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.

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🧭 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.

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📣 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.

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📝 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.

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🧩 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.

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🪴 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

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🧠 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.