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How the Work Programme works The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK on its experience of delivering the Work Programme November 2012
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Page 1: The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK

How the

Work Programme

works

The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK on its

experience of delivering the Work Programme

November 2012

Page 2: The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK

2

Cover: Panelists of The Salvation Army fringe event at the 2012 Conservative partyconference. The panelists, including the Minister for Welfare Reform, Lord Freud,The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK staff, and Work Programme participantsprovided valuable insights into the inner workings of the scheme.

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Contents

Introduction 4

The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK 5

The Work Programme – how it works 6

Employment Plus UK aims to help people into the right job,

not just any job 8

Employment Plus UK helps people into work by providing

personalised and comprehensive job search support 9

Our support is not just personalised but personal 10

Upskilling and training are key elements of the Work Programme 12

For some people gaining work experience is part of the journey

into work 13

Employment Plus UK partners with local employers and community

organisations 14

Barriers to employment 15

How we respond to these barriers 18

Our successes – Progress on the route to employment and job outcomes 19

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Introduction

The Salvation Army delivers the Work Programme in the Birmingham andBristol areas. The Work Programme is described by the Government as a“black box” programme. In other words, it is for those delivering theprogramme to decide on the best way to help people back into work. In thisreport, The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus UK service takes the lid offits “black box” and shows the different ways in which it is working with jobseekers.

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The Salvation Army and Employment Plus

The Salvation Army – a Christian church and charity

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity, which began in theEast End of London in 1865. Our services are open to all who need them, regardlessof ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. Thanks to our values – integrity,justice, compassion, respect and commitment – we can now look back at 130 yearsof supporting people at the margins of the labour market.

Employment Plus UK is the The Salvation Army’s response tounemployment

The purpose of The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus Department is to helpunemployed people achieve their full potential by entering sustained employment.Employment Plus was established to "help pierce the darkness of unemployment tolet the light shine through". It builds on The Salvation Army's 130-year history ofhelping people find work.

We currently deliver a range of government programmes offering tailoredapproaches to helping people back to work, including the Work Programme, WorkChoice, and the Jobcentre Plus Support Contract. These are delivered assubcontracts across Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Kent, Surrey and Sussex and theNorth East. We also operate more than 25 employment resource centres (similar toWork Clubs) in community settings.

Employment Plus also exists in other countries. We deliver employment services inthe UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand. We are exchanging knowledge with, forinstance, Employment Plus Australia to ascertain best practices in deliveringemployment services.

Importantly, The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK is a not for profit organisationand as part of The Salvation Army, compassion, respect, and support arefundamental in everything we do.

‘Our mission: to providequality employmentservices to those mostaffected byunemployment’

‘Our guiding values:integrity, respect, justice,compassion andcommitment’

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The Work Programme – how it works

The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK is a tier-onesubcontractor in Bristol and the West Midlands

Launched in June 2011, the Work Programme is the Government’s mostcomprehensive programme specifically targeted at long-term unemployedjobseekers.

Under the Work Programme, Employment Plus UK has taken on three results-based contracts on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. Throughour prime contractors Rehab JobFit in Bristol, and Pertemps PeopleDevelopment Group as well as InTraining (Newcastle College Group) in the WestMidlands we act as a Tier-one subcontractor in two so-called contract packageareas (CPAs) located in the West Midlands (CPA 14) and the Bristol area (CPA12).

As a subcontractor we encounter a full range of participants with very diverseneeds. For example, we assist young claimants previously not in education,employment or training (NEET), as well as individuals with mental healthproblems, drug or alcohol dependency, or experience of homelessness.

A claimant remains with us for two years from the date of their referral to theWork Programme. Our employment coaches, who are called Job Life Coaches,work with the participant during the whole process, which includes in-worksupport for both employers and employees.

Being able to work with the participant for a sustained period of time allowsour Job Life Coaches to build a relationship with the individual, which isimportant for achieving our ultimate goal of helping an individual into goodand sustainable employment.

We also partner with individuals, businesses, industry groups, governmentsand community organisations to bring benefit to each of them and to thecommunity as a whole.

WorkProgramme

contracts havebeen split into

18 ContractPackage Areas

(CPAs).

