SUPPORTING CLIENTS INTO EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE FOR FRONTLINE HOMELESSNESS

SERVICES

SUPPORTING CLIENTS

INTO EMPLOYMENT

Contents

Engaging with the DWP work programme ................................................................................ 3

Using Activities to Engage Clients ............................................................................................ 6

Developing Functional Skills .................................................................................................... 8

Helping Your Clients to Volunteer .......................................................................................... 11

Work Placements for Clients .................................................................................................. 14

PRODUCED BY

The Innovation and Good Practice Team

PUBLISHED

July 2012 (updated May 2014)

ENGAGING WITH THE DWP WORK PROGRAMME

1. INTRODUCTION

The Work Programme was launched throughout Great Britain in June 2011 as part of the UK Government’s

welfare reform programme. It is designed to offer support to people who are at risk of long term unemployment

by helping them find and prepare for work. The Work Programme operates on a payment by results (PBR)

model, with payments being linked to sustained paid employment for jobseekers. It is being delivered primarily

by the private sector, with some input from local authorities and the voluntary sector at subcontractor level. The

Work Programme replaced previous initiatives such as New Deals, Employment Zones and Flexible New Deal.

2. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR INDIVIDUALS?

Everybody on Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) will at some point be referred to the Work Programme, with the

majority being referred at 12 months (if aged 25 and over) or 9 months (if between 18 and 24). People who are

considered to be seriously disadvantaged in the workplace can volunteer to join after 3 months – this includes

people who have experienced homelessness, histories of substance use, mild to moderate mental health

problems, some ex-offenders, carers, care leavers, ex-forces and partners of ex-forces.

It is crucial to remember that, whilst people can volunteer to join the Work Programme, once they have joined

it all participation is mandatory, including attending any planned meetings and fulfilling any other requirements

of the provider. Failure to comply with mandatory requirements is likely to result in the individual's benefits

being sanctioned.

The Work Programme model is ‘black box’, meaning that providers are free to provide any sort of service or

set of interventions rather than being required to deliver specific elements as under previous programmes.

Providers have published outlines of minimum service offers, but these vary in content and detail and

consequently it can sometimes be difficult for an individual to know what sort of service they can expect.

People often refer to an individual receiving a poor or irregular service as having been ‘parked’, meaning that

people require too high an intervention for the contractor to focus on supporting them into work. There are a

number of options that are available to those receiving a poor service, including raising the matter formally. If

the person is already receiving a service from a homelessness agency, workers may be able to act as an

advocate and support him or her to get the most out of the Programme.

Work Programme providers are not under any obligation to talk to staff from any other agency or sector, but

most will be keen to establish a working relationship when there are clearly aligned interests. Agencies from

the homelessness sector should endeavour to find out who is delivering the Work Programme in their Contract

Package Area (CPA) and actively make themselves and their agency known.

There are two or three Work Programme prime contractors in each CPA. In some areas it may not be

immediately clear who is delivering the Programme due to a large number of sub-contractors; in this situation

the prime contractor should be able to direct you to the relevant agency.

If it is impossible to reach resolution by informal means and the client still feels that they have been treated

unfairly, or have not received an acceptable level of service, they should be encouraged to raise their concern

as a formal complaint via their Work Programme provider's complaints procedure. If unresolved by the

provider, they can then (and only then) take their complaint to the Independent Case Examiner who can, if the

complaint is upheld, impose a financial penalty on the provider and provide financial redress for the

complainant.

HOMELESS LINK RESEARCH INTO SANCTIONS

In September 2013 Homeless Link published research into benefits sanctioning experienced by homeless

service users. The research found that homeless people are disproportionately affected by sanctioning. It also

found that failure to participate in the Work Programme was the most common reason behind JSA claimants

being sanctioned. It is therefore essential that services support their clients to engage in the Work Programme

and meet the required commitments. If these requirements are thought to be unreasonable, services should

support their clients to articulate their concerns, advocating on their behalf where necessary.

3. CHALLENGES

The Work Programme has lower funding per participant for providers than comparable predecessor

programmes and consequently caseloads are high – up to 200 cases per adviser in some cases. This limits

the ability of providers to maintain a useful level of dialogue with other agencies involved in the support and/or

accommodation of their customers. Additionally, there are no requirements on providers to do this, although

many providers will anticipate benefits from working with partners to ensure that support and services are

aligned.

