Norfolk County Council

1. Norfolk County Council The Work Programme Vince Muspratt

2. Overview of Presentation Section 1: What is the Work Programme? Section 2: Norfolk Context Section 3: Local Policy Horizon Section 4: Objectives of the day Section 5: Opportunities from Collaboration

3. The Work Programme • The framework for the new Work Programme is currently being developed by DWP to reform welfare support • The Work Programme is intended to produce: • cohesive partnership working between all sectors • Outcomes before payment is received • Management of contract risk • Unlike current programmes you will not be the employer; all candidates will continue on benefits while receiving support

4. The Work Programme cont. • The programme itself will be managed on a regional basis however delivery will take place locally on a county by county basis • The Work Programme will have a wide remit to offer support to all benefit claimants who are deemed fit to work • The programme will be in place by July 2011

5. Lots The framework agreement will be divided into 11 lots: • North East • London • North West • South East • Yorkshire and The Humber • South West • East Midlands • Wales • West Midlands • Scotland • East of England • DWP expect to appoint between 3 and 8 organisations to each Lot – though DWP will not be limited to this indicative range • Organisations may compete to be included in one, all or any combination of the Lots so some organisations could be included in several or all of the Lots • Contracts let under the framework agreement may cover the whole of the area comprised within a Lot or a smaller area within a Lot

6. Scope of the programme • The objective of the programme is to provide a single package of support regardless of the benefit being claimed • The aim would be to provide a tailored package of support dependent on the individual needs to enable them to make a transition into work • The programme will be loosely governed in order to give providers the freedom to provide a wide range of appropriate support • There are no timescales for this to be achieved as it is recognised that some individuals will require support over a long period of time • What is needed is what works on an individual basis

7. JCP Customer Journey The Work Programme will be targeted at those who have been claiming benefits for at least 6 months. Currently the following range of services is available: • Young Person’s Guarantee – 6-12 months JSA claimants (FJF, Routes into Work, Community Task Force and Work based Training) • Flexible New Deal - 12+ months JSA climaints (links to YPG with job search support from JCP staff; this is provided by various external providers) • 6 Month Offer (Adviser support, Self employment, volunteering and recruitment subsidy) • Pathways to Work – back to work support available to IB and ESA claimants

8. What has changed? • The Work Programme is being designed to simplify the current welfare provision • One programme will be available to all claimants who claim for more than 6 months • They will remain in this programme until they have secured employment regardless of timescales • This ensures that claimants will not migrate between programmes and should avoid duplication of support • Organisations will not be the employer in this instance • You will not have discretion in regards to the individuals who are receiving your support

9. Why have we invited partners? • We have a large partnership which provides extensive support • A successful record of working together • Excellent track record of delivery • Very successful Future Jobs Fund programme • Our partnership approach to delivery has enabled us to make good strategic links with a wide range of public, private and voluntary organisations and brings added value

10. Investing in Communities Norfolk • Aim: to tackle deprivation by encouraging economic participation • Three broad strategic themes addressed through the programme: skills, employment and enterprise • These themes closely reflect the specific needs of Norfolk and particularly the needs of its most deprived communities • The programme is based on an integrated approach, which is essential to ensure that interventions complement each other and the existing programmes of our partners • The concept of "pathways into employment" underpins the programme and each intervention is designed to lead ultimately to an employment opportunity • A strength of the programme has been the ability to penetrate into hard to reach communities through engagement and progression

11. Current Picture IIC Key facts and figures: • Over £14m has been invested between 2005 – 2010 in order to: • Identify gaps in service provision that hinder economic participation supporting delivery of LAA outcomes and targets • Engage with and create progression pathways for those people farthest from those services or labour markets • Pilot new ways of addressing problems • Gather evidence of what works and influence mainstream service providers and provision • Delivery includes a consortium of 48 projects • To date, among other outputs, the programme has created 214 jobs, assisted 6,695 people into work, and provided training and skills development for 10,728 individuals in Norfolk.

