Social CareRecruitmentCampaign 2007/08

A Resource Pack for Employers

Contents

IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn

About this resource pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

GGeett iinnvvoollvveedd

Managing local interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Running a local campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

GGoooodd PPrraaccttiiccee

Communicating to the media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Targeting local media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

News stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

What makes news? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Feature articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

What makes a good feature? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Letters to the editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

RReessoouurrcceess

Writing a press release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Useful statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Media quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Case studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Advertising visuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Introduction

The Department of Health is leading a high-profile campaign in partnership with the social care industry torecruit more people into social care and raise the profile and public esteem of social care work.

We are aiming to position social care as a rewarding, paid job with flexible working hours available and noformal qualifications needed, with the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people and for careerdevelopment.

The campaign aims to combine advertising and media work at national and regional level with recruitmentdrives by local employers. The adverts, which feature real people, will be run during March 2008, with plansfor a more year-round approach going forward.

A short video on the campaign, featuring a sneak preview of the television, radio and television advertstogether with interviews with senior figures from the government and social care industry, can be viewed atwww.socialworkandcare.co.uk

AAbboouutt tthhiiss rreessoouurrccee ppaacckk

While national campaigns canreach a wide audience, localactivity often has a biggerimpact and generates a betterresponse. The simple fact is,the more times people hear,read or see the same message,the more likely they are torespond.

We appreciate that someemployers do not have thetime or resources to make themost of their recruitmentdrives. So we've produced this resource pack of ideas, guidance and materials, which we encourage you to uselocally.

Our approach is not about trying to get social care employers to go about recruitment in the same way. It'sabout recognising what works and providing you with free resources to support whatever recruitment activityyou do.

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Get involved

MMaannaaggiinngg llooccaall iinntteerreesstt

For many would-be social care workers who respond to the campaign, the national helpline 0845 604 6404and website www.socialworkandcare.co.uk will be the first point of contact. However, many people will preferto contact someone locally.

Here are a few ideas on how you can prepare for the campaign and help create a positive first impression ofthe social care sector:

1. Make sure your switchboard or receptionist, colleagues and partners are properly briefed about thecampaign so they know what to do when they get calls to give would-be recruits the information theyneed and make them feel that you want to help them find suitable work in social care

2. Work up a plan of action to deal with or signpost enquiries from potential social care recruits to theright person, maybe linking up with job centres and local employers

3. Ensure that all current vacancies (including any temporary jobs) are advertised or listed somewhere sothey can be given to callers

4. Be aware of education and training opportunities offered locally for would-be recruits.

5. Be aware of your council's future service plans and likely recruitment needs over the next 3-6 months,and consider creating a talent pool by keeping interested people's details on file for when any suitablevacancies arise

6. Put a link on your website to the Department of Health's campaign websitewww.socialworkandcare.co.uk and www.ukhca.co.uk/memberlist.aspx for a postcode search of homecare providers in England

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RRuunnnniinngg aa llooccaall ccaammppaaiiggnn

If you decide to run a local recruitment campaign, here are a few steps to help you get started:

1. Decide what you want to achieve

There are many reasons you might want to run a local campaign on social care. For example, to help raise theprofile and status of social care profession or as part of a local recruitment drive. Being clear about your aimswill help you to achieve them.

2. Think about your local

community and target

audience

If you're doing a recruitmentdrive, you may decide to targetthe kind of people in yourexisting workforce - perhapswomen with some experienceof caring - or you may want tocreate a more balancedworkforce by reaching out toother groups.

3. Develop a set of key messages for your target audience

If your campaign is about recruitment, you may find there is value in using the same messages and languageof the national campaign, which talks about social care work as being:

Rewarding - social care workers help to improve people's lives and can develop their career in many ways

Flexible - social care workers can often work hours that suit their circumstances and lifestyle

Valued - social care workers are highly valued by the people they care for and by society as a whole

4. Decide on the right route to reach your target audience

There's a range of options you could consider, include media relations, advertising and events - keep readingfor some ideas, guidance and resources on each of these routes.

5. Evaluate the results of your campaign

Knowing how well your campaign worked will help you to run future campaigns more effectively. And pleaselet us know the topline results of your campaign, by emailing swsc@dh.gov.gsi.uk.

Good Practice

CCoommmmuunniiccaattiinngg wwiitthh tthhee mmeeddiiaa

The media can be used to raise awareness of your own social care recruitment drive. It is important to have aclear strategy when dealing with the media, particularly because they are so busy and there are so manyinteresting stories that they need to consider writing about. You MUST make your story the most interesting!