DWP has tried to address the issue of ‘parking’ by offering differential payments, where payments vary

depending on what benefit someone is on, but early and anecdotal evidence suggests that people with

particularly substantial barriers to employment are still not receiving the sort of personalised and intensive

service that is likely to make a difference. The lack of detail in some of the minimum service offers means that

people may have no option but to resort to raising concerns and complaints formally. A report produced by

Homeless Link, Crisis and St Mungo’s outlines some of the problems homeless service users are experiencing

(see link below).

The impact of benefit sanctions can be complex, resulting in increased rent arrears, food poverty, anxiety, debt

and criminal activity.1 Accommodation providers can also be forced into economic difficulties as residents fall

behind on rent payments. It is vital that agencies work together with their clients and Work Programme

providers to prevent sanctioning through non-engagement.

4. TOP TIPS

� Find out who your local Work Programme providers are, and try to establish a dialogue.

� Explain that as an agency engaged in the support of vulnerable clients, you have a common interest in

ensuring people get the right sort of employment support.

� Obtain minimum service offers from the two or three Prime Providers in your area, and also their

complaints procedures.

� Make contact with your clients' Programme advisers – you may be able to help get the most out of the

Programme for your client/s.

1 Homeless Link research: A High Cost to Pay, 2013 http://homeless.org.uk/sanctions

� Be realistic about what Work Programme providers are able to do – they have substantial case loads.

� Ensure that clients, whether on ESA or JSA, understand that whilst they may be able to volunteer for

the Work Programme, and that once they are on it their continued participation is mandatory.

� Make sure that your staff are equipped to support clients who have had their benefits sanctioned –

ensure that they are aware that housing benefit should not be interrupted and are familiar with the Nil

Income Declaration process.

� Encourage clients who have a disability as defined by the Equalities Act 2010 to discuss their suitability

for Work Choice, the specialist programme for people with disabilities, with their Jobcentre Plus

adviser.

5. Links

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49884/the-work-programme.pdf

Government guidance explaining the Work Programme

www.gov.uk/government/collections/work-programme-guidance-for-employers-and-providers

Guidance for employers and providers including contact details for providers in each Contract Package Area

www.dwp.gov.uk/supplying-dwp/what-we-buy/welfare-to-work-services/provider-guidance/work-programme-

provider.shtml

Work Programme provider guidance – detailed information about the structure of the Programme

www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/the-work-programme/

Summary of the programme along with evaluations and stories from people who have participated

www.ind-case-exam.org.uk/en/complaints/index.asp

Website of the Independent Case Examiner (for complaints where individual providers’ complaints procedures

have been followed and exhausted)

www.gov.uk/work-choice Specialist Government programme to support people with disabilities to find work

www.homeless.org.uk/sanctions Homeless Link research into benefits sanctions

www.homeless.org.uk/news/work-programme-not-working-homeless-people#.U2j8G1e2zpt

Report on problems with the Work Programme for homeless service users

USING ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE CLIENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

Some of your clients may never have had paid employment or may have been out of work for some time.

Provision of activities such as sports and arts projects can be a great way to encourage initial engagement,

build motivation and develop the confidence and transferable skills that people need as they move back into

work.

CASE STUDY: SPORTS AT CREWE YMCA

Crewe YMCA had a history of providing Learning and Skills Council-funded formal education and training.

However, when supporting some of their clients with particularly complex needs, they discovered that informal

education and participation in activities had a greater impact than more formal approaches.

Crewe YMCA now provides football as an activity via their Football & Life Academy. This involves informal but

structured learning across 6 modules, including anger management, teamwork, dealing with disappointment,

managing health and self-care, as well as making FA accredited football coaching qualifications available to

those interested.

The project has been funded by charitable donations, support from the local community and by accessing

adult community learning funding; they have been able to fund a life skills tutor and football coach, including

supporting the former to obtain a PTLLS qualification.

