Altogether Stronger - Jewish Care's 5 Year Stratergy
ALTOGETHER STRONGER
Our strategic plan for the next five years
I just think they’re the most fantastic organisation. They are very caring. You can be 100% Orthodox, you can be Liberal, or you can be just
And I think that’s lovely. The services are all encompassing, and they’re very good at providing social activities for the residents.
When my father-in-law was very sick, they cared for him amazingly. We called them up; they sent
he
Jewish Care has always reflected the community it serves – resilient, compassionate and determined to stand together through every challenge.
The past five years have tested us as never before. The next five will demand even more. Our community is ageing, living longer and facing increasingly complex needs. Rising levels of mental ill health and dementia are challenges across every generation. The world around us feels less certain, yet our purpose remains constant: to help Jewish people live better lives – with dignity, connection and choice.
Our new strategy, Altogether Stronger, is built on the most extensive research and consultation that Jewish Care has ever undertaken.
It captures the voices of our staff, volunteers, service users and families, lay leaders and partner organisations. It provides a clear framework to measure the impact of everything we do. This ability to demonstrate the value of our work is vital –ensuring every act of care, every innovation and every pound donated make a measurable difference.
We are deeply grateful to our supporters, volunteers and expert staff. Their compassion, vision and professionalism define who we are and give us confidence in the future. Together, they ensure Jewish Care remains at the heart of our community – caring better, thinking bigger and acting together.
With an Altogether Stronger approach, we look ahead with pride and optimism, knowing that when we act altogether stronger, Jewish Care will remain not only essential, but exceptional.
The Lord Levy, Life President Steven Lewis, President Marcus Sperber, Chair
INTRODUCTION TOGETHER WE MAKE CARE POSSIBLE
A message from our CEO, Daniel Carmel-Brown
When Jewish Care last published a strategy in December 2019, none of us could have imagined what would happen next. Barely three months later, a global pandemic turned the world upside down. It forced faster and more dramatic change on all of us than we had ever faced, but it also proved how much we can achieve when we work together with purpose and unity.
Since then, we have strengthened Jewish Care in every way. Our ambition to be an employer of choice is now a reality, reflected in lower staff turnover and our highly competitive pay rates and benefits. We are proud of a workforce representing over 60 nationalities and many faiths, all serving one community – the Jewish community –and we are an example to others of what unity in care truly means.
We have continued to consolidate our services around four world-class campuses. Sandringham opened in 2021. The Sugar and Ronson Campus is on track for completion in 2026. Together with the Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Campus and the Betty and Asher Loftus Centre, these hubs will anchor the future of Jewish Care for generations to come.
We have also forged new partnerships to support more people in more ways. In recent years, Sunridge Court and Jami have joined the Jewish Care family, bringing vital expertise and skills. Jami’s specialist mental health support has become more essential than ever since the tragic events of October 7 2023 and all that our community has endured since.
The world around us has changed too. The new government in 2024 brought both opportunities and challenges, yet one truth remains: meaningful reform of social care feels as far away as ever. Jewish Care must continue to lead. We cannot afford to wait. Whether it is changing demographics, shifting populations or the realities faced by smaller Jewish communities outside London and Manchester, we will continue to act as supporter, convenor and deliverer, ensuring help reaches those who need it most.
To shape this five-year strategy, we undertook the most wide-ranging review in our history, guided by our Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership Team. We are truly grateful to everyone who contributed.
Above all, this strategy has been shaped by listening to the community we serve. It is built from what we have heard and learned. And it sets out how Jewish Care will continue to stand by every generation, caring better, thinking bigger and acting together.
Because this is how we will be Altogether Stronger.
LISTENING AND LEARNING
What we heard was clear: the world has changed, and Jewish Care must change with it.
Daniel Carmel-Brown, CEO
Our strategy was inspired by the people we serve. It began with questions, not assumptions.
Over the past year, we carried out the most extensive listening exercise in our history to make sure we understood people’s real concerns and hopes.
We had hundreds of conversations with staff and volunteers.
We held workshops with service users and families across care homes, community centres and Jami mental health services.
We engaged donors, partner organisations and community leaders.
We also commissioned independent research on ageing, dementia, mental health and philanthropy.
People told us what matters most to them. They want:
More support to stay independent for longer.
Confidence that high-quality care is there when needed.
Better mental health support for children and adults.
Stronger community connections to combat loneliness.
Every service to be Jewish at heart.
That is what this strategy will help us deliver.
Daniel Carmel-Brown Chief Executive
Jewish Care didn’t just ask, they listened. Staff workshop participant
PURPOSE, MISSION AND VISION
A new era demands a new sense of purpose.
As we shape Jewish Care for the future, we have refreshed our Purpose, Mission and Vision to reflect the world we live in and the community we are proud to serve.
Each expresses who we are, what we do and the future we are working toward together.
