Working within an animal charity Wood Green, The Animals Charity case study

Transcription

1 Working within an animal charity Wood Green, The Animals Charity case study There are numerous positions available throughout the UK working directly with animals which although are often hard work and both physically and mentally demanding, can be hugely rewarding. However, there are also many other positions working within the animals charity sector that don t involve working directly with animals, such as a Fundraiser. The following are examples of typical paid job roles within Wood Green, The Animals Charity. Some job roles involve working directly with animals, others help the animals and the Charity in a more indirect way. 1

2 Case study: Alison Job: Qualified Veterinary Nurse Provide high standards of care and husbandry to a range of animals within the care of Wood Green, The Animals Charity, including assisting with surgery and providing direct treatment. Need to be able to work within an emotionally demanding environment. Need good mathematical skills, strong IT skills and to be physically fit. Able to work in a team and offer strong customer care skills. Confident handling a range of animals and not squeamish! To qualify as a Veterinary Nurse, a two year full time course in Veterinary Nursing can be completed. Alison s qualifications Qualified Veterinary Nurse (funded by Wood Green, The Animals Charity) Post Graduate Diploma in Animal Behaviour Alison s job experience Weekend surgery animal carer at Wood Green, The Animals Charity Zoo keeper Leading puppy classes for a veterinary practice The best bit of my job is seeing the really poorly animals improve and eventually go home. I m always amazed by how resilient the animals are and by how quickly their bodies heal. Unfortunately, we see some animals at the Centre that haven t been looked after properly by their previous owners, it s very sad, but watching them get better is very rewarding. 2

3 Case study: Andy Job: Auxiliary Veterinary Nurse Receive animals into the care of the Rehoming Centre and treat them following Wood Green s policies. Assist Veterinary Nurses with daily procedures and assist vets as required. Need to be able to work within an emotionally demanding environment. Confident handling a range of animals and not squeamish! Animal care qualification desirable but not essential. Able to work in a team and offer strong customer care skills. Andy s qualifications GCSEs BTEC National Diploma in Business and Finance RSA IT level 1 and 2 Partially completed law degree Andy s job experience Printer for eight years Volunteer in the surgery department at Wood Green for a year Andy s continuing on the job training at Wood Green Microchip training The feeling of job satisfaction that I go home with. I love the fact that the job I do makes such a difference to the animals in our care. I can t explain the feeling of pride I felt when a dog that had been in an incredibly serious condition when it came to us, regained his health and was rehomed to a loving family to have another chance at life. This is why I would never hesitate to recommend a career as an auxiliary nurse to anyone with a love for animals, as it is truly one of the most rewarding professions there is. 3

4 Case study: Jo Job: Veterinary Surgeon Undertake a range of veterinary duties for all Wood Green animals including operations, assessing animals and administering medication, taking x-rays and taking and interpreting medical test results. Need strong science A levels including Biology and either Chemistry, Physics or Maths (minimum of two A s and one B) together with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. Being accepted onto a veterinary degree can be very competitive so any previous experience with animals could be extremely advantageous, in particular work experience in a veterinary practice and working with and handling animals including livestock. Good mathematical skills together with strong practical capability. Emotionally strong and able to make reasoned and informed decisions. Not upset by the sight of blood and not squeamish! Wood Green, The Animals Charity do not employ vets at their Godmanchester or Heydon Centres, but have an agreement with veterinary practices local to each Centre to supply their experienced veterinary staff. Being a veterinary surgeon is a challenging and rewarding career. At Wood Green, the role of the vets is to look after the health and welfare of the animals whilst at the Centre. On a day to day basis this involves performing health checks on animals that are newly arrived and caring for any ill or injured animals. Preventative healthcare such as vaccination and routine neutering is also an important part of our work. Jo s qualifications BVetMed (degree in Veterinary Medicine from the Veterinary College, London) MRCVS (Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) Jo s job experience Volunteering on farms Volunteering in veterinary practices 12 week placement at London Zoo Jo s on the job training at Wood Green Attending regular courses and completing on-line CPD (continuing professional development) to keep up to date. Seeing an animal recover and to be rehomed successfully. 4

5 Case study: Lou Job: Animal Welfare Deputy Team Leader Provide high standards of care for a range of animals usually within one section eg cats, dogs, small animals or field animals. Deal with members of the public, so good customer service skills are essential. Animal welfare experience or an animal welfare qualification an advantage. Need to be able to work within an emotionally demanding environment and stay calm in busy situations. Need to be physically fit and able to work as part of a team. Additional responsibilities Line managing staff Delivering training to staff Monitoring welfare of animals in the care of Wood Green and deciding on the best course of action for individual animals Lou s qualifications GCSEs and A levels National Certificate in Animal Care Lou s job experience Volunteer on Dog Section for Wood Green at weekends Animal Rehomer for Leicester Animal Aid sanctuary Dog Rehomer for Wood Green including home visiting before dogs are rehomed and offering advice visits once dogs are in the home Lou s continuing on the job training at Wood Green In house training encompassing a variety of subjects Management training That every day is different and being able to go home feeling that you ve achieved something. 5

