Tower Hamlets (London) Employability Skills – Case Study

Working With Recro Delivering “The Life You Want ©” In London

“If you don’t do or turn down this programme you are an absolute idiot. This programme has helped me in so many ways I cannot explain or put into words. This is the best thing I have ever attended. It’s not the same as the other programmes, I even said it at the beginning but how wrong I was. This is a life changer; if you don’t do it you will regret it.” (THH resident)

Overview

The purpose of this programme was to work with those long term unemployed Tower Hamlets residents who Skillsmatch and other job brokerages acknowledged they were unable to help place into training, work experience or employment.

They needed greater confidence, motivation and aspiration, which in turn will impact upon their presentation and attitude.

The attraction was undertaken by JCP, Tower Hamlets Homes, Skillsmatch and other referral partners. Attraction to programme is a challenge, especially in an area where a lot of pre-employability training has been delivered previously.

Yeah, yeah, another training course, pointless, waste of time, just like all the others was some of the feedback we received both directly and anecdotally. A lot of our target base are a hardened, cynical bunch. Having been disappointed on a number of occasions previously this has to be overcome.

When asked “How did you feel before the course?” comments included:

“I was down, had no confidence or self-esteem and it felt like the world was on my shoulders”

“I felt that the course would be pointless like all the other courses, group sessions and appointments I have attended”

“Not sure what was going to happen but assumed it was going to be normal training”

These are all too common for people who have been unemployed for some time.

Experience and psychology tells us that whilst people are in this state they are not fertile to learning and will not gain or keep a job.

“The Life You Want ©” Programmes

The first programme was run specifically for young people who wanted to work in construction. It had guaranteed jobs, apprenticeships, training and work experience opportunities attached.

The second programme was not sector specific but for long-term unemployed residents who wanted to work.

We are taking people who by way of their circumstances are deemed unemployable by the very organisations there to help them. “The Life You Want ©” transforms them in three days, making them now deemed employable by the same organisations who previously said they weren’t. Then, working with partners, we help them progress or supply them straight into opportunities including employment. It is an individual journey for each of them and the post programme support must be tailored accordingly.

Their comments when they finished the course included:

“I feel that I can achieve anything… This programme has helped me by the role playing, reassurance and motivation giving me the push that I needed”

“This programme makes your mind tick and switches some lights on….. the trainers get you to recognise your qualities and bring them out… And also your obstacles so you can start dealing with them”

“My key breakthrough has been admitting to my personal problems and getting the confidence in how to deal with them”

“Confidence was the key breakthrough as fear was blocking me getting through” “I’ve never felt so positive and connected for a very long time being out of work…”

Results

Everyone on the first programme went into construction opportunities tied into the Decent Homes Programme and delivered by Skillsmatch and Tower Hamlets Homes.

From the second group, some have gone straight into employment or apprenticeships. Some have taken long term temp roles which may become permanent or stay long term temp. Another individual went into a work experience placement with a contractor who had made the commitment to help as diverse a group of residents as possible.

The progression rate from these two groups combined was almost 100%. This is unheard of with hard to reach long-term unemployed residents.

The Reality

We must realise that every individual has different needs, barriers to overcome and their own journey to embark upon to change their life, progress and get the life and career they want.

Some people we work with, although they have been unemployed for a long time, are able to move straight into employment. Others need work experience a work trial or tasters to build their confidence and appetite and reassure them. A supportive employer is then more likely to hire them.

Employers have different entry routes, career paths, attraction strategies, partners and ways of hiring. Research from CIPD indicates that up to 33% of all new job opportunities created are either temporary, contract or zero hours.

Too many funding mechanisms stipulate specific outputs which are either unrealistic or unattainable for employers or client groups, or drive providers’ behaviour. This leads to cherry picking, creaming and parking.

Statistics show that the number of hard to reach long term unemployed is growing and they are being left further behind.

A provider or jobs broker may be incentivised to get their candidates in full time permanent jobs only even though this may not be realistic, achievable or the right next step for that person. But if the funding stipulates it, that’s what they will do.

Recro helps organisations do what the individual and the employer needs.

A number of our former jobseekers have started in temporary work to get some experience and earn some money, proving they can hold down a job whilst pursuing their ideal job from there and got it. Had they not taken the initial temp job they would not have been given an interview.

“The Life You Want ©” is just that. It delivers a paradigm shift, stepping stones and a plan how to get there. It is life changing, delivers sustainable results and is an essential element to early intervention and social mobility, ensuring that residents are able to enjoy the opportunities created by regeneration and other Social Value Act opportunities.

Observations and Points to Ponder

Many people don’t believe this is possible, even when we demonstrate there are guaranteed jobs and apprenticeships available. Their previous experience tells them this doesn’t materialise.

Some jobseekers have already been sanctioned and still find a way to survive. How are they managing to survive without benefits? What are the risks to this? Is it likely to make them more or less employable?

Some people are in serious poverty, including relying on food banks, desperate to work but in such a frantic and anxious place, opportunities evade them.

A number of participants had suffered from serious health issues which had unavoidably taken them out of the labour market and they were finding it very difficult to re-enter.

The stories of some are agonising, having lost a job over what is effectively a technicality or not been provided the help and support in regulatory training that they should have been, leading to years of unemployment.

To Learn More…..

If you’d like to explore how we can help you please contact John McDonough on 07837 663 969 or email john.mcdonough@recroconsulting.co.uk

We have a huge demand from employers for candidates who have been through “The Life You Want ©”.

“The Life You Want ©” is a Personal Breakthrough, Motivation and Employment Programme

It is an exciting, new and powerful programme that will assist people to change their life, learn how recruitment and employers work, develop amazing skills and experiences which will stay with them forever.

It creates and develops confidence, motivation, aspiration, self-esteem and attitude