Value in our workers
Olufunke's story
“What would you say to someone considering a career in social care?
I’d say go for it—with both heart and purpose. Social care is one of the most rewarding fields you can be in. It’s not just a job; it’s an opportunity to make a real difference every single day. If you’re passionate about people, growth, and inclusion, you’ll find social care both fulfilling and inspiring.”
The UK Government is making major changes to Skilled Worker Visas at the moment. Effective from 22nd July 2025, new applications for care worker Health and Social Care Visas will no longer be accepted from individuals outside of the UK. Whilst a transition period has been implemented until 2028 for those already in the country, the changes will likely be a cause of concern for people already working in the social care sector on Skilled Worker Visas. As an organisation that has a number of staff members that have joined the Trust on sponsorship licenses, we invited a couple of #TeamMilestones’ frontline workers to share their stories. Find out about the connection they’ve built with the people they support, and why they love what they do…
Olufunke’s Story
Olufunke, originally from Nigeria, made the move into social care relatively recently and has been supported in completing further training with the Trust. She is now training and empowering other staff along the same path, as well as providing valuable care to the people that we support.
Here’s what she had to say about her journey and experience…
Please could you tell us a little about your background?
Well, if you had told me years ago that I’d find so much joy supporting non-verbal adults, championing person-centred care, and even training others—I’d probably have smiled politely and said, ‘Are you sure you’ve got the right person?’. Over the past three years, I’ve transitioned from researching social issues into hands-on care, working with individuals with complex needs. My journey as a support worker and trainer has been shaped by a deep commitment to empowering others, whether that’s the individuals we support at Milestones Trust or the colleagues I now have the privilege of training. Beyond my professional role, I’m driven by curiosity – always learning, questioning, and looking for ways to bridge gaps and broader systemic challenges. That passion led me from fieldwork to classrooms, and eventually to care homes where I discovered that sometimes the loudest stories are told without words.
How long have you worked for Milestones and what made you choose the Trust?
I have been with the Trust for over two years now. Like most job seekers, I was looking for a role that suited my passion and circumstances at the time. However, since joining the Trust, I have been awed by the strong culture of inclusivity and growth, particularly how opportunities to grow are offered across the board.
I was especially dazed when I received overwhelming support to apply for a career development award with the National Institute for Health and Care Research, all the way up to the senior management team. That kind of trust and investment in staff development is incredibly motivating and demonstrated to me that Milestones is a place that celebrates growth, equality and diversity.
Could you tell us about the Helen Sanderson Person-Centred training you’ve completed and are now training people in?
I attended the training for six months in 2024 alongside seven others, courtesy of the Trust. At the end, we completed a full project and became certified Person-Centred trainers. It was transformational for me. The tools I learned and now share with others help support workers to better understand people’s preferences, strengths, and goals, and to build truly tailored support plans. Training others has been a joy, especially seeing them grow in confidence and empathy.
For example, one of the exercises in our training sessions requires participants to write a positive observation about another member of their team. At every session I handled, I just could not get over the reactions of staff members when they saw what others had to say about them. It shows clearly how selfless they can be while supporting others.
What could the government do to improve support for people with learning disabilities in England?
One thing the government could really improve is ensuring care workers across the sector get proper, specialist training to support people with learning disabilities. Too often, in some organisations, staff are thrown into roles without enough understanding of autism, profound and multiple learning disabilities, or how to communicate with non-verbal individuals, leading to care that’s more task-based than person-centred.
For my part, I’m working on a digital guide to help sponsored care workers from abroad settle into the UK system, equipping them with the practical knowledge they need to deliver excellent care from day one.
Secondly, in my opinion, the current means-tested social care system appears to force people with learning disabilities into “one-size-fits-all” support (eg group homes) rather than encourage more use of personalised budgets that foster independence. It would be great to see funding for more innovative models, such as community-run supported living or assistive apps to empower people to design their own care, thereby reducing institutionalisation and improving quality of life.