Shepshed Carers
Sarah Sanders and Pauline Graves, co-founders of Shepshed Carers
Winners of the 2005 Social Enterprise of the Year national Award, this co-operative started out on the kitchen table with 2 people in 1994 and has grown to 100 worker-members. The co-op provides homecare services to the elderly and those with high dependency needs, largely under contract to Social Services, within Charnwood and NW Leicestershire.
Success is due to its co-operative culture. An excellent training programme for staff development encourages members to stay and work towards the co-op's goals, most of the workers have family responsibilities so flexible working is an advantage.
Encouraged by CaSE-da the co-op established its own training standards, long before this later became a requirement in this field. Their development plan involves all carers achieving NVQ level 3 in their first 12 months of employment. With the support of this learning environment some move on to higher qualifications, and careers like nursing, teaching or full time education. For others the co-op provides an opportunity to obtain qualifications after leaving school with a basic education.
CaSE-da provides business support for Shepshed Carers in recruitment procedures, all types of employment matters, training sourcing, devising care standards, policy manuals, contract compliance / management and managing the co-op with its democratic ownership.
CaSE-da's business adviser, a personnel specialist, is an extremely valuable resource for them, encouraging the adoption of good practice, which has given Shepshed Carers a competitive edge to obtain Social Service contracts. "And we started without an 'O' level between us!" said one of the founder member Directors.
Shepshed Carers is planning further growth and development of satellite co-ops and more contracts with other agencies in response to the demand for its high quality service. A new satellite has just been established in a deprived area of Leicester providing much needed jobs and a reliable service. Again there are key training needs here and CaSE-da will provide training in these areas.
Shepshed Carers 01509 505243