- CPA 12 -South West -

Gloucestershire,Wiltshire and

West of England- CPA 14 - West

Midlands -Birmingham,Solihull and

Black Country

Where we operate:

Source: DWPwebsite

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Work Programme providers are paid for helping people intosustainable employment

As a provider we receive payment by the government after a participant takes upemployment and stays in employment for a minimum of three or six months, andbeyond. This system implies that, as a Work Programme provider, the longer theindividual stays in work, the more we are paid.

An individual’s benefit payment category and his or her age group determine thelevel of this payment, so that payments are usually higher for those who are harderto help. This means that the payment structure of the Work Programme is gearedtowards creating the right incentives to help the participants into sustainableemployment, rather than any type of short-term employment. It also ensures thatproviders have a financial interest in helping those who are facing the greatestbarriers to employment.

With paid work being the most important mechanism for lifting people out ofpoverty and providing people with a sense of purpose and personal responsibility,employment is key to transforming people’s lives and contributing to social justice.The positive incentives for Work Programme providers provided an additionalmotivation for The Salvation Army to take part in the scheme, and so we aresupportive of this system.

With our aim to break evenrather than to generate asurplus, we are committedto working with everyparticipant referred to us,regardless of their paymentcategory. We provideeveryone with tailoredemployment support, andalso help with personalissues, which may be abarrier to entering andsustaining work.

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More than one year after the start of the Work Programme, we are happy toshare the findings of interviews we have held with more than 30 programmeparticipants between May and August 2012. We asked them how they feltabout the support they had received, and about barriers to employment theyperceive to be the greatest. Our findings confirm that what makes ourapproach special is the combination of modern employment support with theSalvation Army ethos.

Employment Plus UK aims to help people into theright job, not just any job

Bai Yang joined Employment Plus through the Work Programme. As a bright and sociallyable person who just needed a little support, we supported her in finishing her Level 3Hairdressing qualification. As she was eager to work on a cruise ship, we helped herapply to several cruise lines. However, Bai Yang’s English skills proved a problem atsubsequent psychometric tests. With our help, Bai Yang landed a job at a localhairdressing business instead. In the few months that Bai Yang has been in her new job,her language skills have improved significantly, simply from talking to people all day.Ever since she started, Bai Yang and her employers have worked together very happily.And her dream of working on a cruise ship is still alive. We are working on her CV torecord all the skills she has gained from her new job and we will help Bai Yang to applyfor more cruise ship jobs in the near future.

Bai Yang’s story - Bristol

“I'd been applying for a couple ofyears for jobs as receptionists and inshops, which I have no qualificationsto do, so […] no one ever gives me ajob. It wasn't until I got here[Employment Plus] that I was able tosay, well, I have experience intranslation; I have experience as ateacher. Here they start actuallyfinding things that are relevant. Thathasn't happened before.” (Chloe)

“I only have good things to say aboutMegan (Job Life Coach). (…) Shesuggested many places I haven'tthought of looking for work. Shecame up with loads of jobopportunities.” (Tom)

Our jobseekers are given a thoroughassessment, because their Job Life Coachesdo not only want to understand theiremployment history, but they also want tofind out about their personality,experiences, and goals in life. In otherwords, we attempt to take all of theparticipants’ needs into consideration.

Moreover, Employment Plus believes that itis not just about getting the first job that isavailable. Tailored support means tailoredjobs. Employment Plus is working hard toenable our participants to move into goodjobs, rather than just any job.

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Many of our participants realise how much they can still improve their job searchskills only once they are with The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK.

“Before I came here [to Employment Plus], I did not even know what a coverletter was, (so) my job applications went straight into the bin. […] Because oftheir help, I actually know what I am doing now.” (Martin)

There is room for improvement in job search skills for nearly everyone:

“There's a lot of practical help. There's a lot of practical help [at EmploymentPlus]. I thought I could write a CV, I didn't know I couldn't. I was taught how. […]My Job Life Coach here has gone through my CV in detail and has really helpedme improve it.” (Judy)

We provide personalised support such as one-to-one mentoring andcomprehensive job search support. Participants in our focus groups told about thecourses that they have participated in since they have been with Employment Plus,which included interview and job search techniques, mock interviews and GoalsTraining.

Employment Plus UK helps people into work byproviding personalised and comprehensive job

search support

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Employment Plus UK makes sure that Work Programme participants get the amountof contact from their Job Life Coach that they need or expect from us. Becausewe know it matters for our participants: on average, each Job Life coach works withonly 120 participants, including those already in work.

