Charity partners with NHS and RCN to open up nursing careers
A charity that supports young people in North East Scotland is working with the health service and unions to open up opportunities for future careers in the nursing profession.
Aberdeen Foyer and NHS Grampian have announced they will deliver a nine-week nursing cadet scheme for young people aged 16-25 to offer insight into nursing as a career.
“Fourteen young people will get a mix of theory and practical learning”
Laura Reid
The course has been created by the Royal College of Nursing, which has similar schemes running at selected locations across other parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Aberdeen Foyer is a charity working to support young people in the North East of Scotland towards independent living, learning and work.
It works with 1,600 people a year experiencing tough life challenges to prevent the root causes of poverty and youth homelessness across local communities in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Aberdeen Foyer’s employability team provides courses in a range of industries, including construction and security, but said the cadet scheme was the first time it had covered nursing.
Foyer’s employability service manager, Bronagh Cameron, said she was excited to bring the RCN scheme to North East Scotland after being successfully ran elsewhere in the UK.
“We are excited to be working together with so many established organisations to bring this course to young people,” said Ms Cameron.
“The beauty of this course is that it is made of different types of learning – starting in the classroom and ending with shadowing nurses on the wards,” she said.
Laura Reid, lead practice educator at NHS Grampian, with special responsibility for widening participation and access, said: “It’s a pleasure to be working with Aberdeen Foyer to deliver this course.
“Fourteen young people will get a mix of theory and practical learning, which I hope will be the catalyst for a lifelong career in nursing,” she added.
Jack Parry, project co-ordinator for the RCN, said: “We are delighted to bring the nursing cadet scheme to North East Scotland and are honoured to be working alongside Aberdeen Foyer and NHS Grampian.
“This is a brilliant opportunity for young people to learn more about nursing and explore a future career in the field,” he said.
“We look forward to welcoming cadets onto the scheme and keeping in touch throughout their journey, from application to becoming part of our alumni.”
