A connection between resilience, cycling and social work is not immediately apparent. But for Cafcass, the single largest employer of social workers in the UK, raising funds for Children in Need through a month of cycling across the country was an important way of continuing to build cohesion in teams.
Staff no longer spend as much time at the office, after the introduction of 4G tablets or laptops and BlackBerrys have enabled social workers to access files and reports at court or use interactive online tools whilst working with children. This has clear benefits for flexible working but Cafcass was conscious of the need to maintain the benefits which come from interaction with colleagues.
Cafcass has been working with Robertson Cooper, market leaders in workplace wellbeing and resilience, founded by Professor Sir Cary Cooper (recently voted HR Most Influential Thinker 2014). Their research shows that part of being resilient is feeling that you have adequate social support. This is not about being a social butterfly, but about having people to rely on, look up to and seek support from.
Cafcass used Robertson Cooper’s “Resilience Snapshot” tool to gather quantified data on the resilience levels of their staff. The results showed that overall Cafcass benchmarked exceptionally well to external comparators. To maintain and build on these results, Cafcass decided it should provide more opportunity for its increasingly flexible and geographically dispersed workforce to tap into the social support of their colleagues.
Cafcass’ operational management team came up with the idea of a national cycle ride, with all teams involved, to raise funds for Children in Need. The resulting Team Cafcass national cycle ride built on the teamwork which led to the fantastic result of their first national Ofsted inspection, where they were judged “good” with “outstanding” leadership and governance. It had the additional benefit of promoting a healthy activity that staff can do together.
From August to October, staff from all service areas took part and a total of 160 people rode a collective 3,600 miles in all weathers – the equivalent of cycling from Paris to New York – raising £6,500 for Children in Need.
Genuine teamwork was displayed through the months, including a manager hiring a tandem bike so that a member of staff with mobility issues could join in and cycle for the first time in years, and a social worker who cycled a 120 mile round trip to attend his appraisal. Teams are already discussing plans for further fundraising next year, and the cycle ride has led to staff sharing their own stories of raising funds through sport – like swimming the English Channel.
Cafcass Chief Executive Anthony Douglas, who also contributed to the mile count, said: “The Team Cafcass cycle event showed a team of a hundred plus staff across the organisation coming together with a common purpose over an extended period of time, delivering great benefits for those who participated and for the children we raised money for.
“Such an event brings with it social support and added resilience internally, so it has multiple merits.”
Cooper said: “Social support networks are absolutely essential to buffer against the effects of stress. The days of social clubs are long gone so, now more than ever, we rely on these networks to manage our work and non-work pressures and improve our wellbeing. If we can look after our physical health at the same time, even better.”
Cafcass encourages staff to lead active lifestyles and has a Cycle to Work scheme with Evans Cycles, whereby staff can save between 32% and 42% on the cost of a bike and accessories. The charity bike ride has helped prompt more than 60 staff take up the scheme in less than a year. Evans Cycles supported the event by donating prizes for a photo competition, judged by the Family Justice Young People’s Board, and providing insurance.
Content on this page is produced and controlled by Cafcass, sponsor of the Guardian Social Care Network international social work hub
