ONE of the north's biggest charity is offering up to 100 paid posts in social care roles to workers who've been laid off in sectors like retail and hospitality as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Praxis, which provides care for adults and children affected by mental ill health, learning disability and dementia, needs to take on the posts - including 60 in Northern Ireland - in a bid to bolster its own workforce and maintain essential services.
It believes many people who have been working in other sectors have experience and skills which are easily transferrable to social care work.
And the charity, which employs 1,500 people in Ireland, Isle of Man and England, is also interested in offering work to students whose courses have perhaps been suspended until the autumn.
Its chief executive Andy Mayhew said: “Many people who work in other sectors, such as hospitality and retail are used to interacting directly with people and are comfortable with flexible work patterns.
“Nobody can fail to have been moved by the sudden loss of jobs in the bar, restaurant and hotels sector, and we see an opportunity to at least help some of them re-enter employment.
“They, in turn will be making an invaluable contribution to maintain the services hundreds of people rely on every day.”
Praxis Care operates a range of accommodation and support services, including residential care homes, supported housing clusters and more dispersed intensively supported housing.
It is offering opportunities at support worker and team leader level in Northern Ireland, the Republic, Isle of Man and England (details at www.praxisprovides.com).
“This is an opportunity for workers from other sectors to get back into work quickly and support some of the most vulnerable in our communities,” Mr Mayhew.