On an everyday basis, people come to visit our resource centres for a variety ofreasons; they might have a scheduled appointment, a job search workshop, or theymay just be dropping in to use our resources for individual job search purposes.The doors of our resource centres are always open to our participants, and this isclearly appreciated.

“I came here [to Employment Plus] yesterday with my CV because it [mycomputer] wouldn't send off. I didn't ring or anything. I came here with theproblem that I had, and they showed me how to do it on the computer, and I alsodid my job search yesterday. (...) Here they see if you do have a problem: “wecan help you, we will help you”. I was so grateful to them yesterday.” (Betty)

“Here, it is all one-to-one stuff. You can come here anytime you want it, Mondayto Friday, whenever, and just use the computers.” (Helen)

“At the Employment Plus Centre you can see someone for half an hour, threequarters of an hour or an hour. They take the time.” (Paul)

“You don't feel like you go in there just to do job searches, you feel like you cantalk to them. If you have problems you can talk to them, and they will do whatthey can to help you out. It's not just looking for a job and then going home.”(Maria)

Our support is not just personalised butpersonal

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What makes the Salvation Army approach distinctive is that we combine our modernapproach to employment services with traditional values of integrity, justice,compassion, respect and commitment. During our focus groups, many participantsmentioned the value that they place on the personal relationship that they have withtheir Job Life coach, and the importance of empathy, respect and the feeling ofbeing valued.

“I found (here) you can talk properly about yourself, who you are, and whatyou've done, and be really honest, and get proper human contact. It's a hell of alot better.” (Anne)

“I feel there is somebody out there who cares, you are not just number. (...) Itmeans a lot to me.” (Mark)

“It's nice to talk to someone who knows how hard it is to find a job. I talked tomy family and they are like 'oh you've got no money, you need to get a job.' It'snot nice. I'd rather have someone there I can talk to who knows what's goingon.” (Jessica)

“I just feel more positive when I walk out of this door(.…) You just feel morehuman, and then you feel better in yourself, and more confident.” (Mina)

We believe that our approach is not only successful in getting people into good jobs.It also has a huge impact on people’s confidence, and on their experience ofunemployment.

“My Job Life Coach is brilliant, and so is Tom (another member of staff). I'vecome here and just burst out crying because I felt so awful about myself.Tom, Martina, and Sonia have been there to talk to me, just normally. I have notcome here to do a job search, just come here as someone that they know.”(Emma)

“I am never made to feel small here or that I am not trying hard enough to findwork. I am trying, it’s hard to find work that is not there.” (Gareth)

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Lord Freud commented, about the role of education and training in a high-skilledeconomy, that:

“It’s particularly tough because of the need for particular skills and to developthese skills.” (Fringe event that The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK hostedat this year’s Conservative party conference).”

The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK offers tailored approaches to helpingpeople back to work, including:

skills assessment skills updating and upgrading access to education and training and e-learning opportunities

The Salvation Army Employment Plus UK helps its participants gain nationallyrecognised qualifications and certificates. Employment Plus works closely withexternal training providers, such as Phoenix Training Services, Stourbridge College,and NOVA Training in the West Midlands, providing 4-5 week training courses forcertificates in specific sectors, such as security, construction or retail. Thesespecialised providers also support our participants in updating their generic skills,such as mathematics, English or computer skills.

“English and maths, so that's what I'm doing (at the moment). That is on a Fridaymorning, and on a Wednesday morning I go to IT. It's basic, I've just donePowerPoint, Word, and Excel spreadsheets. Now I'm on data skills, which involvescameras, and downloading videos, and making discs and things like that.They're all things that help you get employment. So doing this, it's just that extralittle bit, and it helps (….) because I've gone in for jobs, (…) where they show youthe computer, and it's all data entry.” (Andrew)

Upskilling and training are key elements of theWork Programme

DeMet is a Midland manufacturingcompany specialised in steel fabrica-tion and colour coating. DeMet tookadvantage of the “Wage IncentiveScheme” to fund apprenticeships fortwo of our participants, StephanieHook, who is doing a Business Admini-stration Apprenticeship, and JamesGadd, who is doing a Manufacturing/Warehouse Apprenticeship – both lead-ing to an NVQ in the respective area.To prepare the young apprentices inusing the high tech machinery that De-Met is using, the employer has alsoregistered both clients on an Autocadcourse, which the employer is fundinghimself.

