« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
CHAPTER SEVEN: MOVING INTO WORK, RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT
7.1 This section focuses on employment experiences of those who had had experiences of work since registering with the job retention programmes. It describes the types of work undertaken, followed by an assessment of the impact of the programme on these moves into work.
7.2 Clearly, the primary objectives of the programmes are to move people into work, to help them sustain it and to progress further in the labour market. The latest monitoring figures from One Plus for the Sustainable Employment Project indicate that by October 2006 324 clients had moved into work or were already in work at the time of recruitment to the project (of a total of 709). In late 2006 sustainability figures obtained from One Plus were running at around 87 per cent at 13 weeks (although not all of the 360 will have reached this milestone yet) and 83% at 26 weeks. In terms of job outcomes, by November 2006 the conversion rate (of unemployment to employment) was running at 59 per cent.
7.3 The latest figures released for Next Steps (August-October 2006) indicate that of the 128 clients recruited to the project, 77 were employed by the end of year two quarter one (October 2006) and 51 were unemployed. For the first year ( i.e., up to July 2006) sustainability figures were 89 per cent at 13 weeks and 48 per cent at 26 weeks (although again not all had reached this mark yet). In terms of job outcomes, by October 2006 this was running at 58 per cent (numbers in employment by the end of the first year against number of clients recruited to programme).
7.4 It is evident, therefore that both programmes have had similar conversion rates and sustainability rates at the 13-week mark.
7.5 Of the sample recruited for the qualitative element of this evaluation, 17 were working by the time of the interview (although many had only just begun the job), with another 7 on an ILM. The remainder were involved in other work preparation or job search activities.
Types of work undertaken
7.6 Less than half of the sample were in mainstream paid work at the time of the research interview (11 of the One Plus Sustainable Employment Project respondents and 6 of the Wise Group respondents). This was partly a reflection of the approach to sampling, which sought to ensure a mixture of respondents at different stages, as well as reflecting the stage of the project itself, which had been running for less than a year. However, other respondents were undertaking work related activities, including unpaid voluntary work (for the provider themselves) and ILM activities.
7.7 In almost all cases, the jobs secured were different to the types of work respondents had previously undertaken. This was both related to additional training they had done to enable them to then find a type of work that was more suited to them ( e.g., childcare work, office work etc), as well as a result of the efforts of their advisers to help them look beyond what they might have previously considered. In addition, some respondents had benefited from the links the organisations had with employers - notably the NHS. For example, one client had secured a job as a health worker in a joint project between One Plus and the NHS. Her language skills (Arabic) meant that eventually she was well placed to take up a post working closely with health visitors, social workers and the Asylum Team undertaking home visits and other support activities. At the time of the research interview she had been in her job for just over a year.
7.8 Another client originally started training with One Plus, participating in the 'Introduction into Care' course. She went onto an ILM at the Wise Group, having been sent there for work experience, and her work placement was in a children's home, and continued studying at college for her SVQ. She went on to get a permanent job in caring.
7.9 Other employment among the One Plus Sustainable Employment Project clients included working as a vending machine operator, as a cashier in an amusement arcade, in a hospital, and in the childcare sector.
7.10 With regard to the Next Steps sample, the majority of clients in the sample were employed by the Wise Group in various capacities. Some were working as administrators, others as life coaches.
7.11 In terms of those who had secured employment outside of the Wise Group, jobs acquired included working in a private nursery, working for a packaging company, a job with a housing association as a housing support worker, and working in an after-school club. In addition, there were those that we interviewed who had successfully completed the NHS Project training and work experience and, accordingly, had secured jobs in various hospitals in Glasgow.
7.12 Most clients in work were earning the minimum wage, and were invariably in receipt of in-work tax credits. One client said:
"I've got a permanent job at the hospital but it doesn't pay very much - it's 20 hours a week, four hours a day. The tax credits help - the hospital is fairly new and doesn't have much money."
7.13 At the end of year one, a study undertaken by the project showed that 20% of the Next Steps clients were earning £14,000 or over.
Impact of the programme on moves into (sustained) work
7.14 It was evident that the training and support made available had been hugely beneficial, particularly in terms of raising esteem and improving confidence levels to take the next steps into work. This input has been further enhanced by way of efforts made by both providers to improve client communication skills to use in the workplace, and to recognise and use the skills they had gained over the years, both inside and outside of work. For example, those now working as life coaches had clearly been encouraged to use their own life experiences in a positive way to help others in similar circumstances.
7.15 For those who had secured employment in a completely different field to that of their previous employment, there was recognition that staff had been instrumental in encouraging clients to give real consideration to entering new employment areas.
Before I didn't think I was clever enough to work in an office. (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
7.16 Some had received very practical assistance to help them find work, with financial help to pay for SNVQs featuring prominently. Mostly, people were employed full-time and all, as a result of the low rates of pay, were in receipt of tax credits. For some, this raised important questions about whether they could sustain working at a relatively low-income level, and whether they could subsequently move on. One client, who had got a job in a packing company after a chaotic employment history said:
"Next Steps helped pay for my forklift licence, and because I'm fully trained, I realised I was in a different position as far as my employment situation is concerned. Now I'm experienced, now I've got my licence, I want more than the minimum wage… I don't want to leave because I'm glad that they took me on in the first place, but if the wages don't improve……" (Wise Group Next Steps)
7.17 Whilst some clients were pleased that their efforts had paid off in terms of finding work, and all were pleased at the practical and financial support that had been made available to them, a couple of those interviewed were of the opinion that the sorts of 'entry level' jobs that they had acquired did not properly reflect their skills and experience. This appeared to be a particular issue for those who were doing 'on the job learning', thus:
I was constantly being asked to do things which, I suppose, I thought were beneath me… after all the experience I'd had before. (One Plus Sustainable Employment Project)
7.18 In such cases, doubts were raised by respondents about the long-term viability of the job. Nevertheless, among the sample none of the clients interviewed had discussed the possibility of moving on to another, better, job with their adviser. Whilst it may be too early in their return to work to consider this, it does suggest that taking the next 'step' had yet to gain salience among these individuals - or at least not to the extent that they sought support from the provider to do so.
