Deliveroo has today announced it is expanding its rider proposition to offer free and flexible childcare hours for parents and a new education and skills programme.
A new partnership with childcare app Bubble will build on Deliveroo’s flexible model for riders, offering a total of 15,000 free childcare hours to parents. Deliveroo is offering 15 hours of free childcare to 1,000 riders, enabling them to work at the times that are right for them and supporting the wellbeing of riders and their families – providing care when riders need it.
Offered to riders on a first-come, first-served basis, the flexible hours will help support riders with childcare, as well as eldercare and pet care. Bubble is the UK’s leading childcare booking app and connects parents with trusted, flexible in-home care – often at late notice. A recent survey of Deliveroo riders in the UK and Ireland found that the majority with caring responsibilities look after children (88%), and would find care support useful (81%).
Sayim Ulus, a Deliveroo rider and father from London values the flexibility he gets from being a rider and is excited for the impact the free childcare hours will have on him and his family. Speaking about the Bubble partnership, Sayim said: “This partnership shows that Deliveroo recognises the importance of family care and is actively working to support riders like me. Being a father and a Deliveroo rider, the new free childcare hours will help balance work and family life which can sometimes be a challenge for many riders.”
Ari Last, CEO of Bubble said: “We’re really proud to be working with Deliveroo on this partnership which recognises the vital importance of care to a large proportion of riders. We are thrilled to help riders be better able to work flexibly and efficiently; plus we know the benefits of offering this type of support has a hugely positive impact on wellbeing and fulfilment.”
Expanding their rider offer further, Deliveroo is also announcing a new partnership with Lynx Educate, offering an extensive range of educational courses for riders globally, providing unique opportunities for both riders and their family members to broaden their learning and upskill for future careers while working flexibly with Deliveroo.
Riders can choose from more than 1,500 online courses in an easy-to-use platform, and can study flexibly around their schedules – accessing a range of courses from business management and coding to project management and photography. Riders will benefit from 14 different language courses including English, Arabic, Chinese, French, and Japanese.
Deliveroo will also sponsor 100 riders to take higher qualification certificates ranging from web development to cooking.
These initiatives build on Deliveroo’s existing partnership with City & Guilds, demonstrating its dedication to supporting rider growth and development. Since the launch of the Academy in 2018, over 2,000 riders have completed short courses and foundation level degree courses, and 20 riders have been placed in railway apprenticeship roles.
Aaron, a Deliveroo rider and freelance graphic designer, benefited from Deliveroo’s educational programme last year. He completed a web development course, enhancing his ability to create websites for his clients and grow his business. Speaking about the programme, Aaron said: “Between Deliveroo and my OpenClassroom course, I was able to work and study completely flexibly, and set my own schedule. The web development programme helped me grow in confidence and learn new skills that set me up to land a fantastic new job opportunity.”
Sylvie Milverton, CEO of Lynx Educate, said: “We are excited to be partnering with Deliveroo to invest in their riders’ skills development. Through this partnership, riders and their family members have a unique opportunity to participate in meaningful learning programs and explore their career interests. We share Deliveroo’s commitment to offering education as a way to support and show appreciation for their valued riders around the world.”
Camilla Kater, SVP of care and rider at Deliveroo, said: “At Deliveroo, we’re committed to investing in our riders’ development, welfare, and future, and the flexible work we offer is often a stepping stone to progress in other careers, or a way to juggle earning with caring responsibilities. The new free childcare offering not only gives parents more flexibility and opportunity to ride when they want, but means they can use the time in their busy lives to develop through our expanded education and skills programme. Alongside this platform, these new initiatives provide our riders with a unique opportunity to think about the future, upskill, and broaden their learning.”
Tom Warnett, GMB Deliveroo lead, said: “GMB and our courier representatives are working hard to ensure the on-demand food delivery sector is well paid, safe and provides long-term career opportunities. GMB welcomes this initiative as something we know is very important to riders. This is a positive step and there is a lot more work to do.”
