Wishaw & Shotts Area Voluntary Sector Network

1. Wishaw & Shotts Area Voluntary Sector Network Danielle Jarvie 27th February 2014

2. Making It Work • Investment of £7m over 5 years in 5 LA areas of Scotland • Support lone parents to realise potential & move towards/into the labour market • Improve access to services for lone parents furthest from the labour market and with complex circumstances & needs • Almost 50% of lone parents in Scotland reside in 5 LA areas: • Glasgow • Edinburgh • Fife • South Lanarkshire • North Lanarkshire • Funding - £2m for Glasgow & £1.25m each for other 4 areas

4. North Lanarkshire Bid – Action: Lone Parents • Partnership bid led by • RTW Lead partner responsible directly to Big Lottery for all aspects of the project management • Coordination of project steering group • Provision of employability-related services & support • Achievement of project outcomes • NLC Marketing & promotion via NLW • VANL Promotion of volunteering opportunities/pre-vocational & personal development programme delivery • Delivery Partners: • JCP Client referral, specialist benefit advice & welfare reform information sessions • GEMAP Individual & group sessions on debt & money advice • Circle Specialist support around substance misuse and/or offending backgrounds • OPFS Lone Parent support worker services & pre-vocational & personal development programme delivery • 4 year project with 3 years worth of direct delivery • Project value of £1.59m (£1.25m from Big Lottery) • Localised “task-force” approach targeting 300 lone parents • 6 communities targeted for 6 months each • 18 Lone Parent Mentors

5. Who will ALP support • BIG Lottery has defined client eligibility as: • Lone parents with disabilities, or caring for someone with disabilities • Lone parents with a large family (three or more children) • Lone parent families living in chaotic circumstances • Lone parents with little work experience, or who have been out of work for more than two years.  • A check will be made on Hanlon to ensure that the client has not received support from NLW in the past two years.  There may be exceptions to this which will be reviewed & approved by the Project Co-ordinator on a case by case basis with reports provided on exceptions to the Steering Group at each meeting as part of the performance reporting framework. • Work Programme clients are ineligible.  Lone Parents will be asked to sign a Declaration to confirm their status and that they are eligible for the programme.

6. Outputs & Outcomes • 270 LP’s experiencing improved self-confidence • 216 LP’s improving skills in CV writing & job applications • 150 LP’s being referred to NLW mainstream activity • 120 LP’s moving into a positive destination • 120 LP’s engaging with a Transitional Support Worker • 120 LP’s receiving a BOIW calculation from GEMAP • 88 LP’s sustaining employment at 13 weeks • 70 LP’s sustaining employment at 26 weeks

7. Performance • Engaged with over 100 LP in the Motherwell area • 66 LP are actively working with ALP team • 14 working with Family Support work receiving support • with substance misuse, criminality or mental health • 32 receiving support to increase their self-esteem and access • personal development via Lone Parent Support Worker • 20 accessing employability services via project Key Worker • 39 LP’s are now confident that they will be financially secure in employment • 1 LP has successfully commenced volunteering via support from VANL • 9 LP’s are currently seeking volunteering opportunities • 4 LP’s have moved into employment and are receiving in work support • 3 LP’s due to start employment over the next few weeks • 2 LP’s currently on training with guaranteed job start on completion • 38 clients have received the Warm Home discount scheme based on • money advice received from ALP which equates to a fuel discount of £135 each • 3 client received detailed support with housing including receiving • welfare grants etc.. which assisted with a very complex circumstances of • chaotic life circumstances.

8. Community Integration • Forged excellent working relationships with local community • North Motherwell Community Church • Food Co-op • CLAD • Women's Aid • Working closely with local schools and nursery • Bag drop for Family Fun day • Leaflet drop to promote service • Agreement to engage with LP’s during pick-up & drop-off times • Successful Family Fun Day • Over 50 parents attended with their children • 22 eligible Lone Parents attended • 10 requested further support • 4 have now registered • Actively targeting another 10 Lone Parents to give them more info • 8 attendees details have been passed to NLW services • Joined up approach with statutory services • Attend various team meetings include social work, money advice, housing • Presented to Local Area Partnership Meetings

9. Next Steps • Arriving in Craigneuk on 3rd March 2014 • Outreach base - Craigneuk Lifelong Learning Centre • Attended Craigneuk Community Partnership Meeting • Engaging with local schools and community organisations • Liaising with local statutory organisations • Family Fun day being arranged for Easter Holidays – details to follow

10. Case Studies Can not imagine life without Alison, she has helped me so much over the last few weeks. I felt that I was getting nowhere fast and was becoming more depressed. Alison came to meetings with me and spoke on behalf, now me and my wee boy are settled in our house and I can start looking at ways to help me. Hazel has been able to help me think about how I react to situations, I would normally fly off the handle when I didn’t like what I was being told but with the advice Hazel gave me I now take time and have a great deal more patience. Now people actual listen to me!! I didn’t know there was such a service existed and cant believe how much support I am getting to help me. Gerry also explained stuff about my money and I can go to work and get more money when I though it would be worse off. My jobcentre advisor sent me along to see Susan, I thought it was going to be like the other appointments but was really happy to find Susan so helpful and caring. Being a lone parent dad I feel quite isolated but Susan was able to give me information about another service for other dads just like me