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Effective Interventions Unit Moving On: Update Employability And Employment For Recovering Drug Users
Chapter 7: Planning and developing employability services
There has been a real increase in the number of projects and services now working with drug users to improve their employability. The evidence shows, however, that the pathways to employability and ultimately to employment may include
several stages and that progress may be slow.
We have also identified a significant number of organisations and agencies who might have a part to play. While there may be a case for service providers enhancing their provision to include help with some aspects of employability e.g. treatment services offering confidence building and communication skills training, the reality is that no one agency is going to be able to address all the needs of the individual or assist them through the various transitions towards the workplace. The message is that
partnership is crucial. The Guide to Partnership Working in Developing Employability Provision (EIU 2003) sets out the principles of partnership working and includes case studies.
Around Scotland, there are now 12 Drug and Alcohol Action Teams employability subgroups at various stages of developing and implementing employability strategies. Again, they are doing this in partnership with key agencies and service providers in their areas.
In the first Moving On review we set out a number of key questions to ask and issues to address for Drug and Alcohol Action Teams, their partner agencies and service providers. The issues remain substantially the same but, drawing on our more recent consultations and evidence gathering, we have identified the following key principles that should underpin the planning and delivery of employability focussed services; and we have also identified some key elements of effective practice.
Key Principles
Recognise that recovering drug users are a diverse group of individuals who are at different distances from the labour market
Ensure that the individual gets access to the most relevant services at the right time
Combine clear objectives shared by all and a shared approach with flexibility to allow for the individual's needs and circumstances
Promote a clear focus on progression, however slow, and measure it
Ensure staff are knowledgeable, skilled and supportive
Involve employers in the design and delivery of services to make sure that different needs are met.
Key Elements for Effective Practice
For Drug and Alcohol Action Teams and agencies Involved in Planning of Provision
Identify the partners in your area - including treatment services, specialist employability services e.g. New Futures projects, progress2work teams, Further Education colleges, training providers, employers - and
engage with them. The employability subgroup can act as a forum and a focal point for networking.
Engage at both
strategic and operational level. Strategic level agreements on shared aims and objectives are essential to drive action at service level e.g. on shared assessment information, referral arrangements, inter-agency collaborations and joint training (EIU 2003). Above all, the partners should reach a shared understanding of what employability means and what
outcomes are expected and are realistic.
Work
with local economic development agencies and employers networks to gain a better understanding of the local economy and local labour market conditions.
Use the information gathered by Jobcentre Plus, the local enterprise company, progress2work co-ordinators, the local authority, New Deal and FE colleges to get a picture of how many people are likely to benefit from employability provision.
Develop a business case for discussion with employers to show that there are economic as well as social benefits in employing drug users
For Service Providers
Identify the barriers to employability among clients and develop strategies to address them.
Make services accessible. Location and timing are not the only issues although they are important. The name of the service can be a real factor in the decisions by individuals to attend employability services. Recovering drug users looking to make a break from their past often want to be
"students" or "trainees" in a service with a more "neutral" title. It is also crucial for people who have low levels of self-esteem and are fearful of failure that the environment is
welcoming and supportive.
Ensure staff are
knowledgeable about the impact of drugs misuse on people's lives and aware of the possibility of further problems such as relapse. Staff should have skills in delivering life-skills and personal development training. They need to have a
good awareness of the local labour market and good contacts with the local economic development agency.
Develop understanding of job readiness. It may be possible to agree common criteria or benchmarks with employers. One positive step might be to set up an employer's network who would meet occasionally with clients and with staff to discuss the potential for work placements and for future employment. It would also act as a way of helping employers to exchange experiences and develop their own approach to supporting new employees who may have difficulty settling into the workplace.
Communicate with other agencies and other service providers. Better communication will support the development of
jointly agreed protocols for referrals, information sharing and a common approach to assessments. Agencies and service providers also need to understand more closely what agencies actually provide.
Drug treatment services should consider whether it is possible for them to introduce
elements of employability as clients progress through the treatment programme. These can include confidence building, personal and social skills development, and management and help with basic skills such as literacy and numeracy. They should also develop links with employability services so that staff understand better what such services offer to their clients. Better links will also help to ease transition for clients. In some cases they may be able to continue to offer support to clients.
Specialist employability services should build relationships with treatment services. Treatment services may have concerns about the readiness of clients to move on and may lack knowledge of the kinds of support available through the more employability focussed services. In the other direction, links should be made to the
"mainstream" providers such as Further Education colleges and training providers who may offer the next steps on the pathway to employability for clients. There are also important
links to be made with employers so that the pre-vocational and skills training offered by the specialist services can be focussed towards the needs of future employers, e.g. IT packages, customer handling. Employers may also be willing to offer work tasters or work placements which can be a significant step to helping the individual improve their employability.
Mainstream providers can build relationships with other service providers to improve their understanding of the problems faced by recovering drug users. Mainstream providers could become more accessible by offering "taster" courses in a "safe" or more local venue. They may be able to work collaboratively with treatment services in working with drug users e.g. PHASE programme at Phoenix House. They should agree
protocols and procedures for helping clients return to treatment services or the specialist employability services if relapse occurs or the individual cannot yet cope with the demands of the new environment.
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