Homelessness and housing support services across Wales were under significant pressure, with many frontline roles going unfilled for long periods. Recruitment challenges left teams stretched and risked inconsistent support for people in crisis. Welsh Government and Cymorth Cymru shared a clear ambition: ensure trauma‑informed, person‑centred care for everyone accessing homelessness services. To achieve this, the sector needed to retain skilled staff and attract new people with empathy, resilience and the right values.

Local authorities and third‑sector providers across Wales were reporting the same issue, roles were becoming increasingly difficult to fill. Many vacancies attracted few applicants or remained open for months. Rising demand and increasingly complex caseloads only amplified pressure on frontline teams.

But recruitment wasn’t the only challenge. Awareness of the sector was low, and misconceptions were high. Many people assumed specialist qualifications were required or didn’t recognise how their transferable skills could be applied. The campaign needed to shift perceptions and highlight homelessness support as a meaningful, rewarding career rooted in human connection.

Working closely with Welsh Government, we developed a national campaign that reframed homelessness and housing support as purpose‑driven work. The focus was on people with transferable skills, communication, empathy, relationship‑building, regardless of previous experience.

The campaign used warm, human storytelling to spotlight everyday moments where support workers change lives. Messaging emphasised:

• strong relationships
• trust and rapport
• trauma‑informed, person‑centred support
• the emotional reward of helping someone rebuild stability

This elevated the work and made the sector feel more accessible and values‑aligned.

To reach audiences wherever they were, we delivered a high‑visibility media mix:

• Radio across Wales
• Out-of-home in supermarkets, train stations and bus stops
• Press across all 11 Welsh weekly titles
• Digital including: 
• • Wales Online homepage takeover
  • targeted job boards
  • Facebook, Google Search and TikTok ads
  • Digital Advans at job fairs

This combination maximised reach among both passive audiences and active jobseekers.

The campaign delivered strong results and meaningful recruitment gains:

• 1,623 ‘Apply Now’ clicks
• Increased applications for previously hard‑to‑fill roles
• More diverse candidates entering the process
• Successful recruitment into long‑standing vacancies

Providers noted that the campaign attracted individuals with the right mindset and values, people motivated by compassion rather than credentials.

The campaign didn’t just raise awareness; it shifted perceptions and encouraged real behaviour change. By highlighting the humanity and impact of homelessness support roles, it empowered people from all backgrounds, care workers, retail staff, career changers, to recognise their strengths as valuable and transferrable.

More people are now taking steps to join the sector, helping services across Wales deliver consistent, trauma‑informed, person‑centred support. With clear messaging and a values‑driven narrative, the campaign strengthened workforce capacity and ensured more people facing homelessness receive meaningful support when it matters most.