Working as One conference - young people

1. Working as One conference - young people Paul Convery Director Unemployment Unit & Youthaid, London February 22nd 2001

2. Changing emphasis in welfare to work • Not solving mass unemployment any longer • Focus on harder to help populations • Not just achieving job entry – retention and progression as important • Business case for w2w – recruitment bottlenecks • High employer expectations

3. Consensus: New Deal needs to improve • Less than 50% gain jobs • ¼ not entered sustained employment • Marked geographical variations in outcomes • Least employable are being helped less • ethnic minority job entry – up to 40% lower for white participants

4. JSA claimants: aged 18-24; unemployed 6 months+

5. Changing claimant population • JSA claimants: 1.0m • Sick and disabled: 2.9m (0.8m want to work) • Single parents: 0.9m (0.5m want to work)

6. Improving Gateway • identification and diagnosis (client profiling), improved case management and counselling; • progress and achievement; • replicate workplace cultures: expectations of punctuality, attendance and effort; • stronger development of participants’ interpersonal and communication skills; • sectoral gateways and employer sponsorship

7. Improving placement • Integration with “normal” job broking; • identify skills required in growth potential industries and occupations; • meeting employer’s specification & better prepare participants on what to expect; • special packages for the most disadvantaged; • combat low attraction of low paid, low quality jobs or where employment is not sustainable

8. Working smarter with employers • vacancy takers and PAs need to understand employer's business and "sell" clients • maintain communication between PA, employee and employer after placement; • post-placement help - participant/employer; • structured introduction to work; mentoring; performance appraisals and help; training to support career advancement; • inter-firm/supply chain collaboration.

9. Improving options • enriching the offers - more option tasters, intensive activity and services; • mix, match and blend the options; • specialist Gateway support services should continue as part of an option; • "soft skills" integrated into all options; • increased relevance with the labour market; • ILMs better for the most disadvantaged.

10. Unexpected success story • evaluation of success factors for Personal Advisers was not part of the New Deal evaluation strategy • research shows that PA activities are crucial for the success of the client • But no systematic understanding of how successful Personal Advisers work

11. The key seems to be • Listening to the young person • Relating to their aspirations • While also trying to be realistic • And agreeing and monitoring structure

12. However • Staff turnover • High caseloads • Limited understanding of • Varying standards of labour market knowledge

13. Varying knowledge of labour market • Labour market • Employers • Local and nearby jobs • Training opportunities & qualifications • Other services

14. Effective PAs are • Focused on the needs of their client • But also focused on the needs of their employer customers • To ensure an effective match between client and employer

15. Providers • Employment Service contracting has split up different programme elements • sub-contracting from main contractors in each Unit • focus on client and employer needs is diffused

16. Welfare to work: 2002 priorities • concentrate on those “who remain far removed from the world of work” • “complex & fluid demands” of labour market • more effective education and training • develop role of employers • more “flexible and efficient” system • neighbourhood focus

17. Internet sources New Deal briefings, innovation, talks, articles, performance data, advice & information for participants: www.uuy.org.uk/newdeal Copy of this presentation: www.uuy.org.uk/speakers