New recruitment campaign for adult social care

The Department of Health and Social Care are developing an adult social care workforce recruitment campaign to raise awareness of and drive recruitment into the sector, and help equip the sector with the knowledge of how to support the campaign and boost its recruitment marketing.

Throughout November a pilot scheme for adult social care recruitment advertising was run in both Gloucestershire and Tyne and Wear. Media in both localities covered the campaign which helped to extend the reach to over 250,000 people. The pilot scheme revealed the following:

• Case studies are key to best communicate the passions, benefits, and realities
• Using staff and service users in advertising rather than actors will land more effectively
• We need to continue to promote the variety of roles and breadth of tasks
• An existing connection with ASC makes one more likely to consider a career in the sector.
• So, we aim to facilitate peer-to-peer advocacy
• A cascading approach is essential for scaling out i.e. securing provider buy-in is essential
• to enable a national approach with regional PR

The results from the pilot will inform a national roll out of the campaign in early 2019. The advertising is formed around the concept ‘every day is different when you care’. This is running across websites, radio, social media and local press. You can find out more at www.everydayisdifferent.com. 

The Department of Health and Social Care need the support of local employers/providers with the following:

1. Advertise your vacancies: on the Department for Work and Pensions Job site, on local jobs boards and your own websites

2. Help us with PR: supply us with case studies and spokespeople which we can promote on social media, the website and with media engagement

3. Support the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/everydayisdifferent like the page, share content and add your own experiences. Encourage staff to do the same, particularly with those who they think would be suitable working in adult social care, as we know referrals are a positive driver for retention

5. Share your learnings: what’s worked / not worked in your own recruitment marketing?

6. Help us with evaluation: this is crucial in helping us assess campaign impact. A simple wall chart is available which acts as a daily diary for participating employers to note daily enquiries applications and interviews. A postcard and PDF inviting potential employees to a half hour telephone interview for which they will be paid £50 is also available. The final piece of the jigsaw is 30 minutes of providers’ time to talk

To find out more or if you or your organisation is able to suport with any of the above activities, please contact casestudies@morecarejobs.co.uk