Marta is a support worker from our West Dunbartonshire branch.  

Before working in care, Marta had previously worked as a Spanish teacher, a tutor and a waitress. Although she had always wanted to work in the social care sector, she was worried that working with people with disabilities would be too challenging. However, Marta has found her job immensely rewarding. 

“My favourite part of the job is seeing the people we support happy, they really make my day.”

Working as a support worker, Marta’s schedule varies from day to day, depending on the needs of the people she supports. One of the people she supports is Mark, and Marta explained a little about what they might get up to in a day. “I usually pick him up, we take the bus, maybe go to Clydebank. Mark loves karaoke so I take him there. I bring him to drama classes, or go for a walk. Whatever makes him happy.” 

There are some misconceptions about working in social care, and Marta gave us an insight into what it is really like to be a support worker and the positive impact they have on the people they support. “People don’t value the work that we do enough. They think it’s all easy or that we are only here to make sure they are fed, but we do much more.

"We help the people we support complete their goals, their objectives, to help them become more independent and to make them feel they are part of the community. To make them more comfortable."

Marta also had some encouraging words for anyone considering a career in social care. “It’s a great opportunity to discover yourself. It’s an incredible experience, you are going to really enjoy it. Social care is a great opportunity where you will be able to support individuals achieve their goals and become more involved in their local community. You will also learn so much about yourself.” 

Read more stories from support workers like Marta.

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