Step into Health: promotion and engagement with your potential workforce
Once your organisation has pledged to Step into Health it’s important to share the news and let potential candidates form the Armed Forces community know that your organisation is a Forces-friendly employer.
Here you can find ideas on how to take your commitment to the next level and really engage with the Armed Forces community, showcase your support and improve interaction with potential candidates.
Branding and promotion
Please read our branding guidelines and use Step into Health branding across your communications. Using the branding reinforces your organisation’s commitment and promotes a consistent message about the programme.
Events
Hosting events, whether in person or online, is an effective way to promote your organisation and the employment opportunities it offers. It's also a great way to showcase the NHS as the employer of choice.
Event support
The Step into Health team can support the promotion of your event and can also attend on the day. If you’d like a member of the team to attend your event, please send us an email with the details and we will check our availability.
The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) will also support the promotion of your event. Discuss any event ideas with your CTP regional lead well in advance.
Here is a range of event ideas that can help you reach and support potential candidates from the Armed Forces community.
Insight days
Insight days are a great way to showcase your organisation to members of the Armed Forces community and can be delivered as a virtual or in-person event.
By organising an insight day, you can provide information about your organisation, the roles available and the opportunities it can offer.
You can conduct the insight day on your own, but it is often better to work with other organisations to reach a wider audience in the Armed Forces community. You can find an example insight day agenda here.
To get more ideas on how to run an insight day, read our blog post about a successful event organised by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Recruitment webinars
Recruitment webinars give you the chance to highlight your organisation and the NHS as an attractive employer to potential candidates.
These are online presentations that can be hosted solely by your organisation or in partnership with other NHS organisations in your area. You can also collaborate with Step into Health and the Career Transition Partnership to create your webinars.
A short webinar could be around 45 minutes, including a presentation and time for Q&As.
A longer webinar (one and a half hours maximum) could follow the format of a short webinar but have more interactive elements. For example, breakout rooms where you can have deeper discussions with potential candidates.
Candidate webinars
The Step into Health candidate recruitment webinars are for members of the Armed Forces community across the country.
These online events run quarterly to continually engage with the local Armed Forces community and promote opportunities.
The webinar lasts for around 60 minutes and provides an overview of the NHS as an employer and the benefits of creating a Step into Health candidate profile.
Candidates hear from an individual from the Armed Forces community working in the NHS and an NHS organisation who can give more information about the different roles and opportunities available, as well as the support they provide.
If you want to showcase your organisation or someone from the Armed Forces community who works for you at one of these webinars, contact the Step into Health team.
Other activities to support the Armed Forces community
Here are some ways you can demonstrate your continued support for the Armed Forces community:
Sign the Armed Forces Covenant
Organisations can make a commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant. This pledge is a promise made by the nation to ensure that members of the Armed Forces community, including those who are currently serving or who have served in the past, and their families, are treated fairly. Find out more information about the Armed Forces Covenant.
Awards
Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Awards
Once you have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, your organisation can apply for the Defence ERS Awards. The Defence ERS offers bronze, silver and gold awards for organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate to support the Armed Forces community.
Veteran’s Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) – Veterans Aware Accreditation
The Office for Veterans' Affairs' Veterans' Strategy Action Plan for 2022-2024, states all NHS trusts in England must become accredited as 'Veteran Aware' by March 2023, and independent providers and hospices throughout England must become accredited by 2024. To learn more about the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) accreditation, please visit the VCHA - Veterans Aware Accreditation web page.
