Background
Public Health, Community Matters and local voluntary and community sector (VCS) providers collaborated to support Community Champions — local resident volunteers — to progress into Community Health and Wellbeing Worker (CHWW) or related community connector roles by providing skills development and apprenticeship opportunities.
The programme takes an asset-based approach and has revealed a wealth of untapped potential among volunteer Champions. It has always offered valuable informal routes to employment and training, which has become more significant with the increase in community connector roles within the NHS and local authorities. Champions, with their lived experience and local connections, consistently expressed a desire to move into paid employment, but faced barriers such as limited formal qualifications, digital exclusion, language, learning needs and caring responsibilities. As a result, the Community Health and Wellbeing Worker apprenticeship was introduced as a progression pathway, enabling Champions to gain accredited qualifications and employment prospects embedded within their communities.
Delivery
Community Matters designed a bespoke training offer mapped to the Level 3 CHWW apprenticeship standard, with the aim of developing a workforce that is trusted, rooted in local communities and equipped to deliver culturally competent support.
Launched in May 2023, the scheme has seen two cohorts of apprentices. With enormous interest and a rigorous recruitment process, it has quickly become an integral part of the programme. While continuing to support health improvement through campaigns, events, activities, signposting and outreach, apprentices develop their practice within a structured learning environment. The scheme draws on best practice in co-production, workforce development and community-centred care.
Impact
The programme delivers tangible outcomes in tackling health inequalities, strengthening community engagement and developing a diverse, locally rooted workforce.
In 2024–25, the programme engaged over 200 Champions across its 11 neighbourhoods, delivering nearly 600 activities, campaigns and events over the year. In doing so, it reached over 6,000 individuals in person and another 4,500 through digital platforms every quarter. This wide reach is made possible by recruiting Champions from the communities they serve — individuals who bring lived experience, cultural insight and language skills.
The introduction of the CHWW apprenticeship strengthened the programme’s sustainability and impact. Learning outcomes are determined by the CHWW role: “to work in partnership with individuals and their communities to identify and address health and wellbeing needs, improve health, prevent ill-health and reduce inequalities.”
Of the first cohort, half have passed their apprenticeship assessment, with the remainder progressing through the final stages. 88% have been retained in paid roles, such as Community Engagement Officer or Project Coordinator. Feedback from apprentices is overwhelmingly positive: learner evaluations show that 75% rate the training excellent and 25% very good. Apprentices reported increased confidence, new aspirations and improved readiness for employment.
“I used to feel invisible – now I know what I bring matters.”
Another said the apprenticeship sessions “helped me feel comfortable to be myself”. Several referred to the apprenticeship as “transformative personally and professionally”. Others highlighted the relevance of the training to their work and the benefits of peer learning across organisations.
The programme has contributed to workforce diversification: across the two cohorts, 93% of the apprentices are women and 86% are from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Overall, the initiative has improved access to services, enhanced wellbeing and created new career pathways for residents who have historically faced barriers to employment and education. It is helping to build a workforce that is trusted, representative and equipped to meet the needs of diverse communities. In 2025 the project was shortlisted for Workforce Initiative of the Year at the HSJ Awards.