COLUMN: Celebrating our carers: ‘It’s not a job, it’s a calling’

These awards celebrate the tremendous support provided by colleagues working in social care across Lincolnshire in so many varied settings such as residential care, nursing and adult care.

The award winners are fine examples of so many caring staff in Lincolnshire who show real dedication and passion in their work to ensure that people throughout the county are given the care they need and deserve. Of course, it isn’t easy caring for someone or groups of people and requires a lot of perseverance and understanding. But many staff I talk to say it’s a hugely fulfilling job.

Which is why I want to promote the launch of our new campaign ‘It’s not a job’ which will run from the end of March to the end of May 2022, aimed at attracting more people into the adult social care profession in Lincolnshire.

Working in partnership with the Lincolnshire Care Association, the campaign has been developed by leading marketing and behaviour change agency based in Lincoln, Social Change UK. They’ve been consulting with a network of nine home care providers across the county.

The initiative coincides with the Department of Health and Social Care’s national recruitment campaign, ‘Made With Care’, which aims to raise the profile of the adult social care sector as a rewarding and stimulating place to work.

The Lincolnshire campaign complements the national efforts by anchoring the message in a sense of place – our beautiful, rural county – and highlighting the benefits to quality of life for carers in the profession. The key messages: ‘It’s not a job, it’s a life’ and ‘It’s not a job, it’s a calling’ draw attention to the benefits of job security, career progression and work-life balance present within adult social care that cannot always be found in other sectors.

In addition to raising awareness and highlighting the benefits of the sector, the ‘It’s Not a Job’ campaign seeks to simplify the enquiry process for anyone seeking a job in social care. The county council has a dedicated page on its website for people interested in a career in home care. A single enquiry form streamlines the process by connecting jobseekers with the home care providers.