A Special Place to Work
We wouldn’t be where we are today without the dedication, skill and care of our colleagues, and the difference they make every day to the people we support.
That’s why attracting and keeping the right people is essential to everything we do.
We’re realistic about the fact that, as a charity, we can’t always match private sector salaries. What we can offer, is work that feels worthwhile, strong relationships, opportunities for development, and the chance to become part of a vibrant community.
Our locations also play a big part. From rolling hills in the North York Moors, to community gardens and social farms, many of the environments we work in offer a connection to nature that’s hard to find in many workplaces, and something our colleagues really value.
When we ask what stands out most, the answer is consistent: it’s the people they support, the relationships they build, the opportunities to grow, and the sense that what they do genuinely matters.
- This case study is part of our environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) statement. Learn more about the project here.
Hollie's Journey
Working for the Trust is a hugely rewarding career, even for those who had initially had very different plans.
Hollie Fletcher first joined the Trust as a Support Worker, having previously not considered a career in care. She was set on joining the military as a dog handler, but after issues with her knees ended that dream, a new path opened for her.
“I rang my manager at the Trust, really upset, telling him I couldn’t do the job I’d always wanted to do,” said Hollie. “He told me I could have a career in care if I wanted and that they’d love to have me here full time.”
Even working part-time at the Trust had started to have an in impact on Hollie: “It was a bit of a shock at first because I had to grow up very quickly,” she said. “Working behind a bar, it's all fun and games, but I came here and realised that you've got people's lives in your hands.”
“It was a big honour because I felt like I'd been trusted to help people live independently and it made me look at myself and where I was going in my own life. If I'm helping people, I need to grow up and get my act together and progress in my life. I quickly began to realise that I loved working in adult social care, it was a job that made me feel fulfilled.”
Hollie has made rapid progress since joining full-time, becoming one of the youngest Registered Managers in the country in 2022 at the age of just 24, and winning an Excellence in Care Award from the West Midlands Care Association a year later.
She’s rightly proud of her progress but also grateful for the support she has received from the Trust: “If it wasn't for the managers I've had here, it wouldn't have been possible, they've given me faith to believe in myself as well as pushing me to do better, which I now try to pass on to my staff.”
Developing our staff
The learning and development of colleagues is a key focus area for the Trust, with a new strategy designed to cultivate growth for all of our employees. Offering learning and development - and opportunities to progress within the Trust - encourages people to stay with us.
Keith's Journey
Another example of this is IT Officer Keith Trodd, who joined the Trust as an apprentice. He had previously worked as a property photographer but had been advised by a friend to consider a career in IT. As a new father, the opportunity to work while learning as an apprentice was a perfect fit.
He felt immediately welcomed and trusted when he started: “My experience joining was really great. I enjoyed every aspect and was welcomed with open arms as well as being given autonomy and trust, which I found very rewarding,” said Keith. “On my second day I was given a project to manage, which was a mixture of learning on the job and putting it into practice immediately.”
Keith was given a permanent role following his apprenticeship and is continuing to develop his skills with ongoing training, but he’s clear what makes this job special: “I don't think anything could have prepared me for just how rewarding it is to be speaking and interacting with the people we support. They are just wonderful and really enrich your life.”
Roles with Purpose
As both Keith and Hollie have described, the people we support play a big role in what makes Camphill Village Trust a special place to work. We include them in many of our interview panels, ensuring that they have in some of the positions we hire for, which is just one example of the many rewarding ways we embed co-production in the way we work.
Emma Rushmer, Head of People and Talent for the Trust said: “The people we support are a key part of our interview process and we always get really great feedback from candidates in terms of how they enjoyed the experience. So it works for the people we support, as they get their voices heard, but also for our candidates too. I’ll always remember my own interview, I loved talking to them!”
Hollie and Keith's experiences reflect what working at the Trust is really like: Work that feels worthwhile, opportunities to grow, and the chance to be part of a rich community, rooted in nature. For those who choose to build their careers here, it becomes more than a job: it’s a place where people connect, contribute, and make a genuine difference, every day.
