The importance of helping

Coming from a large family, Ifeatu Okoye learned from an early age the importance of helping the young, elderly and vulnerable.

Raised in Nigeria and the youngest of seven children, she would regularly be called upon to look after nephews and nieces or elderly relatives and also carried out voluntary work helping displaced people.

It planted the seeds for a career in caring, however it was several years before she was able to fulfil her ambition.

In Nigeria, Ifeatu worked in the banking sector and after gaining a degree, moved to the UK to study for her masters in Human Resource Management with Teesside University.

To fund her studies she worked several jobs including for Tesco and for Amazon

“The pay was good but I wasn’t finding any job satisfaction,” said Ifeatu. “A friend suggested I try the care sector so I applied and I’m so glad that I did.”

Ifeatu, 35. has certainly made a good impression. Just one year after joining Caremark Redcar and Cleveland she was recently named Supported Housing Scheme Carer of the Year at our 2024 awards ceremony.

“At the ceremony they were reading out these lovely things about the winner and I thought it was someone else and how nice it was for them to win and then they read my name out,” said Ifeatu. “It was such a lovely surprise, I felt I had been doing a good job but it is lovely for other people to recognise that in this way.”

So, what is the secret of her success?

“With a new client it is important to learn as much as you can  about them from the family, other carers or the care plan so you are well prepared from the start,” she said. “After that my advice would be to keep an open mind and smile a lot. You have to want to help people, to give to others.”

Now Ifeatu hopes to use a pathway open to Caremark staff to gain qualifications in care and progress her career.

“People have been very friendly and willing to help me, show me the ropes, both career wise and personally,” said Ifeatu.

“I love my job and really enjoy my work. It provides an opportunity to be of service to vulnerable people which gives me a sense of fulfilment.”