We believe that qualifications andworkplace training need to be tailored tothe individual, to provide everyone withthe right set of skills to get the job thatthey are hoping for. In this respect, weencourage the government to linkvocational education with workplacetraining, whilst making sure thatqualifications are recognised byemployers.

In addition, workplace-relevant experienceis crucial to finding employment,especially for young jobseekers. Bysupporting young jobseekers intoapprenticeships leading to NationalVocational Qualifications (NVQs), they cangain the work experience that employersare looking for, whilst also workingtowards a recognised qualification.

Apprenticeships with DeMet – WestMidlands

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In our experience, gaining quality work experience after a period of long-termunemployment does not only help young people. Work placements can be animportant way of helping people back into the workforce, particularly if theydo not have much experience on their CV.

However, it is important that people on long term benefits, who ‘test’themselves in the workplace, are able to gain work experience without anythreat of losing benefit or having to start the process again. Moreover, webelieve that employers need to actively take on the responsibility of makingany kind of short-term placement a truly valuable experience for the personlooking for work experience and new skills.

We strongly believe that every person has worth, irrespective of what they canoffer society, and it is our desire to help all who are willing to work,irrespective of their starting point. For some, the route to employment can be along one, with several milestones on the way.

For some people gaining work experience is partof the journey into work

James Gadd, one of the two apprentices at DeMet talkedabout the vicious circle that requires job seekers to havework experience but to gain it you need the job:

“It was very difficult to search for a job myself whenmost of the employers wanted someone with workexperience, and I am just a college person who has justcome out of college with no work experience at all.”

The need for work experience

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The personalised support that we provide to our participants is supported byexcellent relationships with local employers. In-work support for both theemployer and the new employee is another element of the service that EmploymentPlus provides free of charge to both parties.

For employers Employment Plus UK’s services include: job-matching candidates to employer needs shortlisting for interviews accessing subsidies organising training in-work support

Strong connections to local employers are critical. A key advantage of the WorkProgramme is that we can use our existing links into the community. These links, aswell as the recruitment support we provide to local employers, benefit the localcommunity as whole.

Employment Plus has designated professional employment consultants, calledEmployment Engagement Coordinators, who work with businesses across all kindsof industries and areas. Their role is to help local businesses find the right staff andmatch the right person to each job. Our staff engage in various ways withemployers, develop personal contacts for future reference, and build partnershipswith local businesses.

Our Employment Engagement Coordinators know “their” local labour market insideout; they know which employers to call and ask for vacancies, which companies areexpanding, and which businesses may have job openings in the near future. Theselinks are very much appreciated by our jobseekers.

Employment Plus UK partners with localemployers and community organisations

Our fringe event at the Tory party conference provides an excellent example ofhow our local contacts are key to helping our clients into work. On the panelJulie Brown explained how she got to know West Midland’s manufacturingcompany DeMet: I just knocked on the door actually, I just went all around thetrading estate, knocked on the door and introduced myself. Our experience onthe ground has shown that very often, employers are poorly informed aboutwhat government schemes exist to their advantage, and that the WorkProgramme providers can help with finding the right employee for theirbusiness: The back-up has been superb. Julie did all the nitty-gritty bits, andshe found exactly what we needed. All the hard work of going through lots andlots of interviews was done for us (David Barrett, DeMet).

Recruitment support to local employers - DeMet in the West Midlands

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Jobseekers are finding that developing a direct contact to employers and making useof personal networks has become more and more important in the UK labour market:

“Another thing I find is that when you apply for jobs online, unless you get tospeak to a person, it's very impersonal. (…) Unless you get a chance to talk topeople, to sell yourself, you haven't got a chance.” (Steve)

Mohammed: “You have to look everywhere.”Lisa: “You got to do social networking as well, asking family, friends andrelations and previous employers.”

