AFRICAN carers have arrived in Jersey to ‘make a positive difference’ and help address the Island’s staffing crisis.
Two care providers have hired nine experienced carers from southern Africa as the sector, along with many others, struggles to find local staff.
The Jersey Care Commission recently warned that staff shortages posed a ‘potentially catastrophic risk’ to Jersey’s care services.
Orchid Care and 1:2:1 Care, which are both based at the Powerhouse off Queen’s Road, teamed up to recruit directly from Africa.
The carers are living together in a home which one of the agencies has been allowed to acquire due to a recent change in the housing law for firms registered with the JCC.
Emily Changwe, a Kenyan who has lived and worked in Zambia for the past 12 years, said she jumped at the chance to work in Jersey.
The mother-of-three was a healthcare assistant in a nursing home in Zambia when she was told of the opportunity to work in Jersey by a friend.
She said: ‘I have always had a passion for care, and after the pandemic, that desire just got stronger.
‘I consider it a privilege to be able to come all this way to be able to make a positive difference.’
Mrs Changwe had previously lived and worked in Leeds, where she completed a lot of her care training, before she returned to Africa to work in accounting and finance, and then back to care.
Melody Mukwasi, a Zimbabwean who has spent the past 16 years working in South Africa, said that Jersey provided better career development and a safer environment, as well as a higher salary.
‘When the opportunity arose to come here, I jumped at the chance; I feel I can grow a lot more and I still have a lot to give,’ she said.
‘We did our research on Jersey; there will be more training opportunities and variety of care that I wouldn’t get in South Africa.’
She added: ‘We have had a very warm welcome. You get used to crime in South Africa, so feeling safe here, especially as a woman, is very refreshing.
‘I’ve already noticed that Islanders do not always lock their car doors, they keep their phones in their pockets, and drivers stop to let us cross the road; it is a culture shock!’
Mrs Mukwasi previously worked at a care home in Johannesburg. She was also a live-in healthcare assistant for 15 years and a relief schoolteacher. She has also volunteered for the South African Red Cross and holds a degree in development studies.
The nine qualified carers are working in Jersey on a three-year visa, which can be extended on application. Those who stay five years then have the right to remain.
Cheryl Kenealy, who owns 1:2:1 Care, said: ‘This is a very exciting time for us. We have not been able to recruit locally and, since Brexit, there is no reason why we can’t recruit globally.
‘Coming from Africa myself, I not only know that the quality of staff is high but also it gives me an opportunity to invest in them.
‘For us, this recruitment alleviates pressure in the business. It does not mean we will be taking on more customers; rather, it means we can increase the packages of care we provide our existing customers, as well as give some of our existing carers a well-earned reprieve.
‘Some have been working 60-70 hours a week and this will give them an opportunity to take some time back.
‘It also means we will have more capacity should any employee catch, for instance, Covid.
‘We will also be helping Les Amis with their care provision.’
She added: ‘Some of our carers have left Jersey or moved on to new ventures, and we have not been able to recruit locally. These are exciting times for both teams.’
