand the importance of supporting people with mental health needs on their personal and unique road to recovery.”
Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the Wales Care Awards had gone from strength to strength.
He said: “The event is now firmly established as one of the highlights in the Welsh social care calendar.
“The aim is to recognise the unstinting and often remarkable dedication of our unsung heroes and heroines across Wales.
“The care sector is full of wonderful people because it’s not just a job it’s a vocation – these are the people who really do have the X Factor.
“If you don’t recognise the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need the care in society.
“We need to do all we can to raise the profile of the care sector workforce – they deserve to be lauded and applauded.
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