LET’S CARE TOGETHER

The Let’s Care Together programme, a collaboration between Simplyhealth, a leading healthcare provider and Business in the Community (BITC), encourages businesses to support the wellbeing of unpaid carers through employee volunteering.

Five million people in England and Wales and more than 9% of the UK population, provide unpaid care to a relative, friend, or somebody else with a long-term illness, mental health condition or problems related to old age.¹
We know unpaid carers who provide high levels of care for sick or disabled relatives and friends are more than twice as likely to suffer from poor health compared to people without caring responsibilities.²

The Let’s Care Together programme will provide employee volunteers from participating organisations to support carers by providing online befriending and support sessions, streamlining access to resources and providing practical support.  

The support will be across the four pillars of wellbeing: physical, mental, social and financial. It will help carers connect with friends and family, community groups and other support networks, find wellbeing information and gain financial confidence.  

“I couldn’t be doing a lot of what I can now without his guidance and support. He helped me apply for a Family Fund, which means we can now go on holiday, we haven’t had one in years, it really means a lot. He sent me one email with all the detail I needed to apply. I am so grateful for this support. He was fantastic!  

Carer

What will employee volunteers do?

Let’s Care Together volunteers will help to improve the carer’s overall wellbeing and health by; 
 

• 1:1 virtual (over the phone/online) befriending for unpaid carers
• Offering a regular listening ear and external non-judgmental view
• Helping them to identify local support networks
• Helping them set SMART goals around their wellbeing
• Guiding and signposting to relevant external resources and specialist support services
• Offering up to six sessions lasting 45-60 mins each
• Committing up to eight hours (one day) of your volunteering time (including training)

I hope I can help someone even if it is in a very small way, just make their life a little easier supporting them in whatever they need. I’m hoping I can use my own experience to help someone else; being a carer can be really lonely. I hope I can be someone they can talk to and just be there for them to chat if they need it.

Volunteer befriender

How does it work?

Befrienders help improve the confidence of the carer by understanding and tackling their needs, understanding budgeting, savings, pensions and overall wellbeing and health.  

• Businesses join the programme by offering their employees a volunteering opportunity to become befrienders. 
• Employee volunteers will receive comprehensive training on being a befriender and be provided with all the required tools and resources*.
• Befrienders are then matched with beneficiaries to provide one-to-one support. 
• Befrienders and their dedicated carer befriendee will meet virtually for six sessions of 60-90 minutes over two to four months. 

*Guidance and support will be provided throughout the programme.

What are the benefits for organisations and their employees? 

By being part of this programme, not only will the participants benefit from the support they receive, but the referring organisations will benefit from; 

• A boost to employee engagement by providing meaningful volunteering opportunities that allow them to contribute to their local communities.
  
• An increased awareness of local services, community needs and opportunities. 
  
• Playing an integral role in supporting people who look after others (some of whom might be the organisation’s own employees).  
  
• Employee skills will be developed through the training provided and by being able to put this training into practice.
  
• An increased impact for responsible business agendas with a demonstrable commitment to providing social value.

How do organisations get involved? 

If you are an organisation providing advice and guidance to people with caring responsibilities who would benefit from befriending, find out more about becoming a referral or delivery partner. 

Express your interest in getting involved with the UK-wide mobilisation of businesses supporting those with caring responsibilities by emailing the team at Care at Business in the Community.

Business in the Community’s Who Cares? campaign

BITC’s Who Cares? campaign, inspired by our ‘Who Cares’ report findings, is calling on employers and policymakers to transform the way we think about combining paid work and care.
Find out more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)