Martello Manor Brings Care Careers to Life for Local Students
Students at EKC Folkestone College got a candid look at the past, present, and future of adult social care last week, when Jude Coveney, Admissions Manager at Martello Manor spent time with Level 3 Social Care and Early Years learners as part of a visit aimed at inspiring the next generation of care professionals.
The session covered the full sweep of adult social care, how much it has changed over the years, where it’s heading, and what it really means to deliver good care in our society today. Rather than a one-way presentation, it quickly became a genuine conversation. Students reflected openly on what they personally could bring to the sector, and the honesty and depth of their responses left a strong impression.
One student, who had been especially engaged throughout, took the time to thank Jude personally at the end of the session. Small moments like that stay with you.
“Walking into that college, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Jude Coveney. “But those students blew me away. They weren’t just asking questions about job roles or pay, they were asking about what good care should actually look like for people. That kind of empathy isn’t something you can teach. It’s something you have. And they had it in abundance. I came away genuinely hopeful about the future of our sector.”
Following the session, Jude met with College Principal Clare Brown to discuss plans for a longer-term relationship between Martello Manor and EKC Folkestone. Those plans include students hosting a regular Dementia Café on-site, with support from the Martello Manor team, giving young people a meaningful, real-world learning environment while benefiting the wider Folkestone community.
Jude will also return to the college in her role as an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends Ambassador to deliver Dementia Friends Information Sessions, giving both students and staff the opportunity to become Dementia Friends. She also introduced the group to The Care Labs, Boutique Care Homes’ free digital platform offering evidence-based guidance and resources for anyone touched by care.
“This isn’t a one-off visit,” Jude added. “We want to be genuinely useful to these students as they build their careers. Whether that’s through the Dementia Café, Dementia Friends training, or simply being a resource they can call on, we’re in this for the long haul. The care sector needs passionate people, and EKC Folkestone is full of them.”
For Martello Manor and Boutique Care Homes, visits like this reflect a firm belief: that supporting the workforce of tomorrow starts with conversations today.
And on that note, even the anatomy skeleton in the back of the classroom looked like it had been waiting patiently for its turn to ask a question. With that much energy and curiosity in the room, it wouldn’t have been disappointed.
