Written evidence submitted
by Community Skills Partnership
- THE EXTENT
TO WHICH
THE FJF HAS
SUCCEEDED IN
MATCHING NEW
WORK EXPERIENCE
OPPORTUNITIES TO
YOUNG UNEMPLOYED
PEOPLE
1.0 The FJF bid specification was specifically
aimed at Public Sector, voluntary groups or non-profit making
organisations. Had FJF been open to employers in the private sector,
we could have offered hundreds more job seekers meaningful work
experience via our partnerships developed with large national
employers who are creating genuine "new jobs" from expanding
business requirements.
1.1 The restriction of FJF jobs having to each
provide a "Community Benefit" caused further limitation
on bids. We had three attempts at a bid for the London region
rejected on this issue alone. The DWP and Government office for
London gave out conflicting advice as to the meaning of "Community
Benefit" at various feedback meetings. Some clarity and flexibility
here would have opened up many more opportunities with employers
who had job opportunities that were not necessarily customer facing.
1.2 Fortunately, were able to partake in FJF
through our Community Interest Company, (The Community Skills
partnership).
1.3 In our view the decision to limit the FJF
to the public/voluntary sector was a significant factor in denying
many private sector employers the opportunity to work with Jobcentre
Plus and assist the DWP in their quest to reduce the number of
job seekers. Many more young unemployed people could have been
given the benefit of "new" jobs with the chance of a
sustainable outcome.
2.0 STRENGTHS
AND WEAKNESSES
OF THE
FJF PROGRAMME FROM
THE PERSPECTIVE
OF PROVIDERS
(INCLUDING IN
THE THIRD
SECTOR), EMPLOYERS
AND YOUNG
UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE,
AND PARTICULARLY
IN RELATION
TO THE
LONG-TERM
SUSTAINABILITY OF
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Weaknesses:
2.1 The Jobcentre Plus (JCP) vacancy template
does not allow enough descriptive narrative to enable the JCP
advisor to fully understand the job role and the responsibilities.
2.2 As a result of the above Job seekers appear
to be given only the job title and very few details of the job
opportunity by their advisor. This could result in the lack of
suitable applications for the jobs on offer.
2.3 The response from young job seekers has been
extremely disappointing. For example in our project in Birmingham,
during the first five months, appointments were made by JCP for
500 job seekers to attend interview. Regrettably, 223 failed to
attend, which represents a 44.6% non attendance rate. From those
Job seekers who attended interviews about 50% were eligible and
have been employed.
2.4 This very high level of "non attendance"
causes employers additional costs for interview rooms as well
as the cost of wasted time by the interview panel. It also undermines
the confidence employers have in JCP to identify and supply a
suitable job candidates.
2.5 We understand from JCP that job seekers "not
attending" an interview opportunity can lose their benefit
allowances. However, we believe that in some cases this has been
left to the discretion of the individual JCP office to enforce
or not.
2.6 Where jobs require a clean CRB check, employers
are expected to take the risk of employing job seekers whilst
the check is made, which can take 6-8 weeks duration. This can
result in a FJF employee having to leave the job. There is no
mechanism to fund this pre-job evaluation period.
2.7 In addition to learning about their role,
job seekers require soft skills training in order to feel comfortable
in the work environment. This means spending additional time in
teaching them about the world of work, including examples such
as -commitment to time keeping, respecting equality & diversity
of colleagues, health & safety at work, gaining knowledge
about the sector career path.
2.8 FJF would be enhanced if a short period of
fully funded pre-employment training was available in order to
get claimants job ready and give them a better understanding of
the role and their responsibilities prior to their actual start
date at work.
Strengths
2.9 In one of our FJF projects in Birmingham
& the West Midlands, we have placed young job seekers in Primary
Schools and Leisure Centres in the role of Physical Activity Co-ordinators.
Supported by our mentors and trainers they have helped the schools
deliver their "extended school services".
2.10 Positive feed back is listed below:
- FJF has given young people the opportunity to
experience regular employment and gain qualifications.