OUR PURPOSE
We exist so that people in the Jewish community can lead better lives –with dignity, purpose and connection –and receive the care and support they need at every stage of life.
OUR MISSION
We put our purpose into action by offering residential and community based services that support people to take control of their circumstances, make informed choices, manage their mental and physical health effectively, and feel connected and supported.
OUR VISION
A Jewish community in which everyone feels supported, connected and valued. Where growing older, living with illness or in times of hardship, can be faced with dignity and purpose.
OUR FIVE WAYS OF WORKING
How we do things matters. Together, we will achieve our goals by striving to behave in these ways.
Living our purpose
Being a team
Promoting our culture
Getting things done
Valuing our differences
OUR VALUES
The highest standards of care and professionalism Excellence
We put people first, align our actions with our mission and always think long-term.
We collaborate, support each other and recognise success together.
We act with kindness, integrity and professionalism –and we speak openly and honestly.
We take ownership, deliver excellent care and embrace continuous improvement.
We listen, respect every voice, and celebrate the diversity of our community.
Care rooted in kindness and respect
Adapting to meet new challenges
A place for all, across the breadth of our community Inclusiveness
Trusted, accountable, transparent
OUR STRATEGY AT A GLANCE
Over the next five years Jewish Care will support twice as many people –leading in dementia, mental health and end-of-life care.
We will deliver new and existing services where the community most needs them.
We will continue to raise £20m in annual voluntary donations to fulfil our purpose.
We will strengthen and adapt our services so they remain responsive and sustainable for the future.
Everything we do will remain distinctively Jewish – rooted in Jewish values and community life.
This strategy will take Jewish Care from 2026 to 2030. It is the result of extensive research and consultation with people who use our services; families, staff, volunteers, lay leaders, donors and sector experts, supported by detailed data and trend analysis.
Our community is ageing and is more dispersed. People want to stay at home longer, yet care needs are more complex. Dementia and mental health challenges are growing, funding is under strain, and government support is falling short. With rising living costs and antisemitism increasing, the need for support has never been greater.
Against this backdrop, Jewish Care’s strategy is clear: we will continue to deliver excellent, distinctively Jewish services, building on our strong foundations while adapting for the future, so that we can reach many more people and touch many more lives.
In delivering these actions and moving towards our ambition, it is our hope that Jewish Care will support twice as many people and touch the lives of 20% of the Jewish community through our services, and that we will make a significant difference in helping people in our community to lead better lives.
Jami’s support helped us come to terms with what happened, to understand it wasn’t our fault, and to cope with looking after our son and ourselves. Being able to talk to somebody about how we were feeling and how to support our son was wonderful.
Jami Carer
WHAT THIS STRATEGY WILL DELIVER
Over the next five years, this strategy will help Jewish Care to support more people, in more ways, wherever and whenever we’re needed.
We cannot do this without the help of everyone involved with Jewish Care. With your help – as a supporter, volunteer, donor, partner or client –we will continue to care at every stage of life. Because we’re stronger when we all work together.
WE WILL LEAD IN THREE CRITICAL AREAS:
Mental health support (from age 11+)
End-of-life care
By following this strategy, we will:
Support older people to live well at home for longer.
Deliver dementia and end-of-life care when and where families need it most.
Provide mental health support for young people age 11+ and adults.
Adapt and sustain high-quality residential care and retirement living.
Strengthen community connection across generations.
This means an even more resilient Jewish community – one where people feel supported, valued and connected, even when facing the extra challenges of today.
At Jewish Care I don’t just get support. I feel connected, valued and proud of my Jewish identity. Community Centre Member
To achieve this we will focus on:
Residential care
We will continue to deliver high-quality care in later life and at end-of-life, with continuous improvement and a uniquely Jewish approach, invest in our estate and remain competitive.
Community services
We will increase capacity in day centres, dementia support, volunteering and community programmes, and use technology to reach more people.
Efficiency & effectiveness
We will deliver savings and improvements through technology, modernising services and investing strategically in our estate.
Mental health
With specialist expertise from Jami, we will expand our support to meet the growing mental health needs of children and adults.
Fundraising & engagement
We will sustain £20m in annual voluntary donations, adapt to changing community life and improve awareness and understanding of our work.
Partnerships
We will share expertise with other Jewish organisations, strengthening our entire caring community.
Dementia care
OUR IMPACT
Our aim is for every person engaging with Jewish Care to experience a positive difference in at least one of these four areas. These four pillars of change will guide the ways in which we develop our care and services to meet the growing and changing needs of the community over the next five years.
Choice and control
People have the knowledge, confidence and support to make informed choices, take control, and have agency in their care journey.
Connection
People are able to engage meaningfully, helping them to feel less lonely or isolated within a mutually supportive community.
Health and wellbeing
People have their care needs met, are better able to cope with mental and physical health challenges, and experience improved wellbeing.
