Ruth helps recruit her team

Affinity Trust aims to involve people we support in recruiting staff, from the support workers who work directly with them to directors.

For instance,

Working with the recruiting team, Ruth devises her questions for candidates, including:

• If I am upset, how will you help me?

• How will you help me with my money?

• What are your hobbies?

• Why do you want this job?

At the interview stage, Ruth puts her questions to each shortlisted candidate. She writes down their answers and then scores each candidate out of 10 (1 being “I didn’t like them”, 10 being “They were amazing!”). Ruth’s feedback plays a big part in the appointment of her team.

After staff start work, Ruth continues to be involved during their probation, talking to her Support Manager about her staff and what could be done to support her better. This could lead to extra training or coaching, or to staff not passing their probation.

Ruth also helped recruit a Divisional Director, alongside five other people we support. We used a speed-dating approach, in which the people we support briefly met each candidate in turn. Ruth’s questions included:

• I live in supported living. How will you help people in supported living?

• Will you have time for me?

• How often will you see me?

All the people we support gave feedback on their discussions, which contributed to the final decision as to who to appoint.