The programme offers a flexible portfolio of activities based on tenants' strengths, abilities and interests. It

celebrates higher levels of sustainment than more structured programmes within the service

CASE STUDY: SKILLS FOR WORK THROUGH OPERA

National homeless arts organisation, Streetwise Opera has started delivering workshops using performance

techniques and singing to help build confidence and skills for work. The sessions cover a range of topics that

are explored through role play, focussing on preparing for and performing interviews:

• giving a confident first impression when meeting new people

• awareness of body language and positive body language in particular

• making eye contact

• using your voice confidently

• communication skills

Evaluations of initial sessions have shown that 86% of participants found them to be useful to their needs, whilst 64% commented on feeling more confident when approaching interviews after the sessions.

2. TOP TIPS

� Seek local partners – does another agency provide anything similar, and can resources be pooled?

What about agencies from other sectors?

� Engage the local community – for example, FE colleges and employers. FE colleges might be able to

provide financial support or to assist via community outreach.

� Approach local sports clubs, outward bound centres, arts and cultural providers – do they have access

to fund community engagement programmes, or can they provide support in some other way –

providing facilities, resources, staff etc?

� Approach sports governing bodies – many will have a community programme that agencies might be

able to benefit from.

� Speak to Homeless Link about support to design, plan and deliver your activities.

� Speak to agencies who are already delivering successful activities – what can you learn from their

experiences?

� Consider progression routes – can people move into more formal education, training, volunteering or

employment? How can they continue to meet their interests once they have left your organisation?.

3. LINKS

www.homeless.org.uk/activities - support for planning and delivering activities

www.homeless.org.uk/arts Homeless Link’s Arts for All project.

www.homelessfa.org/ The Homeless FA

DEVELOPING FUNCTIONAL SKILLS

1. INTRODUCTION

Research by Crisis, “Homeless People and Learning and Skills: Participation, Barriers and Progression” has

shown that over a third of people who use homelessness services don't have the formal qualifications they

need to find employment or to participate in and enjoy a full and active life. This research was carried out in

2006, but more recent research suggests that the overall picture hasn’t changed much. Others may have a

stronger educational background, but need to update their qualifications or to re-familiarise themselves with

the subject. Homeless people often experience significant barriers in engaging in formal education, although

the advantages are clear and include greater social integration, confidence and self-esteem in addition to

education benefits.

2. WHAT ARE FUNCTIONAL SKILLS?

Functional Skills are new qualifications that are replacing the previous Key Skills Level 1 and 2 qualifications

from September 2012 and are an integral part of apprenticeships, GCSEs and diplomas. They aim to provide

practical, applied skills and understanding of English, Maths and Information and Communication Technology

(ICT). They can form part of a wider qualification, or can be taken as stand-alone subjects in their own right

and can be a natural progression route for someone who has taken part in activities for engagement or other

informal opportunity.

Agencies working with homeless people should consider the best way to make Functional Skills courses and

materials available either via a referral to a local FE college, by partnering with a college, or by seeking

accreditation to deliver and assess courses themselves. Each approach has benefits:

• Referring or signposting is the least resource-intensive route and can make use of the Community

Engagement services in FE colleges

• Partnering with a FE college can allow services to provide skills provision on-site

• Seeking accreditation as a provider gives some flexibility to tailor programmes to the specific needs of

the agencies service users.

CASE STUDY: THE BOOTH CENTRE, MANCHESTER

The Booth Centre is an advice and activity centre for homeless people based in Manchester. They have

developed learning opportunities for homeless people in creative and interesting ways, with all activities

designed to improve people's skills, confidence and self-esteem, and with accreditation by the Open College

Network allowing people to gain nationally recognised qualifications. A system of producing portfolios of

evidence allows even the most socially excluded people to build up enough work over time to gain a

qualification.

They integrate learning into other centre activities; volunteers who cook lunches work towards a catering

qualification, the team who help decorate the Centre each year get a painting and decorating qualification,

people participating in gardening work towards an allotment gardening qualification and people helping with

Harvest Festival donations receive a warehousing qualification. They also provide one-day courses in food

hygiene, first aid, health and safety and manual handling. In 2011-12, 69 people gained a total of 111

qualifications.

