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PATHFINDER OBJECTIVES To address unemployment by targeting the inactive population of cities The Edinburgh geography – small pockets of long-term deprivation Emphasis on people on inactive benefits – IB, ESA, LP To reach people disengaged from both mainstream and community based services
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TACKLING UNEMPLOYMENT AT DATAZONE LEVEL: EDINBURGH’S AREA FOCUS
PROJECTS
Jenny Ewing, Capital City Partnership, Jobs Strategy Development
Victoria Sutherland, Training and Employment Research Unit (TERU), University of Glasgow
BACKGROUND• Edinburgh’s Jobs Strategy partnership - Joined up for
Jobs
• DWP City Strategy Pathfinder programme – 2007
• Targets – to reduce benefit dependency and increase employment rate
• Funding covered costs of a support team plus £400k per year to commission services for target groups
PATHFINDER OBJECTIVES
• To address unemployment by targeting the inactive population of cities
• The Edinburgh geography – small pockets of long-term deprivation
• Emphasis on people on inactive benefits – IB, ESA, LP
• To reach people disengaged from both mainstream and community based services
SMALL AREA OUTREACH WORKObjectives were to:
• Reach disengaged people within specified area• Seek to change the culture of these areas• Address needs of individuals holistically• Engage partners (NHS, Social Care, LA housing support etc)
in supporting these individuals• Pilot an approach which had the scope for replication in other
areas / in other agencies
AREA FOCUS PROJECT
• Most deprived areas in city selected - entrenched worklessness despite many previous interventions
• Muirhouse service funded via Pathfinder• European funding supported Craigmillar project• Additional funding from NHS and Wider Role• Funding now very tight• Policy landscape looks very different – therefore
change in local strategy • Evaluation commissioned to enable JUFJ partnership to
understand the impact and potential future of projects.
TACKLING UNEMPLOYMENT AT DATAZONE LEVEL: EDINBURGH’S AREA FOCUS PROJECTS
Presentation to Welfare to Work Scotland Conference
Tuesday 6 September 2011
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EVALUATION
1. Purpose of evaluation:• To assist JU4J Strategy Group in mainstreaming an
engagement, assessment and case management approach through the Strategic Skills Pipeline proposed for the city
2. Research methods• Review of monitoring data• Interviews with staff and stakeholders• Focus groups and case studies with clients• Interviews with other local service providers (e.g. housing,
money advice, careers, etc.)
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KEY COMPONENTS OF AREA FOCUS APPROACH
1. Work intensively in very small areas
2. Proactive in engaging clients • Do not wait for clients to come to them• Listening survey helps start a conversation • Find reason to go back
3. Based in heart of community• Physically• Approach – e.g. can drop-in for chat, coffee, etc.• Organise community activities
5. Offer employability services e.g. help with CVs, jobsearch, etc. but …
• … Not just about employability
6. Help individuals access other services and supports
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IMPACTS OF AREA FOCUS APPROACH
1. Reached large proportion of residents• 5,313 individuals aged 16-64 live in datazones targeted• 50% have been contacted by the project• 23% have registered with the project
2. Profile of clients• Slightly more males than females (56/44)• Over a third were young people• Low level of qualifications • Barriers include health, homelessness, lone parent, lack of
work experience, drug or alcohol abuse, criminal records, etc. • Most claiming JSA or Income Support
3. Before engaging with Area Focus projects, only • 49% were accessing employability services• 25% were using other services
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IMPACTS OF AREA FOCUS APPROACH (CONT.)
4. Outcomes• 291 clients (or 23%) have entered employment• 149 (12%) have entered education or training• 77 (6%) are engaged in community actitivies • 70 (6%) are volunteering
5. Given many of clients were not previously using other employability services, likely to be high levels of additionality
6. Gap between rate of unemployment in Area Focus datazones and that in Edinburgh or Scotland as whole has declined
7. Variation across projects – Muirhouse performs better on all measures
• Timing – Muirhouse been running longer• Nature of area – Craigmillar is arguably more deprived
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WHAT UNDERPINS THIS SUCCESS?
1. Clients very positive about Community Renewal and their experience
2. Engage because• Staff seemed interested in them • Attracted by job vacancies advertised outside/window• Help with crisis situation
3. Why it works for them?• Local base• Welcoming and safe environment• Attitudes of staff• Access to phone and computer• Can access range of help from one project
4. Clients identified a range of other benefits beyond ‘employment’
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WHAT UNDERPINS THIS SUCCESS? (CONT.)
5. Also adds value for other local service providers• Helping them to engage with clients
− More disadvantaged clients− Reaching them earlier
• Critical factor is quality of engagement− Area Focus projects have positive reputation with
community− By association with Area Focus – other services also
seen as ‘good guys’− Quality of the relationship with Area Focus project
means more open to working with other providers• Area Focus projects focus on making referrals that are
appropriate to client and provider
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OPTIONS FOR MAINSTREAMING
1. Big question is about what mainstreaming• Any organisation could ‘door-knock’• But some of other key features not so easily replicable
− Resource intensive – would it work if didn’t have resources to spend time working with individuals?
− Small scale and very local so clients feel comfortable - may not be able to replicate at larger level
− Genuine drop-in service, seen as part of community - can only do by not being ‘one service’
3. Elements which can be mainstreamed• Taking more pro-active approach to engaging clients• Changing way services delivered
− Local, community-based delivery− Relaxed and informal
• Values and attitudes of staff• Being able to access range of services from single entry
point
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OPTIONS FOR MAINSTREAMING (CONT.)
3. Options for JU4J:• Contract specialist provider to deliver AF approach in high
worklessness communities• Commission end-to-end delivery and require the successful
contractors to adopt key elements of the AF approach• Secure agreement of mainstream providers (e.g. housing
associations) to take on the AF approach • AF approach adopted as part of end-to-end delivery, co-locating
these services with mainstream providers and encouraging referrals between mainstream and employability services
4. Recommended pursuing Option 4 – but will require• Ensuring potential contractors and mainstream agencies have
clarity about key aspects of approach and its added value • Potential contractors to outline in tendering documents how will
embed into their delivery • Putting processes in place to ensure local partners learn lessons • Use of monitoring to ensure delivery against commitments
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LESSONS FOR EMPLOYABILITY AND OTHER SERVICES
1. Lessons learned• Taking more pro-active approach• Delivering from local offices or community setting• Value of relaxed and informal setting to deliver services• Importance of trust between client and provider
2. Apply to employability services and other (health, housing, etc.)
NEXT STEPS
• Value of working model evidenced by evaluation• Determined to embed approach in service delivery• Small areas of entrenched worklessness and
deprivation still exist across the city • Too early to see impact of Work Programme on these
areas• Therefore currently examining all options• Dissemination event planned for later in year –
target audience will be senior managers in partner organisations: NHS, RSLs, Local Authority departments, Neighbourhood Partnerships
CONTACT DETAILSJenny Ewing, Capital City Partnership
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.joinedupforjobs.org.uk/
Phone: 0131 270 6045
Victoria Sutherland, Training and Employment Research Unit (TERU), University of Glasgow
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.gla.ac.uk/centres/teru
Phone: 0141 330 4911
