1. Talent Match: the story so far... Talent Match Leeds city-region conference Friday 6 th November - Northern Ballet, Leeds Ryan Powell (r.s.powell@shu.ac.uk)r.s.powell@shu.ac.uk

2. About the TM Programme The Evaluation Early Findings and key messages TM Leeds city-region: features, successes and challenges Looking ahead Overview

3. In brief: –£108m strategic programme –Delivery Phase: 2014-18 –Target group: 18-24 year olds furthest from the labour market (LTU >12mths) Key features –co-production and involvement of young people –voluntary programme (versus DWP "stick" approach) –VCS as lead partner –genuinely person-centred, holistic support –focus on 21 LEP areas –influencing change...what works? a new approach to youth unemployment? Fulfilling Lives: Talent Match

4. Multiple research methods (quants & quals) Process and Impact i.e what works? Key feature: a common data framework (CDF) Thematic approach (e.g. mental health) Evaluation outputs: http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/ourexpertise /talent-match-evaluation-and-learning-contract Evaluation - key features

5. Headline findings

6. All respondents to the baseline survey CountPer cent Talent Match Black Country2323 Talent Match Cornwall & Isles of Scilly2123 Talent Match Coventry & Warwickshire981 Talent Match Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire1622 Talent Match Greater Birmingham & Solihull1432 Talent Match Greater Lincolnshire951 Talent Match Greater Manchester4527 Talent Match Humber3655 Talent Match Leeds City Region79011 Talent Match Leicester & Leicestershire3575 Talent Match Liverpool City Region3846 Talent Match London70010 Talent Match New Anglia3595 Talent Match North East92413 Talent Match Northamptonshire831 Talent Match Sheffield City Region6429 Talent Match South East5668 Talent Match Stoke on Trent & Staffordshire861 Talent Match Tees Valley1322 Talent Match The Marches381 Talent Match Worcestershire901 Total6,910100

7. Proportion of young people starting on the Programme over time

8. Numbers engaged: total and "hidden"

9. Proportion engaged who were "hidden"

10. Beneficiary characteristics

11. 19% previously "hidden" 23% have a disability 79% in receipt of benefits - of which: 69% JSA; 16% ESA; 25% HB; 19% CB. A quarter on/or recently completed the Work Programme 30% have achieved 5 GCSEs A*-C (inc. English & maths) CDF DATA: Beneficiary characteristics

12. 18% have experienced mental ill health 15% have experienced homelessness 9% have been in local authority care 14% convicted of a criminal offence 7% have experienced drug dependency 4% have experienced alcohol dependency Indicators of social disadvantage

13. Key barriers to employment

14. Support received through Talent Match

15. Actions undertaken since joining Talent Match

16. BIG "scorecard" data

17. 99% cite TM support as "very" (84%) or "quite" (15%) important in gaining work 51% permanent; just 2% self-employed 12% on zero hours contracts; 37% receive variable pay (i.e. hours change; overtime etc.) Job satisfaction is high: 74% Of those in employment:

18. Wellbeing: improvements over time on TM

19. Key features: –consortium approach and experience of managing large scale projects –building VCS capacity/infrastructure...legacy? –subsidised employment payment by results –Employers' charter –informed by solid local evidence Talent Match Leeds city-region

20. Success: –key worker co-ordination and support –partnership stability i.e. retaining key staff –retaining participants –adapting to change/need (e.g. model, bursaries etc.) –43% of beneficiary target achieved –highest employment rate at 16% Talent Match Leeds city-region

21. Challenges: –TM recruitment: a crowded field –low female participation –maintaining focus on those in most need –ongoing welfare reform (e.g. HB for U21s) –public sector cuts –specialist mental health provision –influencing policy...locally and beyond –peer support expansion –self-employment and enterprise (realistic?) Talent Match Leeds city-region

22. Need to look beyond the monitoring data: –Different models of partnership in operation with differing skills, resources and structures –Spectrum from ‘youth led/youth work’ through to ‘work first/employer engagement’ –Partnerships with more funding and in larger areas able to do disproportionately more? Barriers to employment: –Transport, experience and qualifications are consistent –Mental health, confidence, complexity of need e.g. housing issues. –Groups with specific barriers: lone parents, BME groups Limitations –Co-production only takes you so far…not a panacea –Opportunities for employer engagement vary considerably...but TM Leeds is well placed –All things to all unemployed young people; or for young people with specific needs? Looking ahead...