As a founder of social care and training companies Joe Ndilla realised many of the carers he works with suffer from loneliness and isolation – so he has designed a tech solution to help them.

The 37-year-old, who employs a team of 10 staff in Burslem, has created We Talk Care – a social network for both paid and unpaid carers.

Joe’s digital platform works to address the mental health issues faced by carers by bringing them together and empowering them with resources.

We Talk Care already has 500 users following a soft launch in December and former NHS health care manager Joe is working on a Staffordshire pilot ahead of a national launch.

We Talk Care sits alongside Joe’s other two businesses, Nest Social Care and Ask Training.

Joe, who has a Staffordshire University degree in Applied IT, developed his social network project after joining the first cohort of the Peter Coates MSc in Entrepreneurship.

He said: “My work as an NHS manager and then working within my own two businesses showed me that there was a gap. My wife is also a carer and we both work in the care sector so we understand the impact that caring has.”

He added: “Our ethos revolves around providing ongoing support to caregivers at every stage of their journey. We Talk Care goes beyond being a digital meeting place; it is a comprehensive knowledge hub offering practical resources on various conditions.

“We are not only supporting caregivers of all ages but also fostering partnerships with local organisations that share our commitment to providing care and support to those facing life-changing diagnoses, creating a unified digital front.”

Joe has entered the Young Business Person of the Year and Alumni Business Person of the Year categories of the Staffordshire University Business Awards and has entered We Talk Care into the Innovation Award category.