We are a fully employee-owned organisation.
‘People Before Profit’ principles are at the heart of our organisation. We are motivated by care and not by making money.
As an employee-owned social enterprise, profits and surpluses are spent on providing a better service, training and rewarding our staff, supporting the community and good causes, and ensuring long-term stability for the company.
All staff are given free shares in the company. There is an annual allocation of shares to staff, so the longer they are here, the more shares they receive.
When finances allow, cash bonuses are also given out to all eligible staff.
We share the available ‘cake’ more fairly, and we put more money in the hands of local people, which helps with the regeneration of the local economy.
Over the years, SHCA has given out a very large amount of money in free shares and cash bonuses to staff.
Extra bonuses are sometimes paid, including for special anniversaries such as our 30th Birthday. Several extra bonuses were paid out during the Covid crisis as a thank you to staff for their incredible commitment during what was a terrible time for all working in social care. We also gave out an extra ‘cost of living’ bonus one year to help staff cope with the shocking rises in household bills.
We strive to treat people fairly, which has many positive knock-on effects for our staff, their families, and the general wellbeing of our communities.
We take a positive approach to providing job opportunities for local people from a diverse range of backgrounds. This includes employing people with Learning Disabilities.
We support and integrate with other community groups and businesses with the ultimate aim of benefitting the community. This includes charitable donations.
Since we began in 1994, we have provided quality care and support services to thousands of people in Sunderland & South Tyneside.
We have employed well over a thousand local people during that time including people with learning disabilities and made all of our staff employee owners too.
SHCA has over the years, in accordance with its ethical principles, shared out millions of pounds with its staff through shares and bonuses and donated significant amounts to a variety of good causes locally, nationally & internationally. From humble beginnings of 20 staff in 1994, we now have approximately 200 employee/owners.
Some of the main benefits of our co-operative approach are:
Traditional businesses generally concentrate ownership control on a single person or a small group of partners. Our model, in which every employee is a part-owner, is the opposite where the aim is to try to ‘share the cake’ more fairly and to get a better commitment from colleagues to the service we are providing.
Everyone benefits, not just a small minority.
An understanding that money/profit is not the main indicator of success for us. Serving the community well & caring about the well-being of everyone are the important drivers.
Therefore, issues such as job satisfaction, fair treatment, job security, supportive environment, quality of service levels, listening to our stakeholders, working with other community focussed organisations are all really important to us.
Any available finances/resources are used to achieve those aims.
We work in partnership with various stakeholders to identify suitable properties for specific individuals who have a learning disability.
The individual is involved and makes choices as much as is practicable in their individual circumstances. We then purchase the property.
The individual moves in usually with a support package.
We ensure they are charged a very fair and affordable rent. The property is then well managed by a local social housing charity.
We support & integrate with other community groups and businesses with the ultimate aim of benefitting the community.
This includes charitable donations locally, nationally & internationally.
Some examples include large donations towards:
Local schools for tree planting schemes & transport costs for ferrying pupils to temporary premises.
Local pet charities.
Towards 3 local families via the Bea’s 500 Crew charity group.
Local foodbanks.
Buying games & activity equipment for extra care schemes.
Donation towards treatment for a man with a serious life-threatening condition.
Strips for a Local Children’s Football Team.
We proudly serve the people of Sunderland and South Tyneside. We are committed to supporting people across Sunderland and South Tyneside to live as independently and comfortably as possible.
By delivering high-quality care and support services, we make sure each person's dignity, safety, and wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do.
Our dedicated Support Workers are fully trained to provide sensitive, reliable, and person-centred care tailored to your individual needs.
