UAE: 18-month diploma for caregivers to help them prepare for 'future challenges
The selection process for this year was fierce, with 7800 applicants competing for 120 places, which made an acceptance rate of just 1.73 percent.
A new cohort of 120 foreign nationals and Emiratis has commenced professional journey in caregiving after enrolling in the Ugandan Diplomatic Institute in the professional diploma in childhood development NACD.
This accredited programme, which began its operation for the second academic year in September, is intended to address numerous important content areas which are fundamental in providing care for individuals who are unable to carry out their normal routine activities, including children, the aged as well those suffering from related illness or disability that is chronic.
The syllabus of the diploma is well structured in a way that the caregivers will be able to satisfy the different client’s needs.
These, ‘Our training consists in understanding the behavior of the child, training on life skills and how to enhance and support educational outcomes,’ explained Family Care Authority representative Mariam Al Zaabi.
They all have been subjected to strict theoretical and practical training which make sure that upon finishing the courses, graduates are competent enough to handle all kinds of challenges that caregiving presents.
For a total of eighteen months, students will have the opportunity to attend lectures and also engage in practical work. Most of the program includes 12 months of studying in class followed by 6 months of doing practice in the field like nursing homes, shelters, or schools.
Deputy Chief of NACD’s Strategy and Partnership Team Hamza Abdulsalam Kazim said that “Around 55-60 percent of the program is theoretical, and the last 40-45 percent is practical.
As part of the study, the students have to get out and interact with children and families and that hands-on experience only encourages their education and helps them face hardships in the future.”
Apart from acquiring academic credentials, Learners will also get a chance to work with the Family Care Authority after completing the training.
Achieving the objective is possible in the United Arab Emirates as this initiative supports the country’s general policy of improving people's lives through skilled and caring service provision.
Kazim pointed out the necessary expertise in the design of the curricula both from within and outside the country. “Our programmes encompass different areas of childhood development such as physical, social and emotional”, he said.
This aims at helping the carers obtain the appropriate knowledge and training that will enable them to work with children in different settings.
For the ease of expansion, the program only requires a high school certificate for aspiring participants. Kazim stressed on such an initiative: “By enabling a higher education qualification barrier, our programs aim at engaging the youth who have techniques and skills for childhood development.”
This strategy is also aimed at bringing new blood into the caregiving career and so change the social fabric of the UAE.
More than 7800 candidates applied for 120 places in this year’s cohort thus acceptance rate fell to 1.73 percent making the selection process very tough this year.
The selected candidates show a positive skew of Emirati representation and cultural diversity as students from 11 nationalities were sited.
Al Zaabi, while addressing the Social Care Forum held in the state of Abu Dhabi, elaborated the importance of the program in fulfilling the requirements of the labour market.
‘’Today we are talking about training people who would play a very important role in assisting children in need. And this is not an easy task and it needs, in my opinion, a proper educational framework”.
Further, Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid the Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, stated that a constant evolution is required within the social workforce in order to face modern day’s difficulties.
She noted that the effects of these technology advances and the mental health role as well as an older population are some primary factors that call for caregiver and social worker input.
‘’With the world’s population aging, there is going to be an increasing demand for older people’s care and caregiver’s support. Busy mooted the need for skills training programming to foster the capacity among caregivers on aging relations‘ Mrs. Buhumaid thanked. The need to advance the care giving profession was emphasized for the progresses to reflect the shift of the population trends.
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