Recruit workers
AKA finding the right people, for the right reasons, in the right way.
Recruiting care workers into your co-operative isn’t just about filling roles - it’s about building a community of people who believe in a different way of doing care. You're not just hiring; you're inviting people to co-create something better.
This page outlines our approach to recruiting care workers, coaches, and others into your Circle or organisation.
🧭 Start with Purpose
Before you write your first job ad, get clear on what you’re offering and what kind of people you're looking for.
Are you recruiting for paid care workers, peer coaches, or Circle operations roles?
What support or induction will you have in place when they join?
What kind of values and skills matter most for the role?
👉 Be honest about what’s still being built. The right people will want to shape things with you, not wait for perfection.
📣 How to Reach People
Use a mix of approaches to reach both experienced care workers and people who may not think of themselves as “formal” carers but have strong caring skills.
Ideas:
Leafleting at community centres, markets, schools, libraries
Posting in local Facebook groups, WhatsApp chats, or Nextdoor
Collaborating with local voluntary organisations, mosques, churches or mutual aid groups
Referrals from existing members or peer networks
Local job boards or community noticeboards
Your website and email list
Make your messaging warm, inclusive and specific. Avoid corporate job-speak.
📝 What to Include in Your Offer
Your recruitment materials should clearly show what’s different about joining your co-operative:
Emphasis on autonomy, support and respect
Peer coaching and regular supervision
Flexible hours and team-based matching
Paid at or above the Real Living Wage
Opportunity to co-own and shape the organisation
You don’t need to tick every box yet, but you should share the direction you're moving in.
🧩 Keep It Low-Barrier, High-Support
Traditional job application processes can exclude the very people you want to reach.
Consider alternatives to CVs or formal interviews:
A short expression of interest form
One-to-one chats or small group sessions
Community info events or taster sessions
Invite people to observe or shadow
If you do need paperwork (e.g. right to work, DBS), support people through it. Be proactive and kind - especially if English isn't someone’s first language or if they’ve been out of the workforce for a while.
🪴 Support from Day One
Recruitment doesn’t end when someone joins. Early-stage support is key.
Use the Worker Welcome Process to introduce the platform, policies and culture
Connect people with a Coach
Pair new workers with experienced members
Be clear about training and next steps
🧠 Keep Learning
Recruitment can be tough but it is an ongoing process, and one you’ll keep getting better at.
Track:
What channels are working?
Who’s applying - and who isn’t?
Are there any barriers we can remove?
Use co-production wherever possible. Ask current care workers what helped them decide to join. Let that inform your approach for recruitment as you move forward.
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