Many of our jobseekers have been out of work for several years. Therefore, in theabsence of existing personal ties to local employers, The Salvation ArmyEmployment Plus UK helps bridge the ‘missing’ link between employers andjobseekers. We help our job seekers to better “sell themselves”, working hard toconvince employers of their qualities and competences, following up on theirapplications and finding vacancies for our participants. And then, sometimes, verysimple things such as making a call on a job seeker’s behalf can make all thedifference:

“With my care job, Sonia (Job Life Coach) phoned [employer in the care industry]and asked them for an interview, and I got it straight away.” (Aisha)

To ensure that our participants stay in work and that their employment issustainable, we support both the employer and the new employee we have helpedinto work as he or she settles in, solving any problem that may arise. This includesfollowing up on each of our participants, and checking how they are doing in theirnew job. In-work support is important, as it gives both the employer and theemployee the security that someone is there to help:

“I know that if I get a job, (The Salvation Army) Employment Plus will still bethere as a backup system, to help me. Employment Plus is going to be there tohelp me to move on if I have a big problem.” (Steven)

By following up on our participants in work, The Salvation Army Employment PlusUK helps ensure that issues are solved as early as possible:

“For some of our young participants this may be the first job they have ever had,for others it may be the first job after a long time out of work. Just like withevery job, sometimes problems occur, and then it is about somebody who hasbeen employed, someone who knows what they are going through if an issuecomes up. Somebody may simply not know how to handle things and I am hereto tell them not to walk away from the issue and what can be done in thatsituation. Sometimes facilitating an honest discussion between the employer andthe new employee is all that Job Life Coaches will have to do, in other cases wehelp set up a process to improve the situation.” (Employment EngagementCoordinator Julie Brown)

Work Programme participants also receive advice on financial issues, we workclosely with local advice agencies such as Money Matters who deliver advice withinour centres.

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Barriers to employment

The Salvation Army has always dealt with individuals with multiple barriers toemployment. Our experience has taught us that these barriers are often complex.

“Often people face a range of personal issues that can be real barriers toemployment. These could be barriers such as alcoholism, drug addiction,homelessness or relationship problems.” (Helen Robinson, Director ofEmployment Services)

HEA

LT

H I

SSU

ES

Our Job Life coaches accommodate our participants’ medical needs, andtogether, we develop strategies to address or cope with these needs:

“I have lumps in both my eyes, and I've had operations (…). I can’t lookat the computer for long periods of time. (…) With employers, sometimesthey ask and sometimes they don't. The job I went to yesterday, theydidn't ask, but I know that if I get a job, Employment Plus will still bethere as a backup system, to help me.” (Ali)

“I find it hard to fill in application forms, because I am dyslexic. Fillingin application forms is not as nice as going along and handing in yourCV, or talking to someone, but my Job Life Coach helps me with that.”(Rachel)

“My barrier is dyspraxia. Compared to others who are normal, I amokay on the outside, but it is mentally not physically. (Employers) areafraid of the unknown. I have been living with it for 23 years, but itnever came to light when I was younger.” (Juliet)

Long-term, consistent support of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)clients, often referred to the Work Programme as a result of their Workcapability assessment (WCA), is essential, as many of them have been out ofwork for many years:

“I have been out of work for 18 years, due to an illness. (...) EmploymentPlus helps me to go for jobs.(Paul)

After years outside the labour market, searching for work puts an immensepressure on the individual, as another participant in our focus groupsexplained:

“I am just getting used to this now, I have been disabled and I have beenoff for a good time.” (Philip)

DIS

ABIL

ITY

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Many of our participants have been unemployed for many years:

“My last job was in retail. I have an NVQ, and I'm hoping to do anotherone to move into management. I've been unemployed for 10 years. NowI'm looking for full-time employment.” (Pam)

Our experience is that helping someone who has been out of work for suchlong time is a process, a series of steps towards employment.

Many have already experienced the stigma that is sometimes attached tounemployment, either directly or indirectly:

“I feel employers prefer people who are (already) working, maybepeople who are looking to change jobs. They think ‘oh he's been theretwo years, he must be good.’” (Robert)

Others in the focus groups have put into words how they felt whensuddenly finding themselves amongst 8 million other jobseekers:

“When you're employed you don't think about these (unemployment)figures. But when you're unemployed it becomes quite shocking to seehow many people are out of work. It's just something you hear on thenews that doesn't mean much, until you're one of them.”(Nick)

LO

NG

-TER

M U

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PLO

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T

Transport is an issue for many of our participants, especially in areas withpoor public transport links.

Joe: “I'm from Kilver (small village), That's my problem.”Hitesh: “It's in the middle of nowhere.”Joe: “There's no transport from there, there is only one bus every hour.Starting at 7 o'clock in the morning. There are none on Sunday. Retailand factory work, a lot of that is Sunday work. I don't mind, I used towork nights, but I can't do that because the 1st bus leaves at 7 o'clock inthe morning, and the last one out is 5:45.”

