ivolve are a Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer 2025!

ivolve are a Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer – for the first time!

We’ve been named one of the UK’s top apprenticeship employers! This is testament to our brilliant apprentices, supportive managers, colleagues and partners who’ve helped us reach this milestone – we couldn’t do it without you.

Following our success being named a Sunday Times Best Place to Work for the second year in a row, we’re incredibly proud to share that ivolve has been named as a Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer 2025 – our first ever appearance on this prestigious national list.

This recognition celebrates the UK’s best employers for apprenticeships – those who are creating new opportunities, championing diversity, and helping more people successfully complete their programmes.

The list is independently compiled by High Fliers Research for The Sunday Times, and we’re delighted to be one of only a handful of care organisations featured – ranking 31st overall, and the third highest-ranked private sector employer in health and social care.

It’s wonderful to be recognised for the impact we’re making, which is testament to our growing commitment to meaningful colleague development across England and Wales. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but even more excited about what’s next..

A shared achievement

This success belongs to our brilliant apprentices, our supportive managers and colleagues, and our valued external partners who’ve worked with us to make our programmes a success.

We’re grateful to every individual who has invested their time, enthusiasm and belief in the power of learning – and to the partners who’ve helped us build tailored, impactful apprenticeships. These include Virgin Money, Lidl, Access Group, DX Delivery, Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate, and many more who share our passion for meaningful development in social care.

This recognition reflects a collective effort – a shared belief that with the right support and opportunity, people can achieve incredible things. This commitment to learning is essential for the high standard of quality we deliver for the people we support.

Growth built into every role

This achievement is more than just a plaque or shiny award. At ivolve, we know that great care starts with great people. That’s why apprenticeships are part of our wider commitment to continuous growth, recognition, and career progression.

We currently support over 400 colleagues through apprenticeships across England and Wales, covering a broad range of pathways from Level 2 through to Level 7 (excluding Level 6). Whether someone is new to care or stepping into leadership, there’s an opportunity to grow at ivolve that’s right for them.

These apprenticeships span everything from frontline Support Worker roles to specialist care, team leadership and senior operational roles – and we’re proud to support people at every stage of their journey.

But that’s not the only way we’re committed to providing a great colleague experience. Alongside apprenticeships, we offer a full package of support for colleagues, including a wide range of benefits, wellbeing resources, rewards and discounts.

It’s all part of making ivolve a place where people feel valued, equipped and empowered to grow with purpose. But we’re not done yet!

Inclusion and opportunity

This recognition as a Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer also highlights something close to our hearts – that everyone deserves the chance to learn, grow and thrive.

Apprenticeships at ivolve are open to people of all backgrounds, stages of life and learning styles. We’re proud to be building a culture of inclusion where differences are embraced and potential is supported.

Among our current apprentices, 35% identify as Black, Asian or from an ethnic minority background showcasing our commitment to inclusion and opportunity for all, plus, the majority of our apprentices are aged 25+, proving it’s never too late to invest in yourself.

We believe in building careers that reflect real lives – that adapt to people’s needs, play to their strengths, and help them bring their whole selves to work.

We’re especially proud of the support we’ve built in both England and Wales, offering localised training, culturally sensitive delivery, and flexible access for everyone.

Looking ahead

We’re proud of how far we’ve come – but we’re just getting started. We’re already exploring ways to evolve our apprenticeship offer, working closely with partners, colleagues and learners to make programmes even more tailored to the ivolve way.

That means embedding more real-life experience, creating clearer career pathways, and ensuring our values of being kind, resilient and passionate shine through in every step of the journey.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be recognised as a Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer.” said CEO Tim Davies. “This is a meaningful moment for ivolve and a tribute to every colleague who’s made learning part of their journey.”

He continued, “Whether you’re an apprentice, a manager supporting someone’s development, or a partner helping us shape what’s possible – thank you. This achievement is shared by all of us and shows what’s possible when we believe in people’s potential.”

A proud moment and a promise for the future

This award is a celebration of where we are, but more importantly, it’s a sign of where we’re going. We’ll continue building a culture where people feel valued, developed and supported – where learning is part of everyday life, and where everyone has the chance to be their best.

Thank you again to every apprentice, manager, mentor and partner who’s helped us gain this recognition as a Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer in 2025. We can’t wait to keep growing together.

When thousands of colleagues across ivolve took part in this year’s annual colleague survey, they weren’t just sharing feedback about their workplace. They were helping support something much bigger.

Thanks to record participation in our annual colleague survey fundraising initiative, we’ve proudly donated funds to both Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK, turning colleague feedback into meaningful support for two charities that touch the lives of millions of people across the UK.

The donations were formally presented during a special cheque presentation event attended by representatives from both charities, celebrating the collective impact that can be achieved when people come together with a shared purpose.

At ivolve, listening to colleagues isn’t simply something we do once a year. It’s part of how we shape our culture, improve experiences and create a workplace where people feel valued, heard and empowered to make a difference.

This year, however, the survey delivered something even more powerful. For every completed survey response, we pledged to donate £1 to charity, giving colleagues not only the opportunity to share their views but also a direct say in where the money would go.

The result was our highest ever level of survey engagement, with thousands of colleagues from across our nursing, residential care and supported living homes in England and Wales taking part.

Together, those individual responses created a collective contribution that will now help support people affected by dementia and fund life-saving cancer research.

How Colleague Survey Fundraising Made a Difference

At ivolve, we believe that every voice matters. Our colleague survey plays a vital role in helping us shape the future of our organisation.

The insights colleagues share influence decisions, improvements and priorities across the business, helping us continue building an environment where people can do their best work while delivering meaningful care to the people we support. The colleague survey fundraising initiative was designed to reinforce that belief.