- The programme may been seen in some ways as a
six month job interview
- The 26 weeks in work, has provided a platform
to gain extra knowledge about the sports industry as a career.
- Most candidates seem happy and have said they
enjoy the job training as it is similar to college and they are
around people of their own age so can mix easily.
- FJF funding has ensured that fully qualified
staff have been involved. This has helped to improve the standard
of training we can offer to FJF recruits, especially at Sports
Camps where the trainees have proved to have been invaluable.
- Working with qualified staff has enabled FJF
trainees to pick up knowledge from more highly qualified sports
coaches in the industry.
- We have shown employees how to follow industry
recognised policies and procedures which they have been unaware
of in the past.
- Trainees have developed soft skills working alongside
professional people.
- We have provided quality work experience for
FJF employees, including an interesting job, having to get for
work each day, meeting new people, a sense of satisfaction and
input into society
- Their opportunity of finding future employment
has been greatly improved particularly as the role in primary
schools could well become self funding.
- The FJF projects have enabled us to build relationships
with local JCP offices and gain a better understanding of the
way in which JCP engage with employers. We hope our positive input
will help to improve the service from JCP to employers and job
seekers.
2.11 In summary, the FJF has enabled us to provide
a well needed resource into schools and community groups. So far
the trainees have worked with approximately 3,000 children and
helped to engage them in sport and dance. This will increase to
around 10,000 by the end of the project. They have allowed children
to access additional school services that would not have been
available without the support of the FJF trainees. Many children
and families have been physically active as a result of the programme
so far. The vocationally relevant qualifications we have offered
them are an essential element in allowing work with children or
adults.
3 THE LIKELY
IMPACT OF
THE DECISION
TO END
THE FJF IN
MARCH 2011 RATHER
THAN MARCH
2012
3.1 We would have been able to repeat the successes
that we have had with our projects in Birmingham and West Midlands
and roll them out across other regions, for example London where
we have suitable contact with employers in the public and private
sectors. This is no longer an option under FJF.
4 HOW THE
TRANSITION FROM
FJF TO THE
WORK PROGRAMME
WILL BE
MANAGED, INCLUDING
THE PART
TO BE
PLAYED BY
THE GOVERNMENT'S
PROPOSAL TO
FUND NEW
APPRENTICESHIPS
4.1 We are a long established Training Provider
with Matrix approval and National Contracts with the Skills Funding
Agency to deliver Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships.
We also have funding to deliver National Vocational Qualifications
across a number of sector specific subjects.
4.2 We consider that by combining our FJF experience
with providing the unemployed with jobs and our knowledge of providing
individuals with skills ranging from basics skills up to level
3/4 management level. We are able to offer the DWP a transition
package from FJF to the Work Programme.
4.3 Our package would consist of a short period
of pre-employment training, over a period of no more than 4 weeks,
aimed at getting claimants ready for the world of work , combined
with initial vocational training linked specifically to an industry
sector, e.g. retail, hospitality, cleaning support services. etc..
We would seek to establish employer partnerships where the "job
ready" claimants would be given the opportunity of a job
linked to the commitment to undertake an Apprenticeship in the
relevant subject area.
4.4 As there is a stated commitment to extend
SFA funding for new Apprenticeships, it would be helpful for the
DWP to provide funding to support the "pre- employment"
transition period together with an incentive to cover employer's
additional mentoring and supervision activities.
5 SUMMARY
5.1 Our experience shows that there could be
improvement in the way the JCP system is designed to handle vacancy
information. There is room for closer engagement by JCP with employers
to fully understand the job roles and their subsequent ability
to transmit this detail to the advisors when they are counselling
job seekers.
5.2 Once engaged in employment, we found that
the FJF employees responded well to being given the opportunity
to gain a vocationally relevant qualification. This gave them
a goal to work towards as well as a framework for understanding
the particular industry standards.
5.3 Employers are reluctant to take on new recruits
directly from JCP unless they are confident that they are job
ready and would be will be willing to undertake industry specific
training and therefore make a commitment to gaining qualifications,
which would increase their skills base and make them a useful
asset for the organisation.
9 September 2010
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