“I could get a job that starts at 4 o'clock in the morning, but I can'tget there.” (Roger)

“Sometimes the buses are late, and when you have an appointment andyou get there they say sorry you are too late, and what can you do? Ican't drive I have to get the bus or walk.”(Adwoa)

TR

AN

SPO

RT

Work Programme participants also find that there is a bias against olderworkers and people who need to reconcile work and family responsibilities.

“You get people who are willing to work, like me. I'm willing to workfrom 6 in the morning to 6 at night, Monday to Friday, because I got asmall family, my time on the weekend is theirs. I've done my stint ofdoing shift work, 24 hours, I don't want to do that anymore. So thatlimits me a bit, because I'm not flexible in that.” (Vlad)

“I still say age is against you. I am no good at computers, they want awhiz kid, someone who is 19, they don't want me. If you are the bossyou would go for the 20-year-old, wouldn't you.” (Simon)

“(Age) also relates to sort of why I have difficulties, because I have beenaround the block for a long time, and employers are not stupid, theyknow that. They would really like someone much younger, much lessexperienced, probably with the same qualifications.” (Mathias)

AG

E O

R F

AM

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RESPO

NSIB

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Our job coaches are called Job Life Coaches for a good reason. For us, holisticservice provision includes everything from confidence-building programmes, lifeskills coaching, money management and personal awareness. Looking beyond anindividual’s employment history, and helping in the areas of job search and skills,Job Life Coaches will provide help whenever they can, whether on personal, financialor health-related matters:

“My first advisor was the one who helped me with my personal problems, and hewas brilliant. There was no judgment; he was just like ' I completely understand'.He even rang me up after I went to the doctors. So yes, they do help youpersonally as well. I found that a really big help, and I appreciated it.” (Dan)

“I've struggled with certain things, which I spoke to my advisor about. He wasable to advise me to do the correct things, which worked, also for my personallife where I was struggling with certain things and he says “get it sorted out”. Hewas in exactly the same position when he lost his job, and that was enough to getme the motivation to help myself, and lead on to the next part, which is themotivation to get the job.” (Mario)

“They can help me out with the financial side, they can help me out with thepapers, with my bus pass for instance, while I was looking for a job I was on acourse, two weeks training, they just paid for my bus passes.” (Chris)

Our focus groups have shown that individual barriers to employmentare complex. We therefore call on the coalition Government tomonitor the impact that the Work Programme has on those who havemultiple underlying needs, such as drug, alcohol or mental healthissues, and to develop the programme appropriately.

As an organisation, we would be happy to contribute to this reflectiveprocess to ensure that all participants receive the holistic andintegrated support they deserve.

How we respond to these barriers

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For many of our Work Programme participants the route to employmentcan be a long one with several milestones on the way.

A maximum period of two years to work with each participant enables us to reduceour participants’ barriers to employment step by step and work continuouslytowards the long-term goal of good and sustainable employment. Our experienceis that the route to employment can be a long one with several milestones on theway, and even small steps may mean a lot for the individual:

“I have been unemployed for about 7 months now. And ever since I have beencoming here it has really given me the confidence to go out there and startlooking for work.” (Marion)

“Yes, setting goals, thinking differently and all that. It is down to commonsense, but it is like a reminder. And you are right, you know more things nowthat you knew before you came here. And you can also have a laugh with yourcoach.”(Roberta)

Patrick: “I haven't been to more interviews since I've been at Employment Plus,but I have applied to more jobs.”Elliot: I've also had an interview on the phone since I've been here, it's apositive, it really is.”

“When I first started coming here, my main barrier getting back into work wasself confidence (….) 'Cause now I am coming here, once every two week, and Iam more confident getting back into work than I ever was before.” (Thor)

Our successes – Progress on the route toemployment and job outcomes

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“From our experience I can say that the WorkProgramme is working. The number of peoplemoving into work is increasing every day. Ourfront line staff are getting people into jobs that

will last. Our commitment to work witheveryone referred to us remains firm. We will

continue to learn from what our participants tell us sothat we can do our best for them, even in a tough job

market.”(Helen Robinson, Director of Employment Services,

November 2012)

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To find out more:

Please call our nationwide helpline on 0800 652 4276 or email us [email protected]

The Salvation Army Public Affairs Unit: 0207 367 4551, or e-mail us [email protected]

Please also visit our website for more information:http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/unemployedhttp://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/newspolicyandresearch