CASE STUDY: FINDING FUTURES – BRIGHTON HOUSING TRUST

Brighton Housing Trust's Finding Futures project works with the most disadvantaged and marginalised people

across Hastings and Rother. They take referrals from a number of sources including supported housing

providers, Jobcentre Plus and YOT. People work in a maximum group size of 4 to strengthen their Functional

Skills in English, maths and ICT.

People have the opportunity to work on Personal Skills (e.g. motivation, confidence), Organisational Skills (e.g.

timekeeping, reliability), Life Management Skills (e.g. budgeting, dealing with difficult situations) and Moving-on

Skills (e.g. health awareness, CV writing and interview skills).People are reviewed every 6 weeks, but can stay

with Finding Futures until they are ready to progress.

CHALLENGES

With minimum contract levels as high as £500,000 for Skills Funding Agency (SFA) funding, opportunities for

even large organisations to obtain funding to deliver education and training may be limited. The SFA also

provides funding via the Community Learning budget, and many local authorities may have access to

Community Learning Funding. One of the keys to success is developing a relationship across the voluntary,

local authority and FE college sectors to ensure that this funding reaches those most in need of it.

TOP TIPS

� Map local provision – is what you're looking for provided locally? Are there gaps that you could meet?

� Understand your customers – what do your clients want and need, and what represents the best route

into formal education and training or employment in your locality?

� Talk to your local FE college about entering into partnership agreements – this could cover things such

as referrals, making use of their community engagement programme, or delivering accredited training

on site.

� Develop a relationship with your local authority – explore the possibilities of developing and funding

provision to meet unmet needs.

� Consider seeking Open College Network accreditation for your education and training provision.

� Familiarise yourself with sources of funding – for example the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and

National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) – funding opportunities do not always follow

the financial year.

� Explore other potential sources of funding. BHT's Finding Futures project is funded by the Big Lottery

Fund.

� Understand the funding arrangements for adult learners and ensure that people are making full use of

funded provision.

� Make use of free resources that can support people in preparing for formal and accredited learning.

LINKS

www.nocn.org.uk/learning-providers/functional-skills/functional-skills-qualification-guides

Guides to Functional Skills including links to resources for providers.

www.skillsworkshop.org/ Free adult literacy and numeracy resources.

www.functionalskills.com/Functional-Skills/Functional-Skills-Free-Functional-Skills-resources.php

Free Functional Skills resources.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/DG_10033130

Information on course fees and free courses.

www.niace.org.uk/ National Institute for Adult Continuing Education, resources and funding information.

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

Website of the new National Careers Service – for all people aged 13 and above.

http://learningmathsonline.ac.uk/wp/ Online maths resources for adults

http://shop.niace.org.uk/ruble-homelessness.html NIACE Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning

HELPING YOUR CLIENTS TO VOLUNTEER

INTRODUCTION

A period of volunteering can provide a valuable step towards employment. Like anyone else, your clients may

need to develop certain skills or gain certain experience before they can apply for paid employment in a role of

their choice. Some people, who may not have worked for some time, may appreciate the ‘gentle’ introduction

to work that volunteering can provide e.g. committing to just one day a week, having low levels of

responsibility, high levels of support.

In 2005, Off the Streets and in to Work (OSW) carried out research into homeless people and volunteering

and their findings still apply. They found that volunteering was a means of improving employability, making

people feel better about themselves, giving something back to services and providing something constructive

to do. Alongside education, skills and training, meaningful occupation and improved self-esteem are key

facilitators of progression for many people in homelessness services, particularly those who may be in

recovery from drug or alcohol addictions.

WHY VOLUNTEER?

Even if your clients do a voluntary role that is not obviously linked to the career path they want to follow, there

will always be transferable skills that can be gained from volunteering which will be valuable in any job role

e.g. reliable time-keeping, team working skills, communication skills. Experience of the work environment,

whatever type of work it may be, can increase people’s confidence, self-esteem and motivation. A voluntary

role can also lead to a positive reference, which people who have not worked for some time can often struggle

to find.

