Practical approach: Wellbeing champions

Explore how a co-ordinated, peer-led wellbeing model can reduce stress and sickness while supporting a more resilient and engaged workforce. 

For CEOs, registered managers, finance directors, HR leads, wellbeing leads and training and development leads in adult social care providers.

This approach by Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB embeds wellbeing into everyday practice through a network of champions. Combining peer support with central co-ordination, it improves access to resources, encourages open conversations and eases managerial pressure. The toolkit provides practical guidance on planning and sustaining initiatives, offering a low-cost, scalable model to boost morale and build a more stable social care workforce.

What this toolkit can help you achieve

• A co-ordinated wellbeing champion model reduces stress, burnout and sickness absence while improving retention.
• Peer‑led networks make wellbeing support more visible, accessible and meaningful for staff.
• Central organisation ensures consistency, quality and reduced pressure on individual services.
• Everyday conversations, supported by trained champions, create a positive, open culture where staff feel valued and connected.

Quick start

• Watch a short video highlighting the key points of the toolkit.

• Overview - explore what the toolkit offers, overarching lessons and key takeaways.
  
  

Explore the toolkit at your own pace

Explore the toolkit step-by-step, or go straight to the sections most relevant to you. Each section includes practical recommendations to support you in applying the approach in practice.

Go straight to the sections

• Planning and preparing
  Evidence shows that supported, valued staff are more likely to stay, yet many providers lacked resources to deliver this effectively
• Digital and technology
  From the outset, the team recognised that technology could help overcome persistent barriers in adult social care, such as time constraints, geographically dispersed teams, and limited access to centralised resources
• Financing and investment
  Recognising financial pressures across the ICS and providers, the programme prioritised affordability, scalability and sustainability.
• Involving key stakeholders
  From strategic partners to frontline staff, collaboration shaped every stage of development, ensuring relevance, buy-in and sustainability across diverse care settings.

• Workforce
  Champions acted as trusted colleagues, creating safe spaces for wellbeing conversations and embedding a culture of openness and support across diverse services.

• Pilot, refinement and embedding
  Whilst the wellbeing champion programme was not introduced as a short-term pilot, the initiative evolved and strengthened as it was rolled out and embedded

• Outcomes, impact and learning
  Despite operating on a modest budget, the programme achieved significant engagement, improved morale and strengthened access to wellbeing resources.
  
  

Recommendations

• Wellbeing champions - Recommendations

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