The Westminster Society for People with Learning Disabilities
Values Based
Recruitment
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Who are The Westminster Society
• We are a Charity with over 53 years
experience of working with people with
learning disabilities
• Services include shared residential and
supported living, independent living, floating
support, nursery and after schools, short
breaks, community activity events, dom
care, drop in and family services
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Who are The Westminster Society
• Based in Westminster near Queens park,
one of the poorer areas of the borough with
high levels of unemployment and poverty.
Also working in Camden and Kensington
and Chelsea
• Currently employ over 300 permanent staff
and 200 sessional staff (internal agency)
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Best Recruitment Initiatives
and
Winner of Winners
2013/14
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Our problem
• We reviewed the performance of staff including outcomes of
appraisals, disciplinary and grievances and believed we had a
problem right at the start of employment.
• We had grown and the capacity to deliver face to face panel
interviews was proving a challenge
• Pass rates were variable with some people unable to pass
without experience but who were friendly and enthusiastic and
some people passing with lots of experience but no passion for
the work.
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The solution?
• We reviewed our JD/PS and the employee journey to see what
we were asking for and offering was in line with what was needed
and wanted.
• We reviewed our interview questions and the experience for
candidates and interviewers
• We developed our Values Into Practice (VIP) statements and
launched to staff in 2010 with a review in 2014
• We reflected on other practices in and out of the sector and at
different levels and chose Assessment centre as a pilot
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Valued Based Assessment centre
• We meet between 4 and 12 candidates taking part in exercises to
demonstrate values into practice such as
• Group work
• Written test (literacy and numeracy)
• Case study
• Video and discussion
• Team challenge
• Starts with us selling who we are and set our stall, clear about
who we are so not overselling ourselves
• We observe and record what we see and hear through the 3 ½
hours including breaks
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• People with learning disabilities co host and facilitators giving
feedback on their view of each person
• Use photos to remind people when we are scoring
• Observers recording what people say and how they behave
• Scores include our Super criteria for which the person has to pass
(Communication, Team work, Respect)
• Developed score sheet and questions which ensure someone
with a learning disability is meaningfully engaged
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• Scoring is linked to key areas looking for including: consistency of
approach, listening, team work, friendliness, originality of
thoughts, matching with claims on application form.
• Facilitators and observers are Services Managers, Team
Managers and Assistant Team managers and each occasion is a
learning process with amendments made to process based on
learning's – now introducing family members which gives another
perspective
• 2nd interviews are used as a face to face discussion where there
are areas we feel need expansion or a borderline candidate and
split panel
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The Impact
•
Managers and people we support enjoy the experience more and
are able to make better informed decisions
• Candidates are clearer about what we expect of them and the
evidence can be used within probation were actual practice falls
short of the promise they demonstrate in the interview
• Lower issues of disciplinary and grievances
• Increased ownership by people we support of their team
• Greater diversity of team members in all areas
• Skills for care Accolade Award application and success
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Impact of the Award
• Commissioners confidence
• Being contacted by The
Guardian for an article about
our recruitment
• Boost to recruitment
advertising
• Evidence for tenders and
other accreditation
• Staff Morale
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The Westminster Society for People with Learning Disabilities
Any
Questions?
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