Your organisation may create voluntary roles in-house for your clients. These can be popular for people who

are appreciative for the support they have received and want to ‘give something back’. Others, who have

managed to work through certain issues, are eager to share what they have learnt with other people who may

be experiencing similar problems. Sometimes it works better to seek voluntary roles for your clients within

other local homelessness or related services. This can avoid addressing difficult boundary issues which can

emerge when clients occupy both a ‘client’ and ‘volunteer’ role in the same service. In turn, your organisation

can create roles for clients from partner organisations. Think about all the potential roles your service could

offer, which do not have to be support-related – many services involve client volunteers on reception desks, in

administrative roles and in catering departments.

External volunteering opportunities can be found by contacting local volunteer centres, going online to Do-it or

contacting potential employers directly. While your clients may feel confident to approach employers and apply

for voluntary roles independently, you should be prepared to liaise with employers on your client’s behalf and

encourage them to accept your client as a volunteer. Depending on the organisation and type of work, you

may suggest an ongoing ‘one day a week’ arrangement, or it may be more appropriate to suggest a week or

two week ‘work experience placement’. It can sometimes be reassuring for employers to know that your

organisation can be contacted should they have any concerns about your client while they are volunteering.

Some volunteer centres run ‘Supported Volunteer Schemes’. These provide extra support for volunteers to

carry out their volunteering roles effectively.

CASE STUDY: ST MUNGO'S PEER ADVICE LINK (PAL)

St Mungo’s Broadway established its Peer Advice Link (PAL) project to provide peer-led tenancy support for all

its clients moving into unsupported, self-contained accommodation. This is complementary to any contracted

tenancy support or floating support that may be available.

In 2011-12, the service worked with 253 people moving into their own accommodation, as well as providing a

“safety net” for a further 700. Overall, PAL volunteers delivered 1692 interventions.

The peer volunteers are people who have themselves had experience of moving-on from services, which

enables them to engage quickly and effectively with the client group. The volunteers have a route back to

work, being provided with employment-focussed support by St Mungo's Broadway’s corporate partner, KPMG.

KPMG's commitment to the development of the PAL volunteers has taken the form of coaching, CV writing,

interview preparation and broader, employment related support to individuals. PAL co-ordinator Iain McDiarmid

states that receiving focused support from individuals from a very different sector has been valuable for the

volunteers, whilst the KPMG volunteers have found their engagement rewarding.

In the first two years of running PAL worked with 40 peer volunteers, 16 of whom left to take up paid

employment, 4 for other volunteering opportunities, 10 have left for other reasons, and 10 are still volunteering.

CHALLENGES

Volunteering is seen by the Department for Work and Pensions as being one of the key routes by which

people can help themselves to get closer to the job market. However, there are still some misconceptions

around volunteering whilst on benefits. Whilst people should always inform their Jobcentre Plus adviser

beforehand, people should be able to volunteer whilst on benefits provided they meet clear criteria laid out by

DWP. See the DWP’s guidance on Volunteering While Getting Benefits for more information.

Disclosure and Barring checks may need to be carried out, depending on the type of role your client is

applying for. If your client has a criminal record, it may be advisable to discuss this with employers at initial

application or interview stages. It is your client’s personal choice as to how much he/she chooses to disclose

about their past – it will be helpful for them to discuss this, and potential consequences either way with you

beforehand.

TOP TIPS

� Contact your local volunteer centre – they can provide you with information about how they can support

volunteers, local opportunities and details of any events they might be running.

� Research specialist volunteering projects that could be relevant to your clients e.g. Shoulder to

Shoulder for ex-forces with mental health problems.

� Homelessness agencies can offer volunteering opportunities across a number of areas, for example

administration, maintenance, gardening and catering, not just support work.

� Explore the Timebanking model – could this work for your clients or your agency.

� Always ensure that people on benefits speak to their Jobcentre Plus adviser before volunteering. Make

sure you have copies of DWP's guidance Volunteering While Getting Benefits available.

� If you have volunteer opportunities, consider tailoring them for different groups e.g. a structured

volunteering programme with accredited training might be of more benefit to someone using

volunteering as a path towards employment.

� Volunteering can be a good way of engaging employers – many companies have embedded the

principles of corporate social responsibility and staff volunteering may be the start of further

engagement.

� If you use volunteers, familiarise yourself with guidance produced by Volunteering England and

Homeless Link – volunteering can be a great opportunity for both all concerned, although clear policies,

procedures and support arrangements need to be in place.

