CHAPTER SIX: PRE-EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT
6.1 This section sets out the different elements of pre-employment support that are available to the One Plus Sustainable Employment Project and Next Steps clients, including in-house intermediate labour market opportunities, training, group work activities and one-to-one support.
Intermediate Labour Markets
6.2 Intermediate Labour Markets ( ILMs) have been developed as one method of tackling long-term unemployment and were used by both projects as important elements in work preparation. For Next Steps clients, involvement in an ILM was a major route onto the project. By contrast for One Plus Sustainable Employment clients an ILM offered a route into a work outcome.
6.3 The main aim of ILMs is to give those who are most distanced from the labour market a 'bridge' back into work through raising participants' employability. This is done the provision of paid work (typically for up to 12 months) in a supportive environment, combined with training, personal development and job search activities. Whilst they do not replace 'real' jobs, the work is often of community benefit. ILMs require considerable partnership working in recognition of the need for robust delivery infrastructures.
6.4 Clients indicated that a period of employment in an ILM initiative - energy advice, social care, life coaching, administration, childcare - was deemed to have been a mostly beneficial experience for those that participated, especially if they had had been away from the labour market for a long time. Some were of the opinion that ILMs, and the work experience that could be gained, helped clients re-settle into employment rather gently, establishing a routine, helping them understand the culture of the workplace.
6.5 Those who were engaged in energy advice projects, for example, talked of how beneficial it was for them to be dealing directly with the public, in terms of improving confidence and giving experience of customer care. One client suggested that it was the combination of:
"Being in work and safe in the knowledge that someone was still looking after you".
6.6ILMs were particularly appreciated by those with an offending background, as it gave them the opportunity to establish an employment record which could be used to secure jobs externally.
"It helping me get back to normal, and although I was used to a routine while I was inside, my day is very different now."
6.7 In most cases, respondents were happy with the ILM they undertook, although occasionally clients said they would have preferred something that was more closely related to their chosen area of work.
Training
6.8 The availability of appropriate training prior to employment was, according to clients from Next Steps essential, and a valued part of employment retention projects.
6.9 Other Next Steps clients highlighted the usefulness (and for many the enjoyment) of confidence building:
"I was really scared at first, but once everything was explained by [adviser] it was ok. Nobody was rushed into doing anything they didn't want to do - the whole atmosphere was basically about giving us the opportunity to think about who we were, why we were there, what our expectations were, and what was expected from us". (Wise Group Next Steps)
6.10 The One Plus Sustainable Employment Project staff suggested that training was an area that they would like to have further developed but resources (human) were insufficient. The One Plus Sustainable Employment Project clients indicated that the training that was available across the organisation, and the vocational guidance, along with the mentoring and coaching elements helped them make informed choices regarding their 'job-readiness'.
"I found the personal development training to be really good for me. It's been so many years that I've done something for myself - it's just been the kids for so long….." (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
6.11 Some clients articulated frustration at not all types of training being accessible in-house; a few suggested that they had been placed on the 'wrong' sort of training for them personally, given the types of jobs that they were interested in and the qualification level they had attained.
"The training was a bit too basic for me - I didn't learn anything at all. I'm not sure I was their typical client." (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
6.12 Next Steps clients who had taken part in training to enable them to work in The Wise Group's call centre described the training content as being very thorough, well-presented and, at times, very hard work.
6.13 Most beneficial, perhaps, for most clients was being able to access training designed to increase confidence and raise self-esteem, along with input around 'goal visualisation' or learning about working or supporting those with addictions or those who had mental health problems.
"The training here was fantastic. It helped me an awful lot trying to get my head around different issues, getting to grips with the complexities of other peoples lives. Training we had about mental health issues really opened my eyes. Once I started to feel better about myself things just went from strength to strength for me personally." (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
Group work
6.14 A number of clients (from both organisations) suggested that, at least initially, they were highly uncomfortable with any sort of group work. For some, it reminded them of being back at school, which often was not a positive recollection. Others suggested that, as a group, there were real participant 'differences' with some clients dominating discussions or exhibiting disruptive, attention-seeking behaviour. Other clients had welcomed the opportunity to work in groups to share similar experiences and to swap coping mechanisms and strategies.
