Supporting Employability

1. Supporting Employability Nicky Wordsworth Community Training Officer Newington with Gipsyville Kingston-upon-Hull Nov 2004

2. To reduce by 12% the number of 0-3 year old children in Sure Start areas living in households where no one is working. Sure Start Target

3. Is it advisable to encourage parents back to work? • Some research has shown that children are better off if they are at home with a parent for the first three years of their life. • We are here to provide an alternative to allow parents to make their own choice that suits their family’s needs and circumstances.

4. Background to Kingston-upon- Hull • In terms of child poverty deprivation, 9 out 20 wards are in the top 10% of the most deprived wards in the country. • 55,000 out of 156,000 adults of working age are currently unemployed • Its proportion of council owned homes is one of the largest in the country. • Hull continues to remain bottom of the educational league table (31.9%) • Ranks within top 10 UK cities for teenage pregnancy • 2nd highest crime rate in the UK.

5. Hull’s Claims to fame! • Home of Deputy Prime Minister • Home of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions • Home of the world’s largest Yorkshire Pudding Manufacturer !

6. Sure Start, Newington with Gipsyville • Led by P.A.N.D.A, currently no building. • Two separate electoral wards • Housing is predominantly back to back terraced housing. • We are 5th wave and number 6 of 7. • Local employment is mainly factory work, food industry based, retail or call centre work.

7. What are we here to do? The best start in life for every child Better opportunities for parents Affordable good quality child care Stronger and safer communities

8. The best start in life for every child • Whilst parents train, we provide a good quality crèche provision with structured activities • Courses aimed to improve parenting skills • Courses aimed at improving and raising the awareness of play and reading with children. • Improving parent’s literacy and numeracy levels

9. Better opportunities for parents • Provided 33 courses with recognised qualifications • 432 hours worth of training • 90 parents have attended training • Providing Opportunities for work • 14 parents have found and remained in work • 1 parent is currently starting their own business • 1 parent currently going through the selection procedure for Humberside Police Force. • Signposted 9 parents onto further education

10. Affordable good quality childcare for children • Free Crèche which raises parents standards and expectations of other childcare providers • Provided training and employment opportunities for 2 parents in the crèche • Signposted 4 parents onto childminding • 2 of which have already been approved and registered. • Provided various childcare courses or work experience

11. Stronger and safer communities • Partnership working with parents being involved • Improving parents confidence and parenting skills • Helping to restore community values and ownership • Provide local employment opportunities

12. Problems for employers in Hull. • Commitment to work • Interview and personal presentation skills are generally poor • Need staff with the right attitude to work • Skills gap • Poor literacy and numeracy levels • Staff that can work shifts • Good timekeeping and attendance • Loyal staff

13. Where do you start? Employment or training?

14. Employers Sure Start Parents L.S.C. Jobcentre Plus & Colleges & Training Providers Childminding Network & The Community Employment Action Teams Childcare Providers

15. The Team Approach • Midwife & Health Practitioner • Childcare Development Worker • Parent & Father Support Workers • Play & Learning Team • Language and Speech Therapist

16. Employment • Initially offering individual help to those that need it. • Providing a CV Writing Service • Individual structured job search help and advice • Help with writing letters and interview skills • Offering training with outside providers • Using links with local employers

17. Training • Established ourselves as a recognised training provider with the C.I.E.H. • Establish links with all your local training providers and funding for courses • Negotiated with providers on minimum numbers • Consulted parents as to what they wanted

18. This is what they wanted!

19. The key to our training success • Consulting the parents and finding out what they wanted to do. • Changing the names of courses to suit our needs • Establishing bases parents could and would use. • Providing adequate crèche facilities and continuity of care • Providing a flexible initial support for parents allowing anyone to join in.

20. Providing all the materials and resources they need, all they have to do is turn up! • Provide a warm welcome • Chasing up non attendees • Evaluating every course and establishing what parents wanted to move onto.

21. Building up solid links and partnerships with training providers and funding provision.. • Building a strong network of trainers in Hull. • Rewarding parents for their achievements • The Sure Start team approach to training • Working closely with local employers to remove the barriers parents have to working

22. Make learning fun!!!!!!!!! Remove all the parents’ previous learning experiences

23. Accredited or non accredited • ACCREDITED • Majority of courses are accredited through Open College Network (OCN) • Encourage all parents to have a CV when they commence training • Encourage all parents to build up a portfolio of their development • Reward with Sure Start Certificates

24. Snowballed

25. A typical term’s training programme • 9 courses per week, Monday afternoon through to Friday morning • 3 courses are IT courses • 1 Basic Skills Course • 1 Work Related Course • 2 Children Centred Courses • 1 Adult Focused enjoyment course • 1 Adult focused self-development course

26. The P.A.N.D.A. Jobshop • ESF Funded until 31st August 2006. • Unemployed for less than 6 months • Latest vacancies with Jobcentre Plus updated daily • Training programme • Discretionary Funding • Links with local childcare providers

27. Targets • To sign on 700 beneficiaries for the job shop • 40% have to find employment • Find work for 280 people.

28. Working with local employers • Wage subsidy • £30 per week for 13 weeks • 2 Job Advisors • Jobcentre Plus • P.A.N.D.A • 9¼ hour secondment of the Community Training Officer • Training Assistants

29. Aim • Help local people find work in the local community. • Offer a comprehensive 13 week programme • Offer some elements of mandatory training • Offer some optional training or signpost to further training

30. Improve standards of presentation for CVs, letter writing and personal presentation • Provide courses to help people stay in work once they’ve found employment • Offer a cost effective system of training and support to bridge employers’ skills gap • Work closely with employers to help them find the right person for the job

31. 13 week programme • Interview with job advisor • CV Preparation and 1:1 help and advice • Active job seeking work by individual at least 4 hours per week (Open 9 am to 7 pm, 5 days a week) • Presentation, Interview and Job Seeking Skills • Bullying in the Workplace • Discipline and Grievance • Weeks 5 to 13 undertake 2 personal development courses

32. First Aid Course Food Hygiene Health & Safety Risk Assessment Assertiveness Improving Maths Improving English ESPOL Make the most of yourself Call Centre Work IT familiarisation Working with children Stress awareness Confidence Building Positive Attitudes Report writing Communication Skills Teamworking

33. Week 13 or before, exit interview with guidance on:- • Benefits • Budgeting • Debt Management • Update CV and portfolio • 1 : 1 basis with Job Advisor

34. The Challenges ahead • Setting up an employer’s forum • Moving the learner into college • Bringing an access course into the community • Childcare arrangements & costs • Funding for courses (£14,200) • Changing typical approaches

35. The Challenges ahead • Widening the range of courses available in the community, including longer courses. • Addressing local transport needs • Addressing debt problems • Funding for parents of children over the age of 4 • Changes in the benefits system