Our mission is to connect people with long-term health problems and carers with meaningful work. Astriid was set up by our late founder, David Shutts, through his own experience of feeling like he no longer had value when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and had to stop work, he decided to set up the charity to help people in his situation regain their sense of meaning and purpose by finding work that could fit around their illness. We believe that the value of work is far more than the wages that are paid. Work provides normality, routine, challenges and rewards and help gives our members a positive mental attitude. Astriid helps bridge the gap between the Invisible Talent Pool and the UK skills crisis.
We achieve our mission through our online matchmaking service – the only-one-of-its-kind in the UK - that connects individuals who are carers or have chronic, often incurable and advanced health problems – yet with a thirst for work, to businesses that have a requirement for their skills. We call this cadre of individuals the ‘Invisible Talent Pool’. Up to now, they’ve been invisible to businesses, and businesses needing talent have been invisible to them. Astriid aims to make the invisible visible. In our first three years we received more than £200,000 in donations and we attracted 900 members of both businesses we raised awareness of this hidden pool of talent and of people with long-term chronic illness and carers. We enabled more than 1,500 connections between companies and candidates in 2019. From SMEs looking for HR experts to large corporates wanting to boost their marketing.
Case Study
When Altran UK needed a new SharePoint Coordinator, it decided to try a different recruitment method to find the right person to join its team. “Astriid offers a progressive approach to recruitment and enables businesses to tap into an Invisible Talent Pool,” said Mike Simms, Chief Executive Officer at Altran UK, which provides engineering and R&D services. Victoria Clutton joined the Altran UK team in May 2018 and works eight and a half hours a week for the company. Victoria, 37, has multiple debilitating health issues, including fibromyalgia and ME, and needs to schedule regular rest intervals. “My co-workers have been wonderfully welcoming and understanding of my needs,” she said. “I was extremely nervous when I started because this is my first ever job, and I was very self-conscious about my limitations.” As well as using her existing systems design knowledge, Victoria has been able to develop new skills and confidence. “Victoria is a valued member of our team, undertaking important work that will provide the business with the means to operate more effectively going forward,” said Mike. “Welcoming our first Astriid recruit has been an entirely positive experience.”