Providing journalists with the kind of information that they require to create a strong news story will assistyou in gaining media coverage.

TTaarrggeettiinngg llooccaall mmeeddiiaa

There is a range of media that you could target with your news story:

Local Newspapers

Regional Newspapers

Local Radio

Local TV

Websites

NNeewwss ssttoorriieess

News stories must always be current, which means that reporters work very quickly when putting their articlestogether. The standard way of informing news reporters of your story is by issuing a press release the daybefore you would like the story to appear. Always remember to include your contact details at the end of thepress release (telephone and mobile numbers, email address, etc).

Once you have issued your press release, follow up with a phone call to make sure the information has beenreceived, and to offer further details or comments from a spokesperson or case study. Journalists work totight deadlines and receive numerous press releases every day, so be aware of their deadlines and alwaysfollow up to remind them about your story after sending a press release.

WWhhaatt mmaakkeess nneewwss??

There are lots of different ways that you can generate positive coverage of social care, to promote your latestrecruitment campaign:

Link into the national campaign: Once the national campaign launches, you could send your own

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local press release announcing the availability of jobs in social care in the local area.

Statistics: Do you have any interesting statistics on the increase/decrease in social care jobs, or evensocial care applications for jobs?

Events: Are you holding any social care recruitment events in your local area? If so, make sure the localmedia are aware of it beforehand. A well-timed press release can mean free publicity for your event.

FFeeaattuurree aarrttiicclleess

Feature articles allow journalists to explore a topic or issue in greater depth. Feature writers typically plan theirarticles weeks or even months in advance, giving them more time to discuss the topic with you. Features canalso be made more engaging with photos, interviews and case studies or quotes.

WWhhaatt mmaakkeess aa ggoooodd ffeeaattuurree??

Timing: The timing of the national campaign might be a good opportunity to approach your localnewspaper to consider an article on social care. Alternatively, find out if your local newspaper has aregular 'recruitment' section. There are also other interesting times to start talking about careers ingeneral. For example, at the end of March, many people hear news about their bonuses. Can you tiein a feature with this idea to show that personal reward, rather than money, is more important? Orhow about at the end of the school term? Many social care jobs are apt for school leavers, as they donot necessarily need a large number of qualifications.

Photos: Sometimes, a really great photo can make a feature. Invite the photographer of your localnewspaper to visit a real partnership in practice. Journalists love to illustrate their stories and picturesmake for a more interesting read!

Case studies: Examples of real people enjoying their job and making a difference can again appeal tothe media. Do you employ someone who perhaps recently changed careers - for example, went fromworking in the city to being a social care worker? Or how about someone who goes against thestereotype of social care workers - perhaps a young man, or a person with a learning disability?

LLeetttteerrss ttoo tthhee eeddiittoorr

Sending a letter to your local newspaper can be an effective way of forcing an issue to be acknowledged bythe public.

An independent opinion on the importance of the campaign and the best practice that is taking place locallywill have a high level of credibility with local media.

The letter should be clear and concise, focusing on key messages such as the need for greater publicunderstanding of the importance of social care and the current work being done locally. You could encouragethem to provide the website details for anyone who would like further information and advice.

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AAddvveerrttiissiinngg

Advertising is an effective way of reaching out to your potential jobseekers, but don't stick to the same oldformula. Many people only use their local papers, potentially excluding a number of other people who mightbe interested in the role.

Advertise recruitment events on the websitewww.socialcareandcareers.co.uk by emailingswsc@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Other avenues to try are:

Alerting your local Jobcentre Plus to currentvacancies. You can find your nearest office byvisiting their websitewww.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Add new vacancies to local job websites.

Encourage your existingworkforce to 'spread the word',perhaps with an incentive bonus.

Consider recruitment posters insocial and community clubs oreven your local supermarket.

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Are you looking for new ideas to improve your recruitment success? We asked Care 4 You,

winners of the Skills for Care Accolade 2007 for best recruitment initiative, to provide some top

tips on recruiting new social care workers:

Encourage outreach at community events and meeting places

Consider a strategic tie-up with a local employment bureau

Get involved in creative role-play workshops and open days

Expand the talent pool by targeting young people and career-changers

Produce leaflets for existing staff to hand out to others

Care 4 You was set up in 2006 in a rural and largely affluent part of Cheshire. It currently employs 30social care workers and has a waiting list of would-be recruits lined up for interview.

