Ella, garde d’enfant - YO1 York

Hello, my name is Ella and I'm currently in my final year at the University of York. I am staying in York and am looking to work in education/childcare.

During university, I have engaged in volunteer projects as I want to give back to the local community. For example, I am the mental health coordinator in a committee called Music Education Group,  which works within schools and community environments within York, such as nurseries, mental health hospitals, and care homes,  where we provide educational music workshops and enjoyable interactive workshops throughout the year. Within this role, I lead workshops which demands confidence and enthusiasm to teach young children and provide the help that music can often offer. Through such volunteer work, I have found a passion for educating children and have gained the communication skills that are needed for working with children. This passion led me to working as an Au-pair in Italy for a summer, which involved social and educational development of two young children. I performed childcare responsibilities according to the family's rules and worked up to 8 hours a day and was having to effectively and appropriately discipline and manage the children under minimum supervision. The job also allowed me to get in touch with my creative side, as I had to come up with games to teach them English in a way that would also be fun. Working alongside children with a language barrier was challenging, but it taught me the importance of listening and patience, and with time, my relationship with the children grew stronger. 
Furthermore, I currently work as a CAREgiver as I enjoy being with people and have a genuine interest and empathy for others. The job involves many responsibilities, such as companionship services, personal care, and home help services. Within this role I have to be flexible, as covering shifts are expected and hours often change to meet the clients ever-changing needs. Communication skills are extremely important in this job as I have learnt that in care work with older people, a good relationship with a client is essential to their sense of reward. For example, a good relationship is where there was mutual respect and trust, as well as ‘being there’ for my clients. Most importantly, the job has shown me that when you have the dedication and passion to support people, you can make a positive, self-directed change. 
I am therefore dedicated to caring for others and am willing to be flexible.