12. IIC Existing Projects(name; applicant; area; activities) Theme: EMPLOYMENT • Aspire – Borough Council Kings Lynn West Norfolk – (West Norfolk) Employment of Creative Apprentices who participate in Level 2 training • Bizfizz – West Norwich Partnership – (Norwich) Bottom-up approach, free, tailored business support to help local entrepreneurs create and sustain viable enterprises. Business Coach acts as a broker between existing businesses • Opportunities Norwich – Norwich City Council – (Norwich) Engaging hard to reach into mainstream and bespoke learning and employment opportunities • Pre-Employment Training and Support – Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Voluntary Norfolk – (Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn) Embedded neighbourhood management approach to the delivery of pre-employment support services

13. IIC Existing Projects cont. Theme: ENTERPRISE • Holistic Voluntary Community Organisation and Social Enterprise Support and Progression – Voluntary Norfolk, Norfolk Rural Community Council, West Norfolk Voluntary Community Action, The Guild – (Countywide) Holistic partnership approach to support the business needs of growing or emerging social enterprise organisations within the Third Sector Theme: SKILLS • Learning Catalysts – BCKLWN – (Kings Lynn & West Norfolk) A team of volunteer support workers in schools who actively encourage the community to engage in learning, raising aspirations and achievements • Reading café – Children’s Services – (Countywide) A supportive environment in which underachieving children's attainment in reading can be raised by their parents, who in turn can gain additional skills and confidence to step back into learning • STEP – City College Norwich – (Countywide) Delivery of vocational courses with embedded skills for life across sectors related to local opportunities. Engages communities in first level learning and encourages progression to mainstream programmes.

14. Other previously funded IIC Projects that can deliver into the Customer Journey Theme: SKILLS • Discovery Learning Centre – North Lynn Discovery Centre (Kings Lynn) A learning and skills centre providing support to NEET and Pre-NEET individuals from the area of North Lynn and its surrounds • Learning and Skills IAG – North Norfolk District Council (North Norfolk/rural) Seven 'one-stop shops' offering a fixed IAG point to provide impartial, free and confidential advice, also acting as a base for surveying businesses to identify skills gaps Theme: EMPLOYMENT • Kickstart Moped Gifting – Kickstart – (rural) Purchases, maintains and gifts fleet of mopeds and related safety equipment to assist people in isolated rural areas into employment

15. Current Picture: FJF Key facts and figures: • More than £8m to be invested by March 2011 into the creation of 1296 fixed term jobs for 18-24 year olds. • Delivery includes a consortium of 37 employers • Includes training, support and job search advise for all participants • Alignment with the Apprenticeship Service Initial Impact for the first 8 months • 655 jobs started • Once fixed term job has been completed 47% of those completing the full term have moved into employment or education.

16. FJF Delivery

17. Framework for Reducing Worklessness in Norfolk • The Framework was commissioned by Norfolk County Council in 2010 • It has created a robust evidence base of skills needs throughout the County through the compilation of a Worklessness Assessment which identifies patterns of unemployment and employment prospects • The objective of the plan is to • Provide a guide for Norfolk agencies in the delivery of employment programmes and wrap around support • Provide a basis for influencing DWP, ESF and SFA commissioning • Inform and influence policies which will have an effect locally, and • Determine priorities and most effective use of resources

18. Great Yarmouth - WNF Key facts and figures: • More than £2m invested in infrastructure and pre-employment support services • Delivery includes a VCS led consortium of 17 different organisations • Front line practitioner meetings established across neighbourhoods • Introduction of a multi-agency gateway assessment tool • A range of job creation projects underway including ILM and apprenticeships. Initial impact data for the first six months: • 1000 people supported via gateway • 128 people participated in regular volunteering • 165 people gained essential and accredited skills • 65 people progressed into paid employment • £66,000 investment surplus using SROI

19. Voluntary Norfolk • Supporting Volunteers and Voluntary Organisations • One of the largest voluntary sector support and development organisations in England7,135 volunteers came through our Volunteer Centres last yearSteps to work Contract, offers advice, guidance and mentoring to people furthest from the labour market, all of whom have barriers to overcome such as substance abuse, homelessness, health issues and debt problems. Volunteering used as a route into work and skills development – 60 people assisted • DWP Volunteering Scheme offers interviews and workshops to people referred from Job Centre Plus to identify what they’d like to gain from volunteering. Brokers volunteer placements – 920 referrals • Target Opportunities – supports people in hard to reach groups into employment, training and volunteering – 113 people supported to volunteer, 135 to access training, 27 to access specialist support, 50 supported into employment

