Partnership Scheme Recognised for Excellence

The Care to Make a Difference Partnership, of which Walsall College is a key partner, has recently been recognised as one of the top three social care recruitment programmes in the UK. The innovative scheme was shortlisted and reached the finals of the Most Effective Recruitment Initiative in the high-profile Skills for Care Accolades 2010.
The awards, run in partnership with the Department of Health, are the Oscars of the social care world, celebrating excellence and achievement. Every winner and nominee is the best of the best. To be nominated proves an organisation’s success in improving the lives of people who use social care services through workforce development.

Care to Make a Difference has been helping people to launch their careers in social care for around 18 months. This innovative pre-employment programme has had a major positive impact, attracting high-calibre individuals and supporting them to explore the terrific career opportunities that the sector offers.

In doing so, it has supported Black Country social care sector providers to seek out and recruit the talented and committed people they need to deliver an outstanding service. The project also provides local care providers with financial support through the recruitment process and once the new starter is employed.

BCPC’s Amanda Spratt said: “We were delighted to have been shortlisted for such a prestigious award. Over 250 local people have completed the programme and almost 100 of them have secured work in the sector.”

Karen Matthews, Employability Team Leader at Walsall College said: “We are very proud to be a partner in the Care to Make a Difference initiative and delighted to be shortlisted for the Skills for Care Accolades. The work the partnership undertakes, provides individuals with the opportunity to train for a career in an ever expanding workforce, which in the current economic climate, is a valuable opportunity for unemployed people.”