EEvveennttss

If you decide to run or get involved in a local event, the key to attracting as many people as possible is tohave something that they're interested in seeing, doing, or taking away. And make sure the local media knowabout it!

Why not hold a recruitment event or open day, or arrange for a stand at an existing event or venue where youknow your target audience will be? You could even team up with other employers or local authorities in your area.

We're always keen to promote local recruitment events or open days so let us know about any you areplanning by emailing swsc@dh.gsi.gov.uk

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Resources

WWrriittiinngg aa pprreessss rreelleeaassee

Here are a few basic pointers about writing a press release that gets results:

Use simple language

Write no more than two A4 pages with 1.5 line spacing

Use a succinct headline

In the first paragraph, answer: Who? Why? Where? When? and What? then explain the story in moredetail

Include a quote from a relevant spokesperson and statistics if you have them (or feel free to use from anyof the quotes below)

Include your contact details in a notes to editors section at the end of the release

UUsseeffuull ssttaattiissttiiccss

There are 1.2 million paid socialcare workers in England,representing about 5% of theUK workforce

Source: Department of Health

Social care workers provided anestimated 3.7 million hours ofcontact time a week tohouseholds in England in 2005

Source: NHS Health and SocialCare Information Centre

90% of social care workers say they're happy in their work, but less than half believe the general publicappreciates their work

Source: Skills for Care

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MMeeddiiaa qquuootteess

Below are some quotations from key stakeholders, showing their support for the campaign. These can alsobe used in press releases.

Colin Angel, Head of Policy and Communications at the UK Home Care Association

“Homecare agencies can train and develop ordinary people into extraordinary care workers capable oftransforming service users' lives. This recruitment campaign is the most significant opportunity we have thisyear to increase the capacity of our workforce.”

Anne Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services

“Put quite simply, the full success or otherwise of all the exciting developments planned in adult social careservices depends on our having the right number of highly-trained and dedicated staff in the right place, atthe right time. We look forward to this campaign giving high profile support to all the many other initiativeswhich I know colleagues are launching locally.”

Ivan Lewis MP, Care Services Minister for the Department of Health

“Social workers and social care staff play a critical role in every community - dealing with a wide cross sectionof people across society. This campaign will focus on how rewarding and valuable a career in social care canbe and sets out to challenge perceptions on who works in social care.”

Martin Green, Chief Executive of the English Community Care Association

“The recruitment and retention of high quality staff is the central element of delivering good care. I amdelighted that this recruitment campaign is being developed because it will be a valuable support to all careservices and enable them to recruit good quality staff in a timely and efficient way. This campaign is aresource for the whole of the care sector and I urge providers to use it and gain the benefits it affords”.

CCaassee ssttuuddiieess

When endeavouring to secure coverage in local papers and magazines it is important to remember what kindof stories the papers like to publish. Facts and figures, although very important, often do not on their ownhave the power to bring a story to life and make it appealing to journalists and of course the readers.

Using case studies, such as the two examples here, as a means of conveying your messages is a great way ofheightening interest. Journalists love a ‘real-life’ angle on stories, particularly if they are local as it makes thestory even more relevant to their readers.

It is important to remember that case studies must always be treated sensitively. Once you have compiled a smalldatabase of people who are willing to be case studies and taken down details of their stories and their contact detailsyou can offer their stories to the media. Remember to ensure that all interviews are set up through you or your

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media team and that you never give out a case study’s personal contact details without their explicit permission.When you have arranged an interview, make sure you have thoroughly briefed the person you are using as a case studyFor further hints and tips about recruiting, selling in or using case studies, contact the Social Care team atE

Stacey was bullied at school because of her learning difficulties. By the age of 18, she was a mother of three.NickNick gave up his job as a driver to become a carer after his son,

BBooookklleett

Below is a downloadable version of the 'Working in Social Care' information booklet(http://www.socialworkandcare.co.uk).

AAddvveerrttiissiinngg vviissuuaallss

Here's some photography from the making of the adverts that may be useful. If you would like to receive anyof the images or require some help in putting together your own adverts, email swsc@dh.gov.gsi.uk

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ContactsVisit our campaign website www.socialworkandcare.co.uk or call the information line 0845 604 6404 to ordercampaign literature.

If you would like support or help with publicity around your local recruitment campaign, please call Munro &Forster on 020 7815 3900 and ask to speak to someone in the social care team.

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