By linking survey participation directly to charitable giving, colleagues could see first-hand how sharing their views could make a difference beyond their own workplace.

The response exceeded expectations. Thousands of colleagues took the time to provide feedback, demonstrating not only their commitment to improving ivolve but also their desire to support causes that matter deeply to them.

When it came to selecting the charity, colleagues were invited to vote for the cause they wanted the donation to support. The result was incredibly close, so rather than selecting a single winner, we chose to split the funds between the two charities that received the highest number of votes: Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK.

The decision ensured that both charities would benefit from the generosity and engagement of colleagues across the organisation. It’s a simple idea, but one that reflects something important about our culture.

We know that meaningful change often starts with small actions. Completing a survey may seem like a small act on its own, but when thousands of people come together, those actions can create a powerful impact.

That principle sits at the heart of our employee value proposition and the culture we’ve worked hard to build. It’s also one of the reasons ivolve has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Places to Work by The Sunday Times for three consecutive years. We know that when colleagues feel listened to, valued and involved in shaping the future, everyone benefits.

"We simply can't reach those who need us without support from incredible fundraisers like ivolve Care & Support."

Jodie Jarecki,
Regional Fundraiser – Alzheimer’s Society

Supporting Causes Close to Colleagues’ Hearts

The charities selected by colleagues represent causes that affect countless families, communities and colleagues across the UK.

Alzheimer’s Society works tirelessly to support people living with dementia, fund groundbreaking research and campaign for change.

Speaking following the cheque presentation, Jodie Jarecki, Regional Fundraiser for the East Midlands at Alzheimer’s Society, highlighted the difference the donation will make.

“We are so grateful that ivolve Care & Support chose to support Alzheimer’s Society. We provide vital support to people living with dementia, funds groundbreaking research and campaigns to make dementia the priority it should be. It will take a society to beat dementia.”

She continued, “There are around a million people living with dementia in the UK including 14,006 in Derbyshire. We all have a role to play in ending the devastation dementia causes. We simply can’t reach everyone who needs us without the continued support of our incredible fundraisers like colleagues at ivolve Care & Support.”

"Thank you so much for choosing to support Cancer Research UK. Every penny raised goes towards vital life-saving research."

Joyce Clifford,
Alfreton Representative – Cancer Research UK

The donation will help Alzheimer’s Society continue providing vital support services while funding research aimed at improving lives and finding solutions for future generations.

Cancer Research UK, meanwhile, remains the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving and improving lives through research, influence and information.

Representing the charity at the presentation event was Joyce Clifford, Chairman of the Alfreton and District Committee for Cancer Research UK.

Reflecting on the occasion, she said: “A lovely morning to celebrate, and so well organised. Thank you so much for choosing to support Cancer Research UK. Every penny raised goes towards vital life-saving research.”

This is why initiatives like this matter. Behind every donation is the potential for hope. Hope for better treatments. Hope for greater understanding. Hope for brighter futures for individuals and families facing some of life’s toughest challenges. And we’re proud to be part of that in some small way.

A Workplace Where Feedback Matters

The success of our colleague survey charity donation initiative is a reflection of the culture we continue to build.

Across our organisation, we support more than 1,150 adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs and complex support needs through more than 185 homes and support services across England and Wales.

Delivering high-quality support starts with having engaged, motivated and valued colleagues. That’s why listening matters.

Every year, our colleague survey helps us better understand what’s working, where we can improve and how we can continue making ivolve a great place to work. The feedback we receive directly informs actions, priorities and improvements across the organisation.

Divisional Head of People for England, Keeley Denman, believes this year’s initiative demonstrates the power of collective action. “The response from our colleagues demonstrates their shared commitment to making a difference and shows that small individual actions – such as completing a survey – can come together to create a significant collective impact.

“The success of our colleague survey fundraising initiative reflects the culture we continue to build, while also reinforcing our commitment to giving back. Our annual survey remains a key part of how we gather insight and shape our future and we have been delighted it has further benefitted not one, but two charities close to the hearts of our colleagues.”

That commitment to listening has helped shape a culture where colleagues feel able to speak up, share ideas and influence positive change. We’ve recently been recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for the third consecutive year, reflecting the experiences and feedback of colleagues across the organisation. While awards are never the goal, they provide a valuable reminder that listening to colleagues and acting on what they tell us makes a real difference.

Whether it’s supporting people to achieve personal goals, volunteering within local communities, raising money for important causes or sharing ideas that help improve our organisation, our colleagues consistently demonstrate the values that make ivolve special.

"The success of our colleague survey reflects the culture we continue to build, while also reinforcing our commitment to giving back"

Keeley Denman
Divisional Head of People for England at ivolve

Small Actions, Lasting Impact

The cheque presentation marked the end of one fundraising initiative, but it also highlighted something much bigger.

When people feel heard, they engage. When they engage, they contribute. And when thousands of people contribute together, remarkable things can happen.

What began as colleague survey fundraising became an opportunity to support two incredible charities, fund important work and demonstrate the positive impact that colleague voices can have both within and beyond the workplace.

At ivolve, we’re incredibly proud of every colleague who took the time to complete the survey, cast their vote and help make these donations possible. Their feedback will continue helping us shape the future of ivolve.

Their participation has already helped make a difference to two charities doing extraordinary work. As we begin reviewing this year’s feedback, we’ll continue using those insights to strengthen our culture, improve colleague experience and ensure ivolve remains a place where people can thrive.

Because when colleagues feel heard, supported and empowered, positive things happen – for our teams, for the people we support and, as this initiative has shown, for the wider communities around us too.

Looking for a workplace where your voice matters?

At ivolve, colleague feedback helps shape decisions, drive improvements and create positive change. Explore our latest opportunities and discover how you can build a meaningful career with us.