A Local Piloted Response to 50 Plus Unemployment Elizabeth Taylor Chief Executive Bootstrap Enterprises

What Bootstrap delivers Work Programme end to end across the eastern half of Lancashire for 2 primes(DWP) Work Choice (DWP) Families Programme (DWP ESF) Community Work Placements(DWP) Supported Employment (local authority) Business Start Up & Social Enterprise Support NONE OF THESE HAVE 50+ COHORTS, NO DATA AND NO TARGET OUTCOMES

Routes of advice and guidance In the first period of unemployment with Jobcentre Plus * Then referral to the Work Programme or for small numbers to Work Choice After the Work Programme Get Britain Working Measures * Jobcentre Plus can refer to Specialist Provision or Families Programme (now ending)

20 August 2014 DWP released figures on local authority districts across Great Britain with the highest rates of employment amongst older workers. older-workers Watford 89.5% Shetlands 88.3% North Dorset 87.2%. Stroud 85.3% South Northamptonshire 84.6% Horsham 84.2% Tandridge 84.2% East Northamptonshire 84.1% Broxbourne 83.2% Stevenage 83.0%

Stats are not good for our area: Lancashire63.4% Blackburn w Darwen65.0% Burnley66.3% Hyndburn50.5% Pendle65.6% Ribble Valley73.0% Rossendale48.2% Blackpool66.4% Chorley65.6% Preston61.2%

The eastern half of Lancashire Blackburn with Darwen 50+ figures: claiming JSA out of 2,305 = 19% of all JSA claimants 1,010 aged are in the ESA work related activity group out of 2,220 = 45% A third of people aged in BwD are economically inactive Out of 7,400 only 2,300 are retired, 2,040 are not fit for work, the Loc Auth estimate that approx., 3,000 could work

Why 50 Forward? A pilot targeting people over 50 To fill a gap in provision – specific and targeted employment support for the over 50s Provide dedicated provision  Based on the Research Study Report by C.L.E.S. on behalf of the Blackburn with Darwen LSP and 50+ Partnership content/uploads/2011/03/Final-Report-Feb11.pdf  Delivered in partnership with Age UK Blackburn with Darwen and Age UK Lancashire

What we hoped to achieve: Reduce number of 50+ JSA claimants Provide role models to dispel the myth that over 50 you cannot find employment Focus the provision on the needs and gaps in the local labour market Retrain individuals for future proof careers Increase confidence and competences in the use of IT

Our bid to Flexible Support Fund The project was to support over 50s JSA customers (pre Work Programme) to secure and sustain employment through: Acquiring new skills, knowledge and experience Overall aim of increasing the number of over 50s in employment or economically active We intended to recruit with Age UK

WARNING The project was local Only 209 participants All chosen and referred by Jobcentre Plus Short period of time Jan to end March 2012, with some joining in final weeks Job outcomes don’t reflect what we could have done if we had worked with the 209 for a longer period

50 Forward Delivered to JSA 50 plus prior to the Work Programme Referrals from Jobcentre Plus, 209, some felt mandated to attend, some chose not to participate Gender breakdown: 154 male, 55 female In first year of claiming, or new to JSA

Bootstrap offered tailored packages to individuals to provide Motivational and aspiration focus and encouragement Employability skills Work experience and practical assistance to secure and sustain employment

The 50 Forward delivery was based on: Engagement (envisaged Age UK would recruit but JCP referred) Diagnostics Learning and development Employer links and sustaining employment support

What was on offer: Advice & Guidance Employability skills Motivational packages Work experience Volunteering opportunities Vocational training Qualifications Job search Application and interview support Benefits to wage transition support Advice and support in the first period of employment

Initial Action Plan to identify and agree: Job ready Job ready but required confidence building Wanted to work but not sure about what to apply for Know job goal but needed confidence building, skills updating and some work experience Needed work experience Needed work experience and on the job training Required an up to date qualification Has other barriers that must be addressed

What we discovered from the Action Plans: Job ready, very few, but did referrals determine this? Job ready but required confidence building, majority Wanted to work but not sure about what to apply for 60% Know job goal but needed confidence building, skills updating and some work experience 30% Needed work experience 40% Needed work experience and on the job training 20% Required an up to date qualification 60% Has other barriers that must be addressed 40%

What we hoped to achieve: Reducing number of 50+ JSA claimants Out of 209 referrals in a three month period 23 moved into paid work during the pilot, others moved into paid work once back on a JCP advisor caseload, 51 Providing role models to dismiss the myth that over 50 you cannot find employment Succeeded Focusing the provision on the needs and gaps in the local labour market In particular the care sector Retraining individuals for future proof careers –Working in the Care Sector –Working in Retail –Connecting with Customers –IT and administration Increasing confidence and competences in the use of IT Succeeded

What we learnt Designated provision for 50 plus was welcomed by the majority of participants Focusing on finding vacancies and getting a job was welcomed Demand for training in IT skills Need for Job Search Skills Need for Interview Techniques

What we have done since Unsuccessfully tried to get funding beyond the pilot Embedded what we learnt in other provision, but this is easily lost as it is not a priority on any DWP funded provision. No cohort, no data, no outcome targets or payment group. Hard if not recognised in a PBR contract.

Continued to collaborate with Age UK BwD, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen Employment and Skills Forum Collecting our own data: Referrals trends by age and claimant group Customer engagement by age Jobs secured by over 50s Jobs sustained by over 50s

Broad headline information Pro – rata rates of in work sustainability for 50+ customers are higher than the Work Programme Average in East Lancashire. This headline information clearly promotes the rationale that 50+ job seekers on Work Programme demonstrate: Higher levels of commitment and participation Broader range of skills and readiness for work Higher potential to demonstrate “skills transfer” Improved levels of reliability Reduced likelihood of leaving (or being removed from a job) Significantly stronger levels of in work sustainability

50+ customers show much stronger rates of engagement than other Work Programme customers, and in particular those from the JSA group. Rates of sanctioning for 50 + customers are 60% lower than the average rates across all customer groups.

Recommendations –50+ targeted provision for all 50+ –Early entry to Work Programme –A clear Work Programme cohort/PG –Utilisation of ESIF Refer to: NIACE Mid Life Career Review TAEN