Ambitious North East Autism Society development enters phase two
Part of our ongoing Growing Futures appeal, the second phase of development will see several new buildings erected – including a cider mill, a farm shop, and a café.
Team Story
You can really take your career here as far as you want
After rising through the North East Autism Society (NEAS) in her five-year career, Rae Markham is keen to make sure new staff have the same opportunities to progress.
The Registered Manager at Tunstall Children’s Residential Home in Sunderland started at the Society in 2019, after a chance encounter in her previous job at Lush.
“There was a lady used to come in called Fiona, she came in with her support staff, and for ages I used to think ‘that’s a nice job,’” Rae said.
"It was like a lightbulb moment. I was like, ‘if that’s such a nice job, why don’t I go and do that job?"
Emma completed her NEAS induction and although she felt “petrified” in her first week, she soon turned things around.
“I thought I’ll go back another week, and then the second week I just took to it.”
She added: “If I was giving anyone any advice it would be to be very patient, don’t expect to know everything straight away. It takes time.”
Day to day, Emma currently assists with the early years class, made up of a teacher and four teaching assistants, setting morning activities up and enabling the pupils to learn through play.
Emma said: “We do so much singing I’m surprised I actually have a voice. On an afternoon we change activities over, it’s constant – constant changing, we have soft play, a lot of sensory toys, and they’ve got their own outdoor area that they can go out in.”
“Every day is different. No two days are the same around here. It keeps it very interesting,” She added.
Emma says teaching assistants “have to be prepared for any situation. I think you have to be caring, very patient.
As well as becoming a level 4 teaching assistant, Emma is also achieving her level 3 counselling qualification, and hopes to complete teacher training in future so she can continue to support pupils at the Mackenzie Thorpe Centre.
“And then the role for manager at Tunstall came up and I thought ‘I’ve got to go for it and see what happens.’ I went for it, and got it, and now I’m there as manager,” she added.
Now she’s in a leadership role, Rae is keen for her staff to have the same opportunities she had.
“I’ve got people on my team now who I know want to progress in the future, and that’s so important to me because the people who come in the doors now as residential child carers could in five years’ time be the managers.”
"I would recommend it to anyone, even if you haven’t got any experience, you get loads of training, there are loads of extra opportunities, and you can really take your career here as far as you want."
Rae isn’t looking to move on from Tunstall anytime soon, and now wants to spend time making the house a welcoming home for the children and young people there, as well as building her team.
Rae said: “I love this charity, I’ve been here five years and I have no plans to leave, because I’ve got such a good village and support network around me here, and that’s important.”
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