wakefield customer insight project

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Wakefield Customer Insight Project

Customer LedTransformation Programme

• Original bid around new council office -Front Office Shared Service with JCP

• Economic climate – turned into project to strengthen worklessness approach across the district


• Male Unemployed• Lone Parents• Incapacity Benefits• Ex Offenders


• Stakeholder Event

• Focus groups

• 1 -1 Interviews

• User groups


Pat OldroydCustomer Services Manager, Wakefield Council

Ian HunterDistrict Manager, Job Centre Plus West Yorkshire

Breakout group – Lone Parents

Breakout group – Ex Offenders


Breakout group – Male Claimants

Stakeholder Event

Overview of attendees


• Stakeholder Event

• Focus groups

• 1 -1 Interviews

• User groups

Customer Insight Findings

• Customer journey is too fragmented - difficult to see a clear customer journey

• Individual, personalised support needed: based on ‘everyone’ is different and needs specific help and support to develop their customer journey

• The need for IT skills and regular access to computers; • Help with managing finances, debt advice and support; • Community based support• A greater focus on the possibility of self-employment, and

the routes to advice• Affordable, local quality childcare

Customer Insight Findings

• Fierce competition from a large number of job seekers that have a recent work history – particularly long term claimants

• Work experience was a seen as barrier, particularly for younger claimants

• Health issues a barrier to employment• Finite funding arrangements prevents long term planning

and can restrict creativity

Welfare Reforms

• Major changes to the delivery landscape

• Significant change to the operational delivery arrangements of Job Centre Plus

• Introduction of the Work Programme

Worklessness Review Group

• To roll out best practice throughout the district streamlining activity and reducing duplication

• Developing a co-ordinated response to tackling worklessness

• Co�ordinated approach to employer engagement

• Implement welfare reforms :-• Personalisation agenda in JCP• Get Britain Working Measures / Support Menu• Work Programme

Personalised Flexible Interventions

• Flexible support delivered by advisers according to need rather than benefit type

• Greater use of non-contracted provision and discretion to tailor support to the individual

• Increased focus of diagnosis at the new claim stage • District Managers to shape the nature and level of support

in their local area – focus on outcomes• A flexible menu of support options

Get Britain Working Measures

Employment Skills Course

• Identify your existing skills and relate them to employment criteria

• Devise and present an up to date CV

• Undertake a job search in a focused and logical way

• Develop your skills in effective letter writing and application form completion

• Develop and practise interview strategies and techniques

Sector Based Work Academies

“This novel recruitment approach led by the Company in collaboration with JCP has acquired dedicated and committed people who have a desire to learn. The training programme has been both successful and cost effective and some excellent people have now joined us…. we are hoping to run a similar scheme during April 2012 and will be working closely with Jobcentre Plus to expand our workforce further”.

Work Experience

“The scheme has been a huge success and enables us to help young people to have real life work experience and also keep track of anyone who is of the right calibre should any vacancies occur – take Johnny, he came in for 8 weeks and we were so impressed with his attitude and commitment to customer service we have employed him on a permanent contract –not only have we received a number of compliments from our customers but he has just won Employee of the Month which is fantastic given he has only been with us a short amount of time.”

Enterprise Clubs

• Opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs and self-employed people

• Guidance in setting up in business, including writing a business plan; and financial, legal and market advice

• Provide office services, including internet access, and advice about benefits and in-work support.

• New Enterprise Allowance• 4 pilot enterprise clubs established to date – looking to roll

out further

The Work Programme

Quick Wins

• Family Information Leaflet distributed at each birth registration

• Considerable increase in number of enquires received by the team

wakefield customer insight project

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