� Don't overlook the cost of utilising volunteers – you will need management time, premises and possibly

other costs such as training in addition to any expenses you agree to pay.

LINKS

Homeless Link Survey of Needs and Provision 2013 www.homelesslink.org.uk/support

Volunteering England www.volunteering.org.uk/index.php

Timebanking UK www.timebanking.org/

St Mungo’s Broadway Peer Advice Link

www.mungosbroadway.org.uk/services/recovery_from_homelessness/pal_peer_advice_link

Do It national volunteer advertising service www.do-it.org.uk/

Managing Volunteers in Homelessness Services www.homeless.org.uk/effective-action/managingvolunteers

DWP ‘Volunteering While Getting Benefits’ guide www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dwp1023.pdf

Information on supported volunteering www.volunteering.org.uk/component/gpb/supported-volunteering

WORK PLACEMENTS FOR CLIENTS

INTRODUCTION

One of the biggest difficulties that anyone entering the job market for the first time can face is trying to break

the cycle of no experience = no job = no experience. At any level of the job market, someone with recent,

relevant work experience is likely to succeed at the expense of someone with an identical CV but without the

experience.

Work placements can help to provide that experience, offer an opportunity to improve or refresh skills, access

training, and show potential employers motivation and ability. They can also meet other needs, such as

providing recent references, improving self-esteem, strengthening a structured lifestyle and can help the

placed person better understand the workplace and try different types of work before committing.

Sometimes, work placements can end up as paid employment – although it’s important to manage

expectations prior to starting. Providing work placements can be a benefit to the host employer, who can use

the placement as part of a development programme for their employees, and particularly for people wanting to

move into management.

WORK PLACEMENTS – THE DETAILS

Many homelessness agencies have developed relationships with local employers who are willing to provide

placement opportunities. These will generally be for a short period of time, and will often be secured as a result

of having received pre-placement support provided in-house or by a partner agency. This is particularly useful

for people who haven’t previously been in employment, or who may be unfamiliar with the requirements of the

workplace and might focus on soft skills including:

• Workplace etiquette

• Punctuality

• Conduct & managing challenging situations

• Personal boundaries

• Anger management & interpersonal skills

• Preparation specific to the work placement

All of the above are attributes that are likely to enhance an individual’s effectiveness and basic employability,

and will help to maximise the likelihood of that person gaining paid employment.

For agencies without existing relationships with employers, there are a number of options: they can try to

develop them, they can access a programme such as Business in the Community’s Ready for Work

programme or the Prince’s Trust’s Get Into programme, or they can source work experience via their

Jobcentre Plus (JCP) adviser. Many areas will have local schemes that they can access, responding

specifically to the local context. Try to keep an eye on local business development such as new retail centres

and businesses opening or expanding in your area. It is important to respond to these opportunities and direct

clients towards employment options that are realistic in your area.

Whenever a client is considering starting a work placement, they should speak to their JCP adviser who will

advise them about any restrictions they may face or conditions they may need to meet to continue to be

eligible to keep their benefits in place – for instance, their adviser could formally recognise the opportunity as

Voluntary Work Experience, which would enable the client to keep their benefits and potentially get financial

support towards travel and childcare costs.

Agencies who are interested in offering work placements or experience to their own clients or third parties can

approach their JCP Partnership Manager to get formally recognised as a work experience provider.

CASE STUDY: CENTREPOINT WORKWISE

Many of the young people that Centrepoint supports have no work experience; employability staff teach young

people soft skills about how to communicate effectively with others, work etiquette and employer expectations.

This course will give them the chance to improve and develop their skills for prospective employers. Participants are

offered a minimum of a two-week work placement, which helps in practical ways i.e. by providing them with a

suitable reference, but is also vital in building self-esteem and aspirations.

If young people successfully complete the Workwise programme, they are awarded a BTEC level 2 in Employability

Skills. It takes place over four weeks and includes five stages:

1. Referral: Support workers refer young people interested in taking part

2. Selection: Young people suitable for the programme are identified through an assessment process

3. Workshops: To help them become job ready, young people are offered a series of workshops that take place

over a two-week period and include the following sessions and more:

• CVs & covering letters

• Interview skills

• Suitability for work

• Motivation & confidence building

• Communication skills

4. Work placement: If young people successfully complete the workshops, they are offered a work placement

with a corporate partner.

