Award-winning North East care firm spreads across country
A TRAIL blazing social enterprise has created 20 new jobs at its newly-opened Leeds branch – and is looking to create 50 more on a rolling recruitment programme. CASA (Care and Share Associates) was founded in the North East, based on the successful Sunderland Home Care Associates model.
The company has an impressive track record of establishing similar employee owned franchise companies in North Tyneside, Newcastle, Manchester, Halifax and more recently Knowsley on Merseyside.
The CASA business model for its franchise companies requires them to set up as employee share ownership companies. This enables employees to benefit from the franchise company’s success through receiving free shares, and at the same time, a proportion of the profits are ploughed back into the franchise company allowing it to spend more on activities such as staff development and training.
CASA Leeds opened its office at Hillside, Beeston Road earlier this summer after securing a contract with Leeds City Council to provide care in the home for older and disabled people and vulnerable residents under its Community Home Care Support Framework Agreement. It has since expanded its services, which include prompting medication, shopping and help with dressing and bathing, to private clients keen to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.
CASA Leeds works in partnership with other agencies including Job Centre Plus and Real Time Training to promote local employment within the community it serves and offers enhanced qualifications to its staff The increasing financial restraints on local authorities, the increase in the elderly population and the desire by the older generation to remain independent as long as possible are all contributory factors to CASA’s growth.