Retention, sustainability and post-employment support
7.19 Once clients are in work, this can be the point at which support becomes particularly crucial. This section identifies some of the difficulties identified by some of those respondents who had moved into work, and the extent to which the projects were able to help. By way of illustration, a small number of case studies are presented which highlight the range of difficulties encountered, and the potential impact on the sustainability of employment.
7.20 Participants reported a number of difficulties, practical and otherwise, as a result of securing employment. These included a perceived lack of flexibility on the part of employers in terms of working hours or unreasonable demands being placed on them in terms of the numbers of hours deemed necessary to do the job (particularly relevant for those with childcare responsibilities or health problems). Some clients who had secured employment in sectors that were very different to what they were used to reported in-work tensions based on their difficulties with appropriate communication styles.
7.21 Others, including those who had been away from the labour market for a long time, reported difficulties regarding personal finance - and in particularly benefit run-ons, paying for rent, repaying debts and paying for other work related costs as well as difficulties whilst waiting for the first pay cheque.
Case Study B
'Mary', like a significant number of middle-aged clients, experienced poor health, suffering periodically from depression and a series of physical ailments, including epilepsy. Before joining Next Steps she had spent most of her life caring for her children - both with health problems, and for her mother, as well combining work. After her mother died, Mary had severe depression and found it difficult to cope with work.
On registering with the provider, Mary took part in confidence-building sessions and began to think about the possibility of returning to work. She had decided that she really wanted to work with children. She was referred to the Training for Work Childcare Project, and eventually did a work-experience placement at (a local) nursery. With the help and support of Next Steps employment consultants, she found a job as a childcare assistant in a local day nursery. There were aspects of the job that Mary found difficult, but Next Steps provided ongoing support for her by phone and with home visits. In addition, to help her to progress, Next Steps provided support for Mary to undertake an SNVQ so that she could progress in her job.
Having acquired her Level 2 qualification, Mary is now working towards Level 3, and feels much more positive about work and life generally.
7.22 Other difficulties encountered in work were as a result of children being sick and not having friends or family to take care of them. In one example, the client could not get to work and enlisted the support of her adviser to liaise with the employer and assure them that she was fully committed to working, despite the practical difficulty encountered.
7.23 The One Plus Sustainable Employment Project staff suggested that some of their clients experience difficulties in staying in work because of not being 'good managers of money', particularly when coupled with delays or difficulties with in work benefit or tax credit entitlements. The administration of tax credits had caused difficulties in work for some, with payments being inappropriately stopped. Examples were given where this had caused such financial difficulties that had it not been for the support and perseverance of the advisers, they would have 'quit' the job and returned to benefits.
7.24 Other clients - particularly those living in rural locations - have experienced difficulties in securing childcare that was compatible with working and again this threatened the longer term sustainability of employment. As highlighted earlier, travel to and from work, in terms of availability and affordability, could be a difficulty that threatened job retention for clients of both the One Plus Sustainable Employment Project and Next Steps, with the added challenge for lone parents of combining work, travel and childcare. Assistance with childcare for those living in SIP areas was very important, and those that did not have access to such support appeared to be in a more fragile situation.
7.25 Moving people from long-term unemployment to sustained work continues to be a challenge to both policy makers and practitioners. Some of the participants, particularly those engaged with Next Steps, have been so far removed from mainstream labour market activities for such a long time that it is difficult to assess quite how long they will need support for.
7.26 Realistically, it is too early in the lifetime of both projects to quantify the impact of the projects on employment retention, and the evidence gathered so far suggests that at this juncture there has been a relatively low take-up of post-employment support. Nevertheless, where it has been provided, it has clearly had a positive impact on job retention. Future research, once the programme has developed further and there are more people moving into sustainable jobs, will provide a clearer picture of the kinds of challenges people encounter and how they have been addressed.
Case Study C
'Christine' had built up considerable personal debts whilst raising her young family as a single parent, and had relied on mail-order catalogues for Christmas and birthday present for the children in order to take advantage of 'easy payment' schemes and access to credit. She was referred to One Plus by Jobcentre Plus, and began to think about work as she participated in different elements of the Programme - personal development training, debt counselling, money management and how to access childcare.
Her worry was whether she could afford to work - she worried about the loss of benefits or what might happen if her children were ill if she was working. The One Plus Sustainable Employment Project caseworkers spent time explaining in-work benefits, and calculating her entitlement. They also spent time tackling her personal debts - writing to creditors and ensuring that a realistic payment plan was in place. The final step was exploring Christine's childcare needs. Christine recognised that making the transition to work was, with practical help and support, an option for consideration, and that it could be a positive step for her. Eventually, she found a part-time job in an office, enabling her to combine work with the needs of her children. The One Plus Sustainable Employment Project helped her during the crucial first few weeks, providing assistance with travel to work money and help towards her rent.
« Previous | Contents | Next »