6 Case study: Nicole Job: Cat Welfare Animal Rehomer Day to day care of the cats and kittens, including feeding, grooming and cleaning their accommodation, as well as providing socialisation and environmental enrichment. Dealing with members of the public, so good customer service skills are essential. Nicole s qualifications National Certificate in Animal Care one year full time course at the College for Animal Welfare (three days a week on placement and two days a week at college) Nicole s job experience Kennel assistant at a boarding kennels Dog groomer Volunteer at The Raptor Foundation Animal Carer at wildlife hospital Nicole s continuing on the job training at Wood Green Microchipping course Seeing the cats go home and hearing about them when letters and photos arrive in the post. 6

7 Case Study: Marie Job: Small Animal Deputy Team Leader and Animal Rehomer Line managing Small Animal staff and delivering training Managing small animal weekly checks Project management e.g. small animal garden development Budget management and ordering of equipment and food Marie s qualifications GCSEs National Diploma in Animal Management from the College of West Anglia (two year course) Marie s job experience Saturday job at pet shop Volunteer Animal Carer at local animal charity Weekend Animal Care Assistant at Wood Green s Heydon Centre Small Animal Rehomer at Wood Green s Godmanchester Centre Marie s continuing on the job training at Wood Green Annual rabbit welfare training Management training In house surgery and animal first aid training Dealing with emergency intakes of neglected animals and seeing their progress and finally their journey to a new home. Also educating the public about small animal care. 7

8 Case Study: Georgie Job: Fundraiser Assist in raising funds for the Charity through a variety of methods e.g face to face fundraising and appeal mailings. Strong written and oral communication skills together with good negotiating skills. Good IT skills and strong analytical skills. Flexible and able to adapt to a changing environment. Be able to think creatively, adaptable and able to work under pressure and to deadlines. Georgie s qualifications GCSEs including English, Maths, Drama and Agriculture A levels in Sociology, Drama and English Literature Georgie s job experience RSPB Membership Advisor RSPB Direct Marketing Assistant Wood Green Community Fundraiser Georgie s continuing on the job training at Wood Green Diploma in Fundraising Management Certificate in Fundraising Practice Working with some fantastic volunteers and raising funds for an organisation we are all passionate about. 8

9 Case study: Hayley Job: Outreach Officer Devise and lead a variety of sessions teaching responsible to a range of audiences including youth groups, adults, young offenders and the elderly. Knowledge of animal welfare issues an advantage. Creative with good communication skills appropriate for a range of audiences. Confident giving tours and delivering talks to the public. Hayley s qualifications GCSEs 4 A levels BA (hons) Degree in Primary Education with qualified teacher status Hayley s job experience Events supervision for an events company Class teacher in primary school Volunteer guinea pig rescuer and fosterer Hayley s continuing on the job training at Wood Green Microchipping training for community roadshows and events First aid training Seeing people learn and apply skills and understanding about pet care that they were unaware of previously. 9

10 Case Study: Sue Job: Head of Training and Skill Development Design and deliver training to all Dog Section staff and source training for other animal sections. Designing and developing staff personal development portfolios for animal rehomers. Deliver lectures and seminars to other animal welfare charities across the UK and on an international level. Excellent knowledge of dog behaviour, handling and training methods essential. Strong teaching skills essential. Receptionist on Dog Reception at Wood Green Sue s qualifications NVQ level 1, 2 and 3 in Animal Welfare Management (through the College of Animal Welfare) Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy (through COAPE) Member of APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) Sue s job experience YTS (Youth Training Scheme) 1 year unpaid placement with Wood Green Animal Rehomer for the Dog Section at Wood Green (at the same time working as a volunteer assistant at a Wood Green dog training club which led to running classes in a voluntary capacity) Deputy Team Leader Dog Section at Wood Green in addition to delivering training to Dog Staff Set up own dog training and behaviour business alongside working at Wood Green Sue s continuing on the job training at Wood Green NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Animal Welfare Management SATS lay level 1 instructor Matching fantastic people to fantastic dogs. 10

11 Where next? All job vacancies at Wood Green, The Animals Charity are displayed on our website at. Unfortunately we are not able to offer work experience placements to under 18 s however we do offer guided educational tours / educational workshops and events at all three of our Centres keep an eye on our website for details. Several Wood Green staff have undertaken training courses through the College of Animal Welfare, building their CV s in advance of applying for positions within the Charity a full list of courses available can be found on their website at Another popular website detailing courses in pet behaviour and training from basics to diplomas is Wood Green, The Animals Charity Kings Bush Farm London Road Godmanchester Cambridgeshire PE29 2NH