"These sessions made me feel grateful for what I'd got. There's a lot of people worse off than me (some of them were in the group). I even ended up making friends with some of them!" (Wise Group Next Steps)
6.15 Group work at the One Plus Sustainable Employment project includes 'Steps to Excellence' - a personal confidence-building course focussing on personal development for lone parents. This type of input has a focus on securing 'soft' outcomes - raised confidence and self belief; increased motivation; increased resilience and an ability to cope with life, work and children. One of their clients, echoing the view articulated above, said:
"It made me realise that I wasn't on my own, and that I could, with some help, cope with what was going on in my life. The practical tips, especially those talking about how to cope (realistically) with work and kids were brilliant." (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
6.16 So whilst many clients were somewhat cautious about participating in group work, for the majority it enabled them to reflect on personal circumstances, and those of others, and for some to begin the process of developing or enhancing 'soft' skills - being able to identify and articulate needs, to communicate more effectively, to share anxieties and concerns in a non-judgemental group atmosphere - skills which would, undoubtedly help in the workplace.
One-to-one support
6.17 This was, undoubtedly, the crucial factor in engaging with clients, both pre and post employment. The role and approach of caseworkers or advisers, their knowledge and understanding of their client group on an individual basis, and of the operating environment has been instrumental to the success of both the One Plus Sustainable Employment project and Next Steps.
6.18 This evaluation gathered a wealth of qualitative evidence from clients which has demonstrated how valued and how essential this type of support was. Essentially, it could range from tangible, practical advice (benefits, housing, debt management, travel, childcare etc), and employment-related help (training and learning opportunities, CV updating, local job opportunities, criminal disclosure) to very personal support (health, relationships, local support groups etc). One Next Steps client who had worked at the Wise Group said:
"There'd been lots of problems in my life. The Wise Group got me a job doing office work, which was what I wanted. Once that stopped, they helped me do my CV and sent that out to different employers. They helped me with my rent after the first month in my job, and they got me a bus pass." (Wise Group Next Steps)
6.19 Often, for some clients, their particular circumstances necessitated a daily 'phone call, or a face-to-face meeting during a work break. Other clients were sent texts or even e-mails reminding them of appointments to honour or just as a way of saying 'how are you doing'? The following indicates the high value placed on this type of personal support:
"They've been good, they've been brilliant. They've got me out of the house - I was coming down here at least three or four times a week. They used to make me coffee while I looked at jobs. They were good at keeping my spirits up. That's one of the reasons why I try and keep in touch with them, because I know if I need them they'll always be there. Thinking back, I was so depressed. (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
6.20 Advisors from the One Plus Sustainable Employment project and Next Steps stressed the importance of this flexible support, and were reasonably happy for clients to be able to access them even outside normal office hours if necessary. Of note is the importance - emphasised particularly among Next Steps clients - of this accessibility and knowledge that they could contact an adviser in a time of need. Essentially, it was recognised that clients mostly needed a huge level of support and encouragement and motivation to make life-changing decisions and choices about their future. Clients invariably described this as something of a 'comfort blanket', being safe in the knowledge that someone was there for them.
Job searching
6.21 Job searching activities was also an important element of the services received. For those that had undertaken training arranged by the provider, they were keen to get jobs which linked into the type of work they had trained for. Expectations were that work could be found in the social care sector or in administration, utilising newly-acquired IT skills. As suggested earlier, both organisations played an important role in providing respondents with job search techniques, interview practice and CV writing. However, some clients suggested that it would be hard for them to secure work, even with the sort of intensive job-search support they knew was available to them:
"I'm applying for all sorts of things. If I can't find anything in the next few weeks I'll just go back 'on the sick'. I'm looking for building site work. I've sent lots of applications but haven't heard anything back." (Wise Group Next Steps)
"I don't think I'll ever find anything because of my age - I'm 50, and I don't like shift work which seems to be really common around here. In the meantime, I'm continuing to do training in office skills, just to keep me occupied." (Wise Group Next Steps)
6.22 Another client identified age as a problem area. In her mid-forties, she was unable to do anything too physical because of health problems, and explained:
"I'm carrying on doing various bits of computer training and learning about admin work. I know my age is a big barrier - I need all the help from One Plus that I can get." (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
Impact of pre-employment support
6.23 The impact of the type of pre-employment support described above, from a client perspective, is two-fold - firstly, it gives an increase in knowledge and awareness of the labour market and employer needs in terms of skills, experience and qualification requirements, and secondly, pre-employment support (training and skills development, benefit calculations, access to advice and guidance) gives clients the ability to make informed choices about what to do and when. And the key role of advisers in guiding these employment decisions cannot be underestimated, particularly in terms of changing thinking and introducing opportunities or options that might not previously have been considered. A One Plus client said:
"The support I got from [adviser] helped me think clearly about what I was doing. The training was great, but if I wasn't able to convince myself that I wouldn't be slightly better off working part-time, I wouldn't have made the move." (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
6.24 What was deemed highly beneficial, from a client perspective, was 'alternative job-search methods' - the use of websites in particular.