Identity and self-worth
People feel heard and understood, and are able to receive person-centred support that respects their identity, needs and wishes.
When more Jewish people are living better lives, the community as a whole will be stronger.
How we will know we’re helping
Rigorous evaluation lies at the heart of this strategy. We will measure the impact of all our work carefully, determining:
Whether more members of our community tell us they are living better lives.
Whether our clients are living with greater dignity and feel able to make informed choices.
Whether physical and mental health needs are being met.
Whether more people feel more connected, less lonely and more resilient.
Whether our service users’ sense of identity and self-worth are being strengthened.
No one should feel they’re without a community. Sometimes people can’t go out because of various health problems, but Jewish Care is there.
Jewish Care Supporter
On an individual level, we will help make our vision real by delivering more of the care and services people need, whenever in their lives they need them, wherever they need them. This means Jewish Care will be more present in more parts of the community than ever before.
To achieve these outcomes, we will deliver activities through the following initiatives
This will enable us to provide:
Treatment, care and support
• Advocacy
• Social work
• Pastoral care
• Carer and family support
• Advance care planning
• Meals on Wheels
• Befriending
• Community cafe
Residential care and retirement living
Advice and signposting
Lifelong learning
Awareness and campaigning
Volunteering opportunities
• Nursing
• Dementia homes
• Mental health care homes
• Jewish Care Direct
• JC Explore
• Day centre activities
• Head Room
• Vocational services
• Suicide prevention
• In residential care homes
• Across all our services
• In community centres
• Hospital visits
• Core mental health services (for adults and for children and young people)
• Counselling
• Nursing
• DementiAbility*
• End-of-life care
• Retirement and assisted living facilities
• Jami front door
• Community dementia activities
• Educational work
• Reducing stigma
Mental Health Services
Community Services
Dementia Services
Retirement Living Schemes Care Homes
HOW WE MAKE CARE POSSIBLE
Caring for our community means we need to raise £100 million in voluntary support over the next five years.
One third of everything we do is only made possible by our incredibly generous supporters.
While some residents fund their own care, others receive contributions from local authorities. Unfortunately this does not cover the true cost of us delivering that care, leading to a significant funding gap at our homes. Most of our services receive no government funding at all
Our community centres, social work teams, Helpline, Holocaust Survivors Centre, Jami Mental Health Services and our centres for people living with dementia all rely entirely on voluntary donations.
Over the next five years, we must raise £100 million to deliver our strategy and meet the changing needs of the community we serve. It is a huge ambition, but our community deserves nothing less.
We will achieve it through:
Donations
Annual contributions that sustain our essential care and services.
Legacies
Gifts in Wills that safeguard Jewish Care’s future.
Philanthropy
Strategic support from those with the capacity to drive lasting change.
Every pound will be spent with purpose and care. Through innovation, efficiency and thoughtful stewardship, we will make sure every act of generosity delivers the greatest possible impact.
WHAT ‘ALTOGETHER STRONGER’ LOOKS LIKE IN ACTION
Choice and control
Social workers work with Ruth and her family to create the best care plan for
Health and wellbeing
Ruth attends a dementia day centre with tailored activities which improve her wellbeing, teach her skills that improve her physical health, and give her a sense of hope.
Connection
A volunteer befriender visits weekly so that Ruth’s daughter can have a break and attend a Carers’ group where she talks to others going through similar experiences.
Identity and self-worth
Ruth and her daughter both feel heard and understood.
Altogether these outcomes make Ruth feel safe and happy and still connected to her community. Ruth’s daughter feels supported and in control.
* Name has been changed to protect anonymity.
When Mum was diagnosed with dementia, Jewish Care gave us more than care. They gave us understanding, guidance and a community that made sure we never felt alone.
Dementia Carer
Ruth’s story
Ruth,* 82, lives with early dementia.
Ruth.
Jewish Care has achieved so much throughout its history, but there is still much more our community needs us to do. We invite you to come with us on this journey to help make our vision a reality.
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO:
Support us
Call 020 8922 2600 or email donations@jcare.org
Volunteer with us
Call 020 8922 2405 or email volunteering@jcare.org
Join our amazing staff team Visit careers.jewishcare.org
Follow, like and share our social media
WE WILL BE ALTOGETHER STRONGER.
We are grateful to the many people who have assisted in creating this strategy. We would like to express particular thanks to the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (IJPR) for their work which has helped inform our planning; to Goldstone Perl Research and Slesenger Research for conducting workshops with all our stakeholder groups; and to Christopher Tchen, Tchen & Company, and Karen Wilson, our Head of Strategy, for their guidance and leadership throughout this process.
If you’d like to find out more about Jewish Care’s work, please visit jewishcare.org/strategy2030
Jewish Care, Amélie House, Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Campus 221 Golders Green Road, London NW11 9DQ
