Empeiria Training Employer Case Study: Impact of MAPS Upskilling to Upskill Bootcamp

Organisation Overview

1^st Enable Ltd is a community-based care provider delivering person-centred support to individuals with complex needs, including learning disabilities, mental health conditions, and age-related care requirements. With a workforce committed to compassionate care, the organisation continuously seeks opportunities to enhance staff capability and improve outcomes for the people they support.

The Challenge
Like many care providers, 1^st Enable Ltd faced increasing demands on staff, including managing more complex care needs, maintaining high-quality standards, and ensuring consistent, person-centred delivery across services. While staff were dedicated and experienced, there was a clear need to strengthen core skills, build confidence, and provide structured professional development pathways.

The Intervention: MAPS Upskilling to Upskill Bootcamp
To address these challenges, a cohort of staff participated in the MAPS Upskilling to Upskill Bootcamp. The programme focused on enhancing practical care skills, communication, problem-solving, and reflective practice, while also building confidence and resilience among frontline workers.

Outcomes for Staff

Participation in the bootcamp led to several measurable and observable improvements in staff performance and wellbeing:

• Increased Confidence and Professional Identity
  Staff reported feeling more confident in their roles, particularly in decision-making and responding to complex situations. Many expressed a stronger sense of professionalism and ownership over the care they provide.
• Improved Communication Skills
  The training strengthened staff’s ability to communicate effectively with both colleagues and the individuals they support. This included active listening, clearer documentation, and more meaningful engagement with service users.
• Enhanced Problem-Solving and Initiative
  Staff demonstrated a greater ability to think critically and respond proactively to challenges, reducing reliance on escalation and improving day-to-day service delivery.
• Greater Team Collaboration
  Teams became more cohesive, with improved peer support and knowledge-sharing. Staff were more willing to collaborate and contribute ideas for improving care practices.
• Higher Engagement and Retention
  Providing structured development opportunities increased staff motivation and job satisfaction, contributing to improved retention rates and reduced turnover.

Impact on People Receiving Care

The most significant benefits were seen in the quality of care experienced by individuals supported by the organisation:

• More Person-Centred Support
  Staff applied their enhanced skills to tailor care more effectively to individual needs, preferences, and goals. This resulted in more meaningful and empowering support.
• Improved Relationships and Trust
  Better communication and consistency from staff led to stronger relationships with service users, increasing trust and emotional wellbeing.
• Greater Independence for Service Users
  Staff were more confident in encouraging and enabling independence, supporting individuals to develop life skills and participate more actively in their communities.
• Reduced Incidents and Improved Outcomes
  With improved skills in de-escalation and proactive care, there was a noticeable reduction in incidents, alongside better overall wellbeing outcomes for those supported.

Employer Reflection

Jeff Dawson, Founder and Director of 1^st Enable Ltd commented:
"The MAPS Upskilling to Upskill Bootcamp has had a transformative effect on our workforce. Our staff feel more capable, more valued, and more engaged. Most importantly, we are seeing a real difference in the lives of the people we support—more independence, more confidence, and better overall care experiences. MAPS has effectively allowed us to expand opportunity to staff trained in this. We have successfully used it to create and succeed in delivering a Supported Internship pilot and are starting to now support further individuals by supporting 4 others into paid work opportunities.

Furthermore, this has allowed us to pay staff an uplift of 18% when doing this work due to increased funding opportunity for 1^st Enable through Access to Work.  Additionally, and importantly our new model is helping bridge challenges created when the rules for paying Access to Work coupled with changes contained in the Employment Rights Act created issues for existing providers conducting this work.”

Conclusion

Investing in staff development through the MAPS Upskilling to Upskill Bootcamp has delivered clear benefits for both employees and service users at 1^st Enable ltd. By strengthening skills, confidence, and collaboration, the organisation has enhanced the quality, consistency, and impact of its care provision.

This case highlights the value of targeted workforce development in driving meaningful improvements across the care sector.