The successful training of eighty-two (82) caregivers marks a turning point in Belize’s approach to providing in-home support for our older population. The course was carried out over a five-week period and included three weeks of intensive theory and soft skills training; First Aid and CPR training from BERT (Belize Emergency Response Team) and two weeks of internship at a residential facility for older persons where the trainees demonstrated the range of skills they learned.

How is the BNECT Involved?

In 2016, the National Council on Ageing (NCA) approached the Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust (BNECT) with a proposal to train eighty (80) caregivers using the Belize Training and Employment Center’s (BTEC) Basic Home Health Caregiver Training Course.

Beneficiaries

This cycle has also been the largest intake for the training of caregivers and has thought the NCA valuable lessons about caregivers and the skills required to be adequately trained. Successful trainees were given an official Caregiver Identification Card to be used when seeking employment; and their profiles were added to BTEC’s database for employment, to the NCA’s Registry of Trained Caregivers and the Belize Home Health Care Association.

In June 2017, a poll was done on the employment status of the certified caregivers and thirty–two of the eighty-two persons trained were employed.

Partners:

• National Council on Ageing
• Belize Training and Employment Center
• Sister Cecelia Home for the Elderly