The Yorkshire Circle is where Equal Care's pilot for giving care and support is taking place. Launching in 2020, the work has resulted in the evolution of Equal Care's model of Teams (owned by the person getting support) and Circles (there to enable and support Teams), nested within the overall co-operative structure. It also reinforced and developed our commitment to relationship-centred care, which we view as the next 'logical step' from person-centred support. The support is taking place in the Calder Valley and Halifax, growing gradually in Calderdale and sparking collaborations with other local groups and councils. 

The Yorkshire Circle has:

• Practiced and evolved the core model of Equal Care's support, integrating it with the way that England's regulatory system for care works.
• Set up the 'first draft' of Equal Care's overal infrastructure (systems, policies, procedures) and contributed to the early development of the platform.
• Successfully applied to deliver contracted support with Calderdale Council and the CCG.
• Enabled some incredible care and support to take place in the Valley.

Experiences in our teams have included 'reversing' the symptoms of dementia that had been exacerbated by the revolving door of different faces from the previous agency, enabling people to stay at home for much longer than they could have, family members being able to go back to work, care workers experiencing respected, decently-paid work, volunteers helping build resilience in teams, working with people getting support, family members and care workers alike. 

We have built up enough experience now to know that the way we do care and support is significantly better (88% of survey respondents said so) than the norm. We know that - although the numbers are still small - the indications are that we've got an approach to social care that actually, finally works for the people this whole social care system is supposed to serve.

Without support though, we won't be able to grow our co-operative. Please consider investing in Equal Care. This will help us develop our model, finish our platform and for Circles to start up in other areas. Including with our lovely colleagues in London!

The London Circle is a mutual aid group that addresses the long term needs and aspirations of people giving and receiving care by focusing on opportunities for systemic change in social care. 

The London circle is currently made up 9 members. The core group of 5 circle founders have been working together since July 2019. Collectively we have experience in, care, support and PA work in a variety of settings, training and consultancy in culture change and person centred, action learning and research, social work, psychotherapy, counselling, business development, law, community development, applied theatre and cooperative development. 

We work collaboratively with a range of caring individuals, agencies and organisations committed to putting the relationship between people giving and receiving care first and shifting the balance of power in social care. Current projects and partnerships include:

• Commissioning innovation practices and workshops in partnership with Islington and Calderdale councils and other local home care providers.
• Training in Relationship-centred care and Community Development in partnership with students of Metropolitan University studying a BA in Community Development and Leadership. 
• Mapping the landscape of care and support for informal carers in Hackney and Islington to identify opportunities to resource and support citizen-led social care initiatives in partnership with Hackney Cooperative Development, The Centre for Welfare Reform and researchers from London School of Economics.
• Rebranding social care through the art of care. Interviews with care workers on ‘beautiful care’ and care work as an art and craft. In partnership with the School of Arts Languages and Cultures, University of Manchester and Whitworth Gallery. 
• Fostering a cooperative culture amongst providers operating in the boroughs through holding meet and greets, action learning groups and sharing and pooling resources in a spirit of trust and goodwill. 

Radical ideas and revolutionary tech platforms, multi-stakeholder cooperatives don’t make real change happen on their own. To make this happen we need the lived experience, abilities, disabilities, strengths and hopes of the people of Hackney, Islington and neighbouring boroughs.

To join us, collaborate or enquire further contact [email protected].