Matthew is a mentor from our Aberdeen and Shire North branch who joined Cornerstone in January 2021.

He originally joined as a support worker but has been working as a mentor since July 1^st 2021.

Before coming in to care Matthew worked for Royal Mail for almost ten years. He worked in a variety of roles, from delivery office manager to workplace coach. “I changed careers because I felt I had done everything I wanted to do in Royal Mail. I wanted to change to an industry that could both challenge and interest me. Non-profit, social care was the best fit for my personality and values."

Matthew has been enjoying his work as a mentor and making a difference to people's lives. He describes his favourite part of the job.

“As a mentor, I love being around the people. Both the staff and the people we support. I love talking to them, listening to them, advising them. Something as small as a ten-minute conversation can change their mood and brighten their day.”

"I make a difference by being good at my job, supporting the staff team well and allowing them to deliver the best service to the people we support.”

Currently Matthew supports six people from two different services. "I act as a day-to-day manager, responsible for supporting the staff, liaising with external parties and developing the framework that we use at a service level to deliver our brand of care in the community.

For Matthew the biggest misconception about working in care was the idea that you need to have previous experience. “The most important qualities you need for this job are honed outside the workplace – kindness, compassion, support.”

Matthew encourages anyone thinking about a career in care to apply, and offers some advice to anyone considering a career change. “Be open minded, find an area that interests you, don’t be afraid of change or challenge.”

Read more stories from mentors like Matthew.

And if you are interested in pursuing a career in social care you can find more information here.