20. Local Policy Horizon • Abolish EEDA • Possibility that some functions could be transferred to LAs, e.g. European Social Fund • Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) • Joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by local authorities to promote local economic development • Strategic leadership in their areas, developing a clear vision and set of economic priorities • The focus must be on supporting rebalancing the economy towards the private sector • Creating the right conditions for business and growth, tackling issues including: • Planning • Housing • Local transport priorities • Other infrastructure priorities • Employment and skills • Enterprise • Transition to the low carbon economy • Supporting small businesses and start ups • Tourism • Bid to Regional Growth Fund

21. Regional Growth Fund (2011/12 and 2012/13) • 29 June 2010, the Deputy Prime Minister launched a £1 billion Regional Growth Fund to provide support for projects that offer significant potential for sustainable economic growth and can create new private sector employment • The Fund will particularly help areas and communities currently dependent on public sector employment to make the transition to private sector-led growth and prosperity. • Local Economic Assessments (LEA) – evidence base • Local economic development will continue to be a priority for local authorities and partners, increasing need for a robust local economic evidence base to underpin strategies, including links with neighbouring areas and the wider economy. • Norfolk’s Framework for Reducing Worklessness provides a robust evidence base • The LEA will reflect local economic priorities with emphasis on private sector growth – low carbon economy; future growth sectors – reducing dependence on the public sector.

22. Objectives of the day • Increase partner awareness of the Work Programme and opportunities within • Signpost partners directly to Prime providers • Explore the possibility of developing a Delivery Consortium

23. Expressions of Interest • Large providers are currently advertising for expressions of interest • Most of the EOIs will be due before the end of August 2010 • Providers advise that you join their websites for e-mail alerts of EOIs & timescales for bidding • Details of opportunities for Norfolk deliverywill not be advertised on the DWP website, they will have to be sourced through providers who are planning delivery in the East of England

24. Expressions of Interest - Deadlines

25. DWP Timescales

26. Example of EOIs

28. Opportunities from Collaboration • Influencing • Financial • Responsiveness to local and community needs • Innovative delivery • Greater effectiveness • Partnership well placed to rapidly capitalize on future opportunities

29. Cont. • Influencing • Developing and sharing best practice • Strategic influence: profile raising; contract shaping • Local influence: consistent approach to needs assessments – (see Andy Hodgson’s Stage 1 “Assessment of needs and guidance”) • Financial • Payment by results, (exclusively or largely) • Varied job outcome payments for different groups (but the price will not exceed benefit savings generated)

30. Cont. • Responsiveness to local and community needs • Expertise on local issues, barriers and opportunities • Partners who can deliver specialist interventions or services for particular customer groups, etc. • Partners who can deliver personalised interventions or services • Innovative delivery • Flexibility of delivery (models/ providers) • Ability to respond to changes over time in the types of employment related support services required, and to changing needs of the individuals being supported

31. Cont. • Greater effectiveness • Holistic approach • A source of locally responsive and inclusive supply chains • Delivery partners who are able to provide end-to-end coverage across specific geographical areas • Deliver services under each element of the customer journey into sustained employment • Manage progression between elements of the customer journey into sustained employment • Provide support throughout the journey • In work support

32. Cont. • Partnership well placed to rapidly capitalize on future opportunities • Capacity and expertise to deliver not only the Work Programme but also other potential employment related support services contracts. This may also include contracts that may attract European Social Fund (“ESF”) support • Regional Growth Fund (2011/12 and 2012/13); Local Economic Assessments; Local Enterprise Partnerships; Structural Funds previously managed by EEDA

33. Work Programme Brings Changes in Emphasis • Commercial awareness • Targeted supply chain: moving from soft to hard outcomes • Performance management • Tracking an individual from beginning to end • having to prove that your help led to the customer moving off benefits • More use of social enterprise models?

34. Next Steps • This is your session • If you have any queries please contact Vince.Muspratt@norfolk.gov.uk