Recipe for a Wellbeing Support Worker

There are around 1.5 million people working in adult social care in England and approximately 10.6 million people in the UK who are carers for friends or family members.

Being a carer and providing support to those that need it can be emotionally challenging and demanding. But it can also be an extremely rewarding and worthwhile role. Providing support for someone offers a tremendous sense of job satisfaction and personal achievement, from the relationships you form with the people you support, to the difference you make to their day to ensure they live the life they want.

We’re always looking for people with spare time, life experience, and the passion and compassion to give something back to their community. As a BelleVie Wellbeing Support Worker, you could be Dot’s helping hand, Joan’s shoulder to lean on, or Maureen’s bus buddy. In return, you’ll meet new people, form firm friendships, probably go on a fair few day trips, and be in no doubt that the work you do is both valued and vital. So what do we look in a Wellbeing Support Worker?

What ingredients make a great Wellbeing Support Worker?

We want people of all shapes and sizes and all backgrounds here at BelleVie. We don’t focus on your experience, but your values and morals, because we want amazing people! We’ve put together a recipe for what we think makes a great Wellbeing Support Worker.

Why home carers are so important.

Recent studies suggest that 2.6 million people in England 50 and over are unable to receive care and thousands are trapped in hospital on waiting lists for support, preventing them from going home. One in four people are unable to be discharged from hospital – needlessly taking up beds – due to the lack of availability from homecare agencies.

The biggest cause of this crisis is the shortage of homecare workers. According to Home care insight, vacancy rates have hit a record high of 13.5%. There just aren’t enough carers to support those that need it.

So why is there a shortage you ask? 

Most homecare jobs are underpaid, undervalued, and overworked. The cost of living crisis is making it impossible for those in the homecare sector to live comfortably,  causing home carers to leave for better paid jobs with a secure income.

A recent study by the Homecare Association reported that:

More than a fifth (21%) of home carers had given notice because they couldn’t afford to put fuel in their cars.

A recent study by the CQC into homecare providers found that:

• 46% of homecare providers were not accepting any new packages of care.
• 38% were being selective about which packages of care to accept.
• 18% had handed back individual packages of care to the local authority.

So why BelleVie?

Like other home care providers, we offer help around the home, personal care, transportation, companionship, and plenty besides. But that’s where the similarities with other providers stop. We like to think that we create amazing jobs, where are colleagues are appreciated, listened to, and supported. To give you an idea of what we’re about, here are a few of our favourite points of difference: 

We pay well.

Many of our Wellbeing Support Workers are with us because they love what they do, but we don’t use that as an excuse to cut costs. And unlike other providers, we pay for all of the hours you’re working, not just the hours you spend in someone’s home. Meaning you get a guaranteed, secure income every month. We pay for whole shifts, with gaps, we don’t run to visits. We give you the time to build real, meaningful, trusted relationships. We are also a proud living wage employer!

We don’t have a boss.

Clearly people run the company! But our close-knit care teams are fully self-managed, meaning you get to make your own decisions but have the backing of peers.

We support you.

Yes, with training, with advice, with understanding and empathy. But also with practical advice on how to turn business concepts into a reality. So, if you have an idea for a ‘micro-enterprise’ that would be of interest to the people we support, then we’ll help you get it off the ground by providing the know-how, network and a ready-made client-base. Pat’s Patio Pots anyone? Nancy’s Nail Bar?

We’re fun! 

Interested in hearing more? 

Good! Because we’re interested in speaking to you too. And before you ask, no – relevant experience isn’t necessary. If you’ve got it, great. But either way, we’ll provide all the training you need. Attitude before aptitude! Check out some of our awesome roles here.