Meet Martin, Care Worker

It doesn’t matter what your age, gender or background is; a career in Extra Care is for anyone who wants to make a positive impact on other people’s lives. We welcome everyone to apply for our Care Worker roles, all we ask is that they have a passion for making a difference – a key quality that everyone here at Housing 21 has, especially Martin, a Care Worker at Bowland View in Bentham.  

Martin worked in care for 15 years, providing support to residents in nursing homes and young people with mental health conditions before joining Housing 21 at the start of 2023. But his journey into care started much earlier than this when he cared for both his parents as a young adult until they sadly passed.  

“If it wasn’t for those experiences, I don’t think I would have even thought about a career in care,” said Martin.  

“Being a Care Worker is all about giving back for me. A lot of our residents either don’t have any family or they don’t live locally so I’m the familiar face they see day-to-day. If I can make one of our residents smile each day, then I know that I’ve done a good job.”  

As a male Care Worker, it hasn’t always been easy for Martin 

“Throughout my career, there have been times when people have been hesitant accepting help from me, but I always look at it from their point of view,” he said. 

“I don’t know what’s happened in their past, they could have had any number of negative experiences that understandably make them nervous about receiving care from a stranger. 

“It’s all about building up trust and confidence. I’ve worked hard to do that with our residents, and I have a great rapport with them.  At the end of the day, they are inviting me into their homes, so I treat them with the same care and compassion as my own family.” 

Martin encourages anyone regardless of their gender to consider a career in care: “You don’t know unless you try, and if you don’t like it and it’s not for you then that’s okay. But you might be surprised and enjoy it.  

“The great thing about working in Extra Care is that while you are providing care, you are also encouraging and helping residents to live life to the fullest.” 

While Martin loves supporting residents, he can’t forget the role his colleagues play in his job satisfaction. 

“The management team at Bowland View are supportive and understanding,” he said. 

“They are always there to listen and look after you, which is great.”

Find out more about working in Extra Care and the benefits we offer our Care Workers.