A PAISLEY woman who worked in retail for 25 years has swapped careers to support care-experienced young people.

Julie Ann McKinley from Dykebar left her retail job for a role with Kibble, a charity providing care services for young people across Scotland.

She is now urging others to consider a similar career change.

Julie Ann is supporting Kibble in its ambitious recruitment drive, which is aiming to bring 20 new recruits on board.

The annual recruitment drive, known as the Career Start programme, seeks to attract passionate individuals into the organisation as Child and Youth Care Worker (CYCW) trainees.

The programme is open to all, irrespective of career history and qualifications, for those who are passionate about providing positive pathways and care for young people.

Successful completion of the 12-month training will guarantee an interview for a role with a salary of more than £30,000 per year, along with further career development opportunities.

Julie Ann said: "A career change was always something I thought happened to other people.

"I never believed that I would be able to break out of the career path that I’d been in for such a long time.

"But when I saw that Kibble were offering on-the-job training and a Scottish Living Wage from the outset, I took the plunge and – thankfully – I've never looked back.

"I really feel like I’ve found my calling with the Child and Youth Care Worker role.

"I have always wanted to work with children and young people.

"Although some of the children have their own unique set of challenges – it makes the rewards of the job so much more fulfilling.

"I would encourage anyone who is feeling they need more of a purpose than their current role is giving them to consider a career in care.

"It’s the best move I could have made, and I have full confidence that anyone coming into the organisation will get as much job satisfaction and enjoyment out of their role as I do."

Candidates who join and complete the course will achieve an HNC in Social Services, with the chance to go on to become a CYCW at Kibble.

Last year, 20 trainees qualified and secured a full-time CYCW role with Kibble.

The charity also welcomed 21 new trainees who started working with the charity in 2024, all of whom are on track to qualify within the next eight months.

Kibble's recruitment strategy is based on values and ethics, making a career at the organisation accessible to any candidate with a positive and compassionate attitude towards young people with trauma-experienced backgrounds.

The charity provides full training and mentoring.

Mark Macmillan, director of corporate services at Kibble, said: "Our Career Start training programme provides an accessible pathway for a rewarding career with full support.

"Becoming a Child and Youth Care Worker is a career, and our candidates all echo our values that it is a privilege to be a trusted and consistent influence in a young person’s life.

"With the right role models in place, the trajectory of a young person’s life can truly change."

Applications for the Career Start programme close on November 1, 2024.