Community, trust and representation: recruitment in Shared Lives

Carly Riley, Strategic carer recruitment communications manager and Sanah Sheikh, Strategic Advice Consultant at Shared Lives Plus discuss how to recruit Shared Lives carers from minoritised ethnic and cultural communities.

Shared Lives is a real example of what the future of good social care looks like. It builds relationships, belonging and purpose within local communities. Shared Lives schemes bring people who need support, together with Shared Lives carers, to share homes, lives, and community connections, so everyone has the chance to live where they feel they belong. That sense of belonging is at the heart of many minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities - and as we found – it's a shared potential that is currently untapped.

In May 2025, Shared Lives Plus, the UK membership charity for Shared Lives carers and schemes was commissioned by the Hallmark Foundation to explore how to recruit Shared Lives carers from minoritised ethnic and cultural communities. This followed the publication of the 2024-25 state of Shared Lives in the UK report, which showed that only 5-7% of Shared Lives carers are from minoritised ethnic communities, compared with around 18% of the UK population being non-white. Despite the brilliant, but rare examples of matching between carers and people drawing on support with similar languages, faiths or ethnic backgrounds, the current cohort of Shared Lives carers did not represent the diversity of minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities in England, limiting the availability of culturally appropriate support for people from these communities.

While the research focused on Shared Lives carers, it also revealed broader insights relevant to recruitment across the social care sector. Engagement with schemes across the country, alongside conversations with carers from a range of minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, highlighted several recurring themes. These insights can be applied to attracting individuals into a wide variety of roles across the sector.

Channels and tactics

Initially we explored the channels and tactics needed to reach the desired audience. A survey was conducted with 18 carers and the feedback was interesting. The key finding was that who delivers the message is just as important as the message itself. People are far more likely to respond when the message comes from someone who represents their community, whether that is a faith leader, a respected community figure or a carer with experience in the role.

Community based outreach

Spending time ‘on the ground' in local spaces, places and institutions where communities gather is vital. Effective outreach is as much about relationship building as it is about recruitment. Developing these connections enables access to community organisations, forums and religious groups that are deeply rooted in local areas, helping to build trust and credibility over time.

The role of religious and community leaders

Religious and community leaders play a crucial role in successful outreach. As one carer explained, “Individuals are more likely to listen to people and leaders who share their values and beliefs.” Therefore, collaboration with these trusted gatekeepers is essential; they can act as champions and informal ambassadors for Shared Lives, and their endorsement helps builds trust and credibility.

Carers as advocates

Having people with lived experience describe what the role entails is instrumental to successful recruitment from minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities. Carer’s stories provide representation and help communities understand both the role and any perceived barriers. Word of mouth is a powerful recruitment tool, particularly in closeknit minoritised communities where trust is key. As one carer fed back, “There’s no better testimony than from someone doing it and loving it.”

Local print and media

Many stressed the importance of visibility in local community spaces. This might include leaflets and banners, as well as features in local magazines, radio stations and newspapers. Community organisation websites can further support this visibility. Approximately half of the carers surveyed identified local media adverts and articles as one of the three most effective recruitment channels.

Using demographic data

Using a data driven approach to analyse and map the local area builds a detailed profile and identifies which minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities are under-represented, where people congregate, and which organisations serve them. This information can then be used to target outreach more effectively.

Messaging

Family, religious and community values

The research highlighted that many minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities have a strong sense of community. This means they value opportunities to ‘give back’ through charity, care and support, and are often tied to strong religious values and family ethics. Recruitment messaging should therefore emphasise the caring nature of the role and frame Shared Lives to support people within the local community.

Ten carers surveyed said that “an opportunity to give back or support a family from their community” would encourage people from their community to become carers.

Culturally specific messaging

It is important when looking for a specific minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious community, that the message is direct. Clearly stating what you are looking for reinforces the message that carers from these communities are valued and needed. This can be as simple as ‘We are looking for carers from a Jewish background to support a young Jewish man.’

More than half the carers surveyed said that knowing there was a specific need for carers from their own ethnic, cultural or religious community would encourage others to come forward. As once carer explained, “We have more in common and the same shared values.”

Summary

Developing this guide was both insightful and interesting; hearing the direct feedback from carers was invaluable. Overall, the research showed that the most effective way to recruit people from minoritised ethnic, cultural and religious communities is by utilising trusted voices within those communities, alongside lived experience from existing carers.

When looking to attract people from a particular background or faith, it is important to build relationships within that community to establish trust and credibility. Seeing representation from someone within the same community can create a snowball effect, where the recruitment of one carer often leads to interest in the role from others in the community. Emphasising the caring aspect of Shared Lives, using culturally relevant and sensitive imagery, and tailoring messages to specific communities are all key to reaching and engaging a more diverse range of carers.

Print this page