Could you make a difference?

These five words caught the eye of 21 year old painter and decorator Joe Greaves – They changed not only his but the lives of many people.

Now a senior locality manager, based in Sheffield, Joe recently spoke to The Star about his 17 year career at Dimensions.

Joe started his working life as a painter and decorator, a job he found unfulfilling. He said “I didn’t get anything out of it – I would go home and think ‘what did I achieve today?’. When Joe saw a job advert with the headline ‘could you make a difference?’ he applied and has been working for Dimensions ever since.

Joe believes that his job has helped him in many ways “The skills I’ve learnt, the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met have all helped me to develop personally, as well as professionally.

“When I started I didn’t have any qualifications but now I have a level five diploma in health and social care and lots of additional training. And every new thing I learn I can also apply to my personal life and develop as a person.”

Joe has supported many people over the years, but he is particularly proud of Dan. Dan struggled to communicate how he was feeling and what he wanted. Joe and the support team worked to develop a support plan that allows Dan to set his own boundaries, giving him independence and control.

“I’m massively proud of Dan,” Joe said. “Difficult moments can still happen but they’ve reduced in number by about 20 times. It’s all happened through empowering him and his support team to have honest conversations with each other.”

The job comes with challenges, especially during the pandemic. “It’s been stressful and tiring, but so rewarding. It’s been great to see how well Dimensions has coped and the work managers and staff have done in keeping people safe and still empowering them to live their lives.”

He is pleased that the pandemic has had a positive impact on people’s attitudes to social care: “This year we have really shown how important we are and the impact of the work we are doing.”

Joe would encourage people to take on a career in social care. “I would tell you not to hesitate. You don’t need special experience or training, just the right attitude.