Our directors
Homecare Voices is a Community Interest Company, otherwise known as a C.I.C.
This means we are formally a not-for-profit organisation.
Our C.I.C is overseen by our company directors, Rachel, Mark and Kamiah.
Rachel is the founder of Homecare Voices who keeps everything running on a day-to-day basis as a paid employee. Mark and Kamiah are non-executive directors whose contributions are entirely voluntary.
Rachel Kelso
Founder / Managing Director
I started my first role as a domiciliary care worker in January 2018. Homecare is exceptionally rewarding and makes you think on your feet constantly. Unless we are on a double-up run, we generally don't see much of our colleagues, and in this way the work can feel lonely at times: we are out and about on our own at unsociable hours, using our initiative to support people as best we can.
From day one of being a homecare worker, I felt deeply affected by the extent of social isolation I saw when visiting individuals in my community. I was also surprised by the differences between the health and social care systems, given the amount of overlap. This got me reading about social care in my spare time to learn more about how it is organised. In 2021, I went to the University of Nottingham to study Sociology and Social Policy. This allowed me more time to learn about the adult social care system outside of work.
Based on research and on my own experiences, I knew that the voices of homecare workers were seriously lacking in policy and research spaces, despite our daily exposure to how 'services' work 'on the ground', and the invaluable insights we could offer as a result of this. It's great to now see homecare workers finally coming together as a supportive and purposeful community.
Dr Mark Wilberforce
Non-Executive Director
I am a social care researcher and have spent much of the last twenty years studying important questions about the care workforce.
My PhD was about the origins of person-centred care, what it *really* means in the home support of older people. I have also developed and evaluated the Curious about Care platform to help people to understand the nature of person-centred care work, and to see how well their values suit the role.
My role as a voluntary non-executive director of Homecare Voices is to help it to achieve its mission by offering advice, guidance, and to check it is being well-run. My role is independent of my work at the University of York
Kamiah Overaa
Non-Executive Director
Rachel and I are former colleagues who have remained in touch throughout the development of Homecare Voices.
As Engagement Lead at YMCA Robin Hood Group, I am able to offer strategic advice based on my experiences within another community-focused, not-for-profit organisation.
Having recently acquired an MBA from Loughborough Business School, it is great to put theory into practice via this non-executive role. My position at Homecare Voices is independent of my work at YMCA Robin Hood Group.