Community Benefits: Employment, Volunteering, and Skills

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📘 Blog 4 of 7 in our Social Value & Net Zero Series
Community Benefits: Employment, Volunteering, and Skills

Links to all 7 blogs in this series are at the bottom of this post.

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👥 People at the Heart of Social Value

Social value is as much about people and opportunity as it is about carbon. Commissioners reward providers who grow local employment, invest in skills, and enable volunteering that strengthens community resilience. High-performing organisations align these commitments with recognised social value priorities and underpin them with credible social value measurement and reporting frameworks to evidence impact, not just intent.

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🔑 High-Impact Commitments

• Local jobs: % of roles advertised locally; guaranteed interview for care leavers or disabled applicants.
• Apprenticeships: 2–3 per year with completion targets and progression pathways.
• Volunteering: structured roles (befriending, community connectors) with training and supervision.
• Skills programs: employability workshops co-delivered with colleges/VCSEs; digital confidence sessions for older adults.

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💡 Example (Domiciliary Care)

“We will create three local apprenticeships per year and a peer mentor scheme led by experienced carers. We’ll track retention at 12/24 months and share outcomes via quarterly ‘you said, we did’ updates.”

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📣 Tender Tips

1. Quantify opportunities (numbers, timelines, success criteria).
2. Show inclusion: targeted outreach to under-represented groups.
3. Evidence support: training, supervision, pastoral care.
4. Report quarterly to governance and publish highlights to families/public.

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📚 Catch up on the full Social Value & Net Zero Series:

1. 📘 Why Social Value Matters in Social Care Tenders
2. 🧭 The NHS Social Value Model: What Providers Must Know
3. 🌱 Net Zero in Practice: Turning Promises into Action
4. 👥 Community Benefits: Employment, Volunteering, and Skills
5. 📊 Measuring and Reporting Social Value: Tools and Frameworks
6. 🏛️ Embedding Social Value in Everyday Service Delivery
7. 📄 Evidencing Social Value and Net Zero in Tenders & Inspections

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