"After so many years in the same job it had been a very long time since I'd had a look at newspaper jobs pages. But better than that was the Internet - it gave me the opportunity to do my homework about the company background, and eventually I learned how to spot who was expanding and who wasn't. [adviser] was brilliant and getting me to do this as a matter of course". (Wise Group Next Steps)
6.25 Clearly, both organisations placed emphasis on the timing and frequency of pre-employment support, with caseworkers and advisers using their knowledge of their clients (needs, support, job-readiness etc) to make judgements with regard to how much information to impart at any given time.
6.26 Advisers from both organisations undoubtedly played a key role, particularly with those clients who had poor motivation or limited aspirations regarding their future. Motivating clients, through encouragement and raising their self-belief in what they might be able to achieve as well as working with them to recognise the skills they already had, was seen as important. Furthermore, knowing that there would be regular contact from an adviser, and proactive support and ideas also acted as a big motivation.
"… I was spending lots of time in bed. I had a real lack of motivation. Getting that call from [adviser] used to feel like an intrusion, but now I realise how important it was to have someone poking at me. … I used to get the interview questions ready in my head. What was brilliant was that [adviser] would take my questions away and come from a different angle. I wasn't always convinced at the time but it worked, 'cos eventually I got the job that I wanted."(Wise Group Next Steps)
6.27 For some, reflecting on the sorts of pre-employment support they found most valuable, there was also a focus on practical financial support:
"I went for quite a few interviews with Next Steps. I always scrubbed up quite well, putting a suit on. There was a slight problem in that my clothes were too tight as I'd put weight on. They helped me buy new stuff, which made me feel much better. (Wise Group Next Steps)
6.28 The ability of advisers to identify specific difficulties for individual clients was also recognised. Examples were given particularly with regard to poor health or learning difficulties, and the role of the adviser in finding additional support.
"I ended up seeing a work psychologist at the Jobcentre and discovered I'd got a mild learning disability - probably a kind of dyslexia" (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
6.29 Some clients with complex circumstances, coupled with the demands of raising a family single-handedly, found engagement with any sort of intervention hard to sustain. It is here that the benefits of a personalised service, and of the ability and willingness of caseworkers to respond imaginatively and flexibly, was demonstrated. One client, for example, had developed a poor attendance record on an ILM programme. Her attendance at work had been chaotic, but a home visit from her adviser helped to resolve the difficulties.
"There was so much going on at the time. My sisters were creating havoc -it was really hard for me to focus on work - that's what caused me to be off." (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
6.30 In other cases, clients had come to the programme after previous unsuccessful attempts to gain sustained work (often without any support), which could knock their confidence. The case study below provides a good example of this.
Janet
'Janet' is a single parent with an adolescent son. Over the years, she had managed to do various jobs that allowed her to combine work with caring for her son, and had recently started working in a shop. Unfortunately, she was sacked after a few weeks as her employer said that she was too slow, didn't have enough confidence to engage with customers, and that she wasn't handling the till very well. Janet felt that she was not given the chance to improve her performance, but she also recognised that modern retail practices were different to how she had remembered them.
Janet's confidence and self-esteem were at rock bottom; she felt like a failure and that she was unemployable. A friend told her about One Plus and she contacted them and was encouraged to take part in a personal development course. Janet gained from working with a group of women in similar circumstances and her confidence began to improve. She also benefited with help from staff with her personal finances. She is now cautiously but confidently looking for another job.
6.31 What is evident is, despite differences in terms of client group make-up, both the One Plus Sustainable Employment project and Next Steps were engaging clients as individuals and supporting them on the basis of circumstances and needs. Other similarities in terms of organisational input were, either by way of group-work or one-to-one support, tackling low confidence, job-search activity, and problem-solving around issues of housing, benefit, childcare and debt advice. In comparison, the One Plus Sustainable Employment Project is making use of Mentor Support to enhance client services, through which clients can gain support from others who have been in a similar position to themselves but have managed to progress and are able to share their experiences with newer clients.