Throughout our work with providers and essential care and support workers, the call for others to spend “a day in the life” of an essential care and support worker has been strong. The idea being that if people had a real-life understanding of the work, the following might be possible:
- The people of Maine would support increased funding to pay these skilled workers a living wage;
- People looking for a career with a purpose – beyond a job – would be inspired to become an essential care and support worker; and
- Job-seekers applying to essential care and support positions have a better understanding of the work – the physicality, the intimacy, and the joys – and would be able to decide very early in the process whether this work was a good match for them.
We are proud to be supportive of The Direct Care and Support Professionals Advisory Council, the Maine Departments of Labor (MDOL) and Health and Human Services (MDHHS)’s Careers with a Purpose, and Broadreach Public Relations in their creation of three excellent “day-in-the-life” videos:
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Personal Support Specialist (PSS)
- Direct Support Professional (DSP)
Beyond these first three videos, there are plans for four (4) more profiling positions in the Behavioral Health field. Stay tuned for more news on this front!
We are hopeful that these videos will be one more tool we can all use to help prepare the future workforce to be both excited and realistic about the nature of this work.