Transport scheme supports social care workers with getting to work
02 Jun 2023
3 min read
Wheels to Work is a scooter hire scheme intending to help those struggling with a lack of affordable or accessible transport to get to work. This #GoodNewsFriday we hear how it’s been helping social care workers.
Carly Somers is a care worker who’s been making use of the Wheels to Work scheme for around two years. She hires a Piaggio Liberty 125 which she pays for on a weekly basis. Carly has also invested in her own top box so that she is able to carry her supplies and paperwork around with her.
She tells us:
Wheels to work offers a valuable service and supplies reliable vehicles. I was a key worker during the covid lockdown and had to travel to work regularly. I work unsociable hours, and public transport isn’t always the best option.
Travelling by scooter, I get to be outside often, and I use quieter roads, which means I can see the countryside. It also means I’m not on busy public transport, which is not always safe in my career as germs can spread easier there.
Carly explains that she pays for her fuel on a weekly basis and is also responsible for keeping it in good condition – for example, cleaning it as well as checking the tyres and oil. Other costs such as Insurance, MOT, servicing, tax, and breakdown are all included in her weekly hire rate.
She adds:
Any questions or concerns, I just get in touch with the Wheels to Work team.
Gillian Ward is another care worker who makes use of the scheme. She first found out about Wheels to Work from her employer and knew it would be an easy way for her to get on the road for her work as a home carer.
She says that riding her moped rather than walking means that she can work more hours as she’s not spending as much time travelling.
She says:
It gives me independence. I can cover a wider radius and work much longer hours, which means that I get more money. The patients love that I turn up in a moped; they call me ‘the moped lady’.
The Wheels to Work scheme allows travel up to 750 miles per month which is perfect for care workers like Gillian as she can also use her scooter to visit her sister and nieces. She can also support her sister with medical appointments and other care.
Adam Tighe is the Area Development Lead for South Leicestershire at Care Sante Limited. They offer specialist support and care to people who face mental and physical challenges.
Adam advises that he is eager to introduce the Wheels to Work scheme to support their care team.
At Care Sante, we’re all about supporting people, and that is both the people we support and the people on our team.
We proudly support community initiatives to support individuals back into work who have experienced barriers, long-term unemployment and ill-health, with flexible working opportunities and a rewarding career.
Adam tells us that having discussed the Wheels to Work scheme with the people who run it, he feels it could open a number of opportunities for the Care Sante team members.
He explains the organisation has 12 branches across the UK in varying levels of rurality. Those in rural areas often struggle to sustain work without their own transport but are not financially able to secure their own transport due to a lack of regular work.
The Wheels to Work scheme could tackle this ‘catch 22’ situation.
Adam says:
As a care provider, we happily employ walkers, and some of the team use bicycles as well as electric scooter/bike hire. This could be a really good alternative to using those options, as the electric bike and scooter hire can prove quite costly. It’s also more of an ad-hoc option and will be less physically demanding.
We feel this could be a great option for our workforce and something really useful to actively promote, as it can support our team with additional work options, but also increase the level of service for our clients with reduced travel time needed and the ability to plan their calls closer to their most desired times during busy periods.
Adam also explains that with a diverse workforce covering an age range from 17-70 the scooter option could be beneficial to workers at various stages and circumstances in their lives and could potentially support some workers in taking on additional hours if they can travel around more easily.
He adds that the financial saving on transport could also help team members to save for a car, a family holiday, or even just to live more comfortably with the general day to day cost of living.
Find out more about the Wheels to Work scheme and how it could help you or your team here.
If you have a good news story to share email marketing@skillsforcare.org.uk
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