Meet a Living Wage employer: LGBT Switchboard

Next up on our series, we’ve got Robert Sainsbury, Chief Executive Officer from  Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard 

What’s one challenge you’ve overcome recently?

One of our recent challenges has been managing the growing demand for our services. This year, calls to our helpline have risen significantly, and all of our services including Bereavement and Dementia support, Domestic Abuse services, Social Prescribing, and the International Rainbow Inclusion Service (IRIS) for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers have seen increased activity. Many people reaching out are in crisis, so it’s crucial we have the resources and skilled staff to respond effectively. The Real Living Wage has helped us attract and retain passionate staff who, alongside our amazing volunteers, provide vital support with care and dignity.

What do you hope to see next for your business – or for the wider Living Wage community?

For Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, we hope to see continued recognition of the need for inclusive, community-led services and the critical role fair pay plays in sustaining them. More broadly, we hope to see the Living Wage community expand, ensuring more people in the sector can afford to live and thrive. For us, paying the Real Living Wage means we’re better equipped to deliver high-quality support, putting the needs of the LGBTQ+ community at the centre of everything we do.

What kind of impact have you seen since becoming a Living Wage Employer?

Since becoming a Living Wage Employer, we’ve seen an improvement in staff recruitment in line with our ambition to grow our services. This position has allowed us to respond more effectively to the complex needs of our LGBTQ+ communities from emergency housing, advice and guidance, social prescribing to wellbeing and advocacy support. It also sends a powerful message to our volunteers, service users, and partners that we value and invest in our team, just as we value and invest in our communities.