5. On-going support: As well as receiving support from the Workwise Team throughout the programme, young

people are assigned a mentor who helps them to complete their placement and guides them in their search

for work/

Approximately 50% of homeless young people completing the programme find work. Centrepoint’s programme is

officially recognised as a Sector Based Work Academy with Jobcentre Plus.

CASE STUDY: LUMINUS FERRY PROJECT

Octavia View is Wisbech’s Community Hub and contains Clarkson House, the Ferry Project’s 24 bed hostel for

single homeless people, as well as its administrative centre. There is a function room and also two classrooms

which can each hold up to 30 people. In these rooms local clubs can meet or organisations can hold training

events or smaller meetings. Octavia also has a café providing high quality English cream teas in a walled

courtyard.

The shop, café and function rooms all provide work experience opportunities for Ferry Project clients. Through

an arrangement with Seetec, they also provide work placements for Seetec clients. All clients have been

unemployed for over a year and the placement is designed to raise their confidence and belief that they can

get and keep a job. These placements last 4 weeks and clients work alongside experienced, DBS-checked

Ferry Project staff. This allows them to develop their skills and to gain experience. Ferry Project receives £5 a

day per client for providing this service and all the income gained goes into the charity helping it to provide

more services to homeless people in the area.

When the clients first arrive they are given an induction and then basic training in their chosen area. Clients

can work in the café, shop, doing maintenance or gardening. At the end of the programme clients are given a

reference indicating what work they have done and how they have progressed, everyone involved gains; the

client, the charity and the local community.

CHALLENGES

Work placements are one of the most effective ways of helping someone towards secure, paid employment.

The biggest challenges can be around providing opportunities for clients, ensuring that placements do not

affect any welfare benefit entitlements and that people starting placements are ready for the workplace and

understand what is required of them.

Agencies should aim to understand what constitutes job readiness for specific sectors, and consider how they

can support clients towards that point, including considering how issues such as substance use, mobility

problems or other issues might impact on their ability to successfully complete a placement. For job readiness,

things to consider include: punctuality, personal hygiene, verbal communication, attitude towards others, ability

to concentrate, manual dexterity, confidence, mental and physical resilience and attitude to management and

supervision.

TOP TIPS

� Try to build partnerships with local employers – an employer engaging in one particular area can be the

start of a mutually beneficial longer-term relationship.

� Work out before you approach an employer what you are offering them – for example, work placements

can be used by an employer to develop their staff team. Are they interested in the corporate social

responsibility agenda – if so, how can you help them to demonstrate this in e.g. the local media?

� Be hard headed when considering an opportunity for someone – employers will understand that the

placement is a development opportunity, but they will not welcome someone who is unable to do the

job. It can be easy to damage a long-term working relationship quickly if something goes wrong.

� Work with employers and placement providers to ensure that the experience is structured, constructive

and offers a chance to learn – placements should not be seen as simply cheap labour.

� Manage expectations – some work placements end up being converted into paid jobs, but most don’t.

� Map other local provision – does Business in the Community operate in your area? What about the

Prince’s Trust, if you have clients aged between 16 and 25?

� Build an effective working relationship with your local Jobcentre Plus – they may be able to find work

experience opportunities for your clients, or to formalise ones they have organised themselves.

� Make sure that your clients realise that they need to speak to their JCP or Work Programme adviser

before taking up a placement, even if they have organised it themselves.

� Consider offering work placements yourself – as a recognised Voluntary Work Experience provider with

JCP, or by agreement with one of the contracted-out providers. Design something that is mutually

beneficial.

� If you are offering work placements yourself, consider how this fits in with DBS requirements and your

policies, plus any related issues including insurance.

LINKS

Business in the Community ‘Ready for Work’ scheme -

www.bitc.org.uk/programmes/ready-work

Telling an employer about a criminal record – guidance from Business in the Community.

www.bitc.org.uk/sites/default/files/telling_an_employer_about_criminal_records_final_2.pdf

Get Into – short vocational courses from the Princes Trust

www.princes-trust.org.uk/about_the_trust/what_we_do/programmes/get_into.aspx