Employment & Skills ResearchLangworthy : Jan-March 2009

Presentation by:-

Martin Halton

Research Manager

Seedley & Langworthy Trust

CONTENTS

Project overview, context & approachMethodologyWorklessness agendaResults & analysisKey messages

PROJECT OVERVIEW Research & consultation activity that took place

in 3 LSOAs in Langworthy ward between January – March 2009.

Consultation conducted by a team of 14 local residents who were recruited, trained & supported in Community Research/Consultation by SALT.

Most of the research team were in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) or Employment & Support Allowance (ESA).

Total of 204 residents participated in the consultation.

CONTEXT challenge at local level

3 LSOAs chosen (26, 13 & 15) containing some of the highest levels of worklessness across the city.

PROJECT AIMS

To explore residents attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of employment & skills provision & support.

To use subsequent findings to inform the new Working Neighbourhood Team for the area.

APPROACH SALT adopted a community research

approach in responding to project brief. 14 local residents were recruited to

conduct a series of interviews with residents across the 3 areas.

Residents attended a 3 day training course in community research prior to consultation commencing.

Group worked in small research teams across the 3 areas.

RESEARCH TRAINING

RESEARCH TRAINING

METHODOLOGY

Employment & Skills Survey

1) Employment – current status & perceptions of local employment opportunities

2) Issue – norms & values towards employment & skills and cause and effect/impact on individual, family & wider community

3) Support services – service awareness & take – up of support services.

METHODOLOGY

Case study material – short DVD film3 “real-life” stories of members of the

research team captured through semi-structured interviews on film.

WORKLESSNESS AGENDA

Major aspect of welfare reform policy

New expectations of benefit claimants

New approach towards ‘Tackling Worklessness’

Integrated & coordinated approach

Raise aspirations IN Salford

Integration of commissioning & delivery systems

Accessible services to excluded groups

Introduction of WNT’s in Salford

JOBIn Work Support

Train to GainJCP

EducationFE HE

13 Weeks

No Wrong Door - Small army of people with

personal relationships & contact opportunities

LocalManagement

Team

JointCommissioning

at centre

Coordinate joined up delivery;Inform

commissioning

Campaigns; Ways of working; Joint

activities; Information sharing

Police

i

i

Confidencebuilding

Skills forlife

Skills &Work

IAG

Crime

Benefitadvice

Customer Information

System

Financialadvice

Enterpriseactivity

Parenting

Manage a caseload & guide shoppers through the store

HealthTrainers

CommunityChampions

3rd Sector

YouthWorkers

CDWs

Working Neighbourhoods TeamsA ‘Department Store’ of joined - up support

Familysupport

iChild-care

Drug &alcohol

Healthsupport/activity

Housingsupport

‘PersonalShoppers’

CommonAssess-ment

Skills and Work; AACS; Connexions; Next Step..

Crime/

GPs

HousingOfficers

i‘FrontLiners’

offending

REMIT OF WNT’s

Tackle deep seated worklessness Focus on those out of the labour market Tackle generational worklessness & aspirations Use a ‘Neighbourhood Management’ and ‘whole

system’ approach A common but flexible approach across areas Deliver on critical shared priorities – connecting

people with opportunity

RESULTS & ANALYSISresidents survey

Response Rates

79

5666

201

79 76

49

204

0

50

100

150

200

250

26 – 024D 13 – 024A 15 – 024B Total

LSOA's

num

ber

of r

espo

nden

ts

Target

Actual/completed

PERCEPTIONS OF LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

1%

7%

28%

34%

24%

5%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

%

Very Good Good Average Below Average Very BelowAverage

Noresponse/don’t

know

response

For someone who is unemployed and living in your neighbourhood, would you say their chances of getting a job

are...?

ISSUE – NORMS & VALUES TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT & SKILLSHow important is employment & skills in your area?

82%

12%6%

High priority

Low priority

Don’t know/noresponse

IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES

How/to what extent does this issue impact on you, your family & the wider community?

76%

7%

6%

6%5%

A large extent

To some extent

Not very much

Not at all

Don’t know/didn’trespond

BARRIERS/FACTORS TO WORK

28%22%

15%13%

9%4%

3%2%

1%1%1%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

%

Lack of skills & qualifications

Lack of jobs

Don’t know/didn’t respond

Childcare support

Low self confidence

Health

Benefits Trap

Age

Legislation

Criminal record

Discrimination

Bar

rier

/Fac

tor

What barriers/factors do you feel that you face/affect your ability to get into or return to work?

SUPPORT SERVICESAre you aware of support services?

85%

78% 76%80%

12%

20% 21%18%

3% 2% 3% 2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

To help you into work To help you improveskills

To help you intolearning

To support you withbenefits

Type of support

%

Yes

No

Don’t know/noresponse

SERVICE TAKE-UP

What services do/have you used?

74%

10% 6% 4% 4% 2%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Job CentrePlus

Connexions Work & SkillsSupport

Citizens AdviceBureau (CAB)

Learn Direct Age Concern

Type of service

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEHas the way you have been supported made you feel valued?

46%

54%

Yes

No

DO YOU FEEL LIKE A VALUED CUSTOMER?

Do you feel the service is tailored to you as an individual/meet and understand your personal/particular needs?

42%

58%

Yes

No

KEY MESSAGES

Project has reinforced the value and importance of adopting a more personalised package of support.

Engagement & Outreach work were acting as crucial tools in supporting individuals with training & volunteering opportunities.

An increasing emphasis on such approaches (central to WNT) crucial to future success.

Need for a concerted effort on converting customers positive attitudes towards employment & good levels of service awareness into successful work-related outcomes for those areas residents.