1. Working Well: Local integration
Kate Smith : Chief Executives Department, Bolton Council
Rachel Ravey: Key Worker, Ingeus

2. Strategic Context
Prosperity and narrowing the gap: dual priorities in the Community Strategy
Sustainable economic growth means equipping all our residents with the right mix of skills
Supporting those furthest from work in their path to employment is challenging
Yet, once in sustained work, people live longer, healthier lives
Early success of Working Well has been a catalyst in securing devolution agreement.
Work Programme Leavers (WPL) is part of a wider place-based strategy across GM. Through our public service reform programmes we are seeking to deliver economic growth and reduce dependency on public services.
We want to ensure that we are connecting as many people as possible to the opportunities available due to economic growth.
WPL follows the principle of place-based reform, building on our recent community budget work.
By 2015/16 we aim to increase the pace of reform, making GM financially self-sufficient, closing the gap between tax take and public spending. Despite the spending cuts made in recent years, the overall level of public spending across GM has remained consistent with cuts in some areas offset by increases in areas of reactive spend such as benefit payments.
The unique governance arrangements in GM are helping us to deliver our ambition, working through the Combined Authority to deliver public service reform at scale. If we show it can be done, it can be replicated at a national scale. By 2015, core cities across the country will have developed similar governance arrangements that will mean, with the addition of London, over half the country will be in a position to follow similar reform programmes.

3. Worklessness
Over 13 years, the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Incapacity Benefit (IB) cohort has stayed between 143,000 and 172,000 in GM (currently 14,480 in Bolton)
13 YEARS
Despite a range of programmes to tackle skills and worklessness, over 250,000 people are out of work across GM. Over half are claiming ESA or IB
Working Well tests a more intensive, better integrated model of support (ala FF) for 5000 ESA (c450 in Bolton) exiting the DWP Work Programme without a job outcome
The worklessness challenge has persisted across GM through recession and periods of growth.
We therefore need to focus on addressing the skills challenge – ensuring people are in a position to take advantage of the opportunities that we believe are out there for them.
Skills providers across GM are committed to working with WPL providers.
Total public spending in GM is staying the same because we are spending more on the costs of failure, in particular benefits payments

4. Working Well Works with individuals for up to two years
Supports people exiting the Work Programme, on Employment Support Allowance, into work
Ingeus providing Keyworker role and co-ordinating referrals in Bolton
Local integration of all other public services, led by local authority e.g. Health, Housing, Skills etc
Extensive evaluation of client profile incl. location, presenting issues, support received etc
Early indications are positive but need ongoing and active engagement of partners
Reminder about the programme- 3year programme- GM/Government commissioned
Supports people leaving the WP on ESA eligible for work
Takes PSR principle of wrap around, whole person focused support to turn lives of individuals round and enable them to engage with work
Provider KW- personalised, holistic approach- local services provide interventions for clients and base for delivery of services in familiar environment

5. Ingeus in Bolton
2 full-time Key Worker, Rachel Ravey and Kelly Robinson Partnerships Manager: Stuart Duffey
Mental Health Advisor, and Physical Health Advisor. Also a Work and Wellbeing Coach
Key Workers based in Central Library. Operating health appointments and group sessions at Lever Chambers.
Co-located at Halliwell and Farnworth UCAN. Also used for group session and 121 appointments
Support includes 121 and group support, bespoke action plans, range of interventions and in-work support delivered by key worker, senior professionals and referrals.

6. Referrals in Bolton
114 clients enrolled in Bolton (1167 in GM at end of October).
Common barriers presented :
Mental Health Problems (depression/anxiety) (73%)
Physical health problems, e.g muscular skeletal conditions (65%)
Bereavement (27%)
Debt 22%
Few skills and qualifications (31%)
Local service referrals include Community Housing, RSL specific services, Local Welfare Provision, Money Skills, Think Positive, BIDAS, One Point, College.
We have engaged with many partners and services but still need to talk to others about the programme
To date, 6 clients secured employment as a result of the programme- may more ‘stabilised’.

7. Client profile- October Headlines
Gender: roughly equal split
Majority aged 35+ years. 17% under 24 (higher than GM av.) 84% White British
72% single
69% no children
68% live in social rented; 13% private rented
31% not worked for 11+ years; 19% never worked
48% no qualifications

8. Case Study 1- partnership working in action!
Client Profile:
23 years old; female; living with partner.
Health conditions include: depression and anxiety
Lives in Bolton at Home property in Farnworth
Client has never worked. Volunteers at The Well
Challenges:
Client and her partner had significant problems managing their money e.g paying out all their quarterly bills at once leaving no funds for ‘day to day’ essentials. Lead to reliance on Farnworth & Kearsley Foodbank
This was increasing client anxiety
Support given:
Money Skills worked with the client (accompanied initially by Key Worker) to develop payment plan and begin to equip client with skills to manage money
Key Worker and Work and Wellbeing worker supported client to develop her confidence and share her positive volunteering experiences with other
Resolution/Next steps:
Key worker identified client struggling to manage her day to day life and her own welfare. Worked with client to agree to social services assessment.
Continued support from Key worker and partner agencies
Client gained in confidence enough to give a presentation to Ingeus staff on benefits of volunteering and work of the Food bank. DWP have asked her to give a presentation to their staff.
HWB- Healthwatch report: 93% of dental queries relate to access/shortage of NHS dentists
Kate/Rachel – have an update on case. Lindsay Bowes )(Head of General Medical Services and Oral Health Commissioning GM Area Team) has contacted the group as result of case study that went to the GM Board
Lindsay talking direct to KW to resolve client specific issues (should have a Bolton dentist appointment asap) and looking at more general access issues with Kate S and GM. This case (incl other complex cases) is being tracked/monitored at GM level

9. Case Study 2 Client Profile:
23 years old; male; single and living alone.
Health conditions: sickle cell anaemia.
Lives in Bolton at Home property
Volunteers at the Octagon
Client never worked until now. Secured employment at Poundland.
Challenges:
Health condition stabilised.
Client aspired to do a drama course. Very positive experience volunteering.
Unable to look for work due to lack of documentation.
Support given
Client supported by Key Worker to get ‘leave to remain’ documents.
Client obtained functional Maths and English. Key Worker and others worked with client to build his confidence, develop his CV, interview skills etc
Client secured employment for 16 hours a week at Poundland
Client now studying Drama at Bolton College
Resolution/Next steps:
Client struggling to get finances in place to manage new work/study arrangements
Client/Key Worker trying to arrange Tax Credits but unable to contact anyone
Client is anxious that his new job will lead to rent arrears

10. Case Studies Are we missing something?
What other/different interventions might support the client?
Could your service further help the client?

11. How you can help Communicate the programme across your organisation
Share with us suitable services/referral routes for these clients
Consider offering an opportunity for someone out of work e.g. voluntary placement
Anything else?