APPENDIX 1
Memorandum by Rathbone CI
Introduction
1. Rathbone CI is a leading voluntary sector provider
of education, training and employment services to people with
special needs. The Annex* to this submission provides additional
detail about the organisation.
Widening Opportunity Through The Single Work-focused
Gateway
2. The Single Work-focused Gateway (SWFG) has the
potential, if used properly, to contribute to the social inclusiveness
agenda. For people wishing to work there is no form of exclusion
greater than being unable to obtain a job. SWFG should offer positive
help to people to move from benefits into jobs.
3. The New Deals for recipients of Jobseekers' Allowance
are showing that, with appropriate help, people can achieve their
personal job goals. Experience to date suggests that measures
work best where there has been sufficient investment in flexible
provision to respond to individual employment related needs. Thus
New Deal for 18-24s with its Gateway and Option structure appears
more effective than the standard provision for over-25s. The FTET
option of the New Deal has been more successful than anticipated.
We would like to see the availability of this option extended
to all SWFG clients.
4. SWFG will extend the personal adviser role to
recipients of benefits other than JSA initially on a voluntary
basis but moving to a mandatory basis, subject to legislation,
subsequently. This will generate a more diverse client group than
is currently covered by the New Deals for Lone Parents and Disabled
People where participation is voluntary.
5. If SWFG is to be seen as a "hand-up"
rather than a "hand-out" it will need to learn from
the experience of New Deal and earlier programmes. In particular
it will need provision in place to support the personal adviser
role irrespective of whether the personal adviser works for the
Employment Service or another organisation.
6. A significant proportion of both JSA and non-JSA
clients is likely to have special needs in employment terms at
the point of making a claim. We welcome the early eligibility
criteria under New Deal for Young People for those who are vulnerable
including those with special needs. If it is to be effective,
SWFG will need similarly to identify barriers to employment early
and have provision in place to address those barriers.
7. The provision should include careers assessment
and guidance, basic skills assessment and provision, motivational
help as needed and help with job search. In essence we need to
give access to New Deal Gateway type provision, albeit on a voluntary
basis for recipients of benefits other than JSA. (Our understanding
is that a) early entrants from JSA to New Deal commit themselves
in full to the requirements including sanctions of New Deal and
that b) the requirements placed on non-JSA clients in SWFG will
be more modest).
8. If we neglect to provide client centered help
at the outset of SWFG we will risk raising job related hopes through
personal adviser intervention that prove impossible to achieve
thereafter. Such an outcome would raise considerable doubts amongst
the client group about the policy intent of SWFG.
9. Some non-JSA clients are unlikely to overcome
all obstacles to employment through Gateway style provision alone.
This raises the issue of whether access to New Deal style Options
should be available on request. There are strong arguments for
doing so. Volunteers are likely to be highly committed to any
chosen Option and success rates in terms of job startsthe
best approach to combating welfare dependencyshould be
correspondingly high. If training options are linked to lifelong
learning provision through Individual Learning Accounts, clients
will commit their own money (in part) to training and thus be
a greater "stakeholder" in their own job success.
Summary
10. We welcome the opportunity provided by SWFG to
develop a New Deal style portfolio of help for a wider client
group. Our strong message is that we need to invest in the support
for a potentially vulnerable client group if we are to maximise
the proportion of clients we assist off welfare and into work.
The infrastructure is already in place under New Deal. What is
needed is a decision on access and the supporting funding to make
access a reality for those who need it.
Carol Toms
Policy Officer
28 April 1999
|