Working Links Wales
Work Programme - Opportunities & Challenges
Ross Watts - Regional Employer Services Manager
The Nuts & Bolts …… NEETs 8/09/2011
Working Links
• Who we are & current delivery
• Work Programme – why it’s different
• Work Programme- delivery overview & customer journey
• Demystifying ‘Black Box’
• Stakeholder engagement
• Challenges and opportunities
Working Links
• Specialist provider of employability provision for people
furthest away from the labour market.
• Shareholder executive from the Public, Private and Voluntary
sector.
• Specific business units-Welfare to Work, Justice, Skills and
Apprenticeships and International Development
•Established in 2000 as a pilot project supporting long term
unemployment back into sustainable employment.
Working Links Wales
• Working Links began in Wales in 2000 with 8 people
implementing the pilot ‘Employment Zone’
• Now employe nearly 200 people, with 22 offices across Wales
• Several contracts including Work Choice, Newday Services, and
Work Programme (we’ve just gone live!!).
• We’ve helped more than 22,000 people into employment
across Wales
• We understand the communities we work in
• We understand the policy and funding context in Wales
Current contract delivery
• Newday
Services
• ESF / NOMS Cymru
• Convergence areas of Wales
• Offenders/ Ex Offenders
• Training & Employment Outcomes
• Work Choice
• DWP Contract
• South East / Mid & North Wales
• 100% Sub contracted out (Scope & Shaw Trust)
• The Work Programme – (live 13th June)
The Work Programme
Why it’s different ?
• UK Government’s flagship welfare to work programme - single
programme to replace complex network of provision.
• Scale: geography, volume & diversity - More than 146,000 people
assisted through 2 Prime Contractors & diverse supply chains.
• Signals a catalyst for change – longevity, competition, emphasis
on sustainability outcomes of 2 years (payment by results model).
The Work Programme
Why it’s different ?
• Combined client groups - move towards Universal Credit
• Designed to offer tailored personalised support – innovation
through ‘Black Box’
• Elevated status for primes – not just contractors but key
stakeholders in the worklessness & regeneration agenda pan
Wales.
Eligible Customer Groups
Customer Group
JCP -Referral Point
From
Mandatory Voluntary
JSA 25 +
12 Months
Mandatory
JSA 18-24
9 Months
Mandatory
JSA Early Access
3 Months
Mandatory or Voluntary
JSA Ex IB
3 Months
Mandatory
ESA Volunteer
At Any Time
Voluntary
ESA Flow (WRAG&
Support Group)
At Any Time (When
customers fit for work
within 3 Months)
Mandatory or Voluntary
ESA Ex IB
At Any Time (When
customers fit for work
within 3 Months)
Mandatory / Voluntary
**2 years allotted time on Programme**
Payment Trigger Points
Customer Group
Job Outcome
Sustained Payments
(4 Weekly Payments)
JSA 25 +
26 Weeks
13 (52 Weeks)
JSA 18-24
26 Weeks
13 (52 Weeks)
JSA Early Access
13 Weeks
20 (80 Weeks)
JSA Ex IB
13 Weeks
20 (80 Weeks)
ESA Volunteer
13 Weeks
20 (80 Weeks)
ESA Flow (WRAG&
Support Group)
13 Weeks
20 (80 Weeks)
ESA Ex IB
13 Weeks
26 (104 Weeks)
Delivery Structure
Tier 1
Prime
Contractor
Tier 2
End to End
Providers
Tier 3
Specialist
Providers
Working Links
Agoriad
Gwynedd &
Anglesey
Pembrokeshire
College
Pembrokeshire
Torfaen Training
Torfaen &
Monmouthshire
Remploy
Powys & NPT
BITC, RATHBONE, SALLUS, GOFAL CYMRU, SKILL WALES
Holyhead
Bangor
Work Programme
Delivery Locations
Colwyn Bay
Rhyl
Mold
Key:Wrexham
Working Links (78.6%)
Agoriad (5.3%)
Remploy (7.7%)
Torfaen Training (5.2%)
Pembs College (3.2%)
Welshpool
Dolgellau
Pwllheli
Machynlleth
Newtown
Aberystwyth
Ystradgynlais
Cardigan
Llandrindod Wells
Brecon
Merthyr Tydfil
Ebbw Vale
Tredegar
Blaenavon
Abertillery
Abergavenny
Chepstow
Haverfordwest
Milford Haven
Pontypool
Carmarthen
Monmouth
Cwmbran
Bargoed
Pembroke Dock
Neath
Llanelli
Swansea
Aberdare
Ammanford
Port Talbot
Treorchy
Cardiff
Bridgend
Maesteg Pontypridd
Newport
Caerphilly
This thing called ‘Black Box’
•What it is:
•Enables innovation
•Flexibility of process
•Flexibility of delivery design
•Flexibility of provision
•Focus on sustainability
•Minimum Service Levels touch points
•What it isn’t:
• Funding for everything and everyone
• Solely a skills programme
• Open ended and bottomless
Developing the delivery model to meet customer needs
• Collated best practice across contracts and functions ( Internal & supply chain)
• Analysis of best performing consultants (knowing what works )
• Holistic approach that is sensitive to customer need ( pre & post employment)
• Significant investment in technology to create an efficient customer Journey.
• Employer led
• Supported through internal and external packages of specialist support.
• Underpinned by core minimum service levels (MSL’s)
Delivery Model Overview
1- 4 weeks
Referral
Induction
& Assessment
My Way Up
Engagement
I
n
t
o
W
o
r
k
P
l
a
n
HUB
Job Ready
ACADEMY
Moderate
Barriers
COMPASS
Significant
Barriers
Pre –Work Support
Employer Offer
Job
Entry /
Exit
In
Work
Support
Engaging specialist support organisations
• Dynamic Support Catalogue Linked to our MY WAY UP diagnostic.
• Work with organisations with the experience and delivery expertise to add real
value to the customer journey.
• Value the driver not cost.
• Provides MI to drive future commissioning activity
• Dedicated manager to support the delivery of specialist service providers.
• Support across the entire customer Journey
• Alignment with existing funded programmes where applicable
• Enhances the Employer Offer – Brokering of additional provision
Specific NEET’s interventions / Programmes
• Graduate Offer In partnership with BITC (Hub)
• 2 week work placement opportunity
• Utilising BITC’s high profile network of Employers
• CV ‘s, references and professional mentoring support
• The Launch Programme in Partnership With Rathbone Cymru (Compass)
• 1 Week intensive programme
• Personal Development
• Enterprise project
• Self managed reward activity.
Stakeholder Engagement
• Housing and housing related support services have a huge role to play in
supporting WL to take the “Fear Factor out of Work Programme.
•
•
•
•
•
United Welsh
Tai Eryri
Carterfi Conwy
CIH (i2i)
Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd
• Pre -Work Programme engagement activity is crucial
• Using your support, knowledge and expertise to further shape services delivered
• Alignment of service provision & continuity of customer Journey
Challenges and Opportunities
• Funding model
• Random allocation from JCP
•Single programme – simplicity, longevity and flexibility
•Collaboration with other Prime the Rehab Group
•Alignment and synergy - CRITICAL
•Maximise social and economic priorities (eg regeneration, inward
investment and social clauses, etc)
Our Success has always been achieved through
our People, Partnerships & Employers