The Care Management Show brings together leaders from across the sector to explore some of the most important questions in social care today. This year, our Managing Director, Syd Coombes, was invited to speak on a topic that sits at the heart of our work at Active Pathways: culture.
Syd’s session explored how culture is built, lived and sustained – not through policy on a page, but through everyday behaviours, shared values and psychologically informed environments that help people feel safe, supported and able to grow.
Drawing on the work happening across our services, Syd shared reflections on:
• How culture influences confidence, consistency and outcomes
When colleagues feel valued and supported, they create environments where the people we support feel the same.
• The importance of well designed environments
Thoughtful design, communication and routines shape how people experience care and how teams work together.
• The power of involving people in decisions about their own support
Partnership builds trust – and trust strengthens recovery, stability and independence.
• Leadership that creates the conditions for great care
From clear expectations to compassionate supervision, leaders play a key role in shaping how teams feel and perform.
Syd also reflected on the conversations taking place across Active Pathways as we refreshed our strategy. Colleagues from all services contributed their insight – what is working well, what needs to change and what really matters to the people delivering and receiving support. These insights helped shape our strategic pillars and continue to guide our approach.
The session closed with practical tools leaders can take back to their teams, reinforcing a simple message: culture isn’t something an organisation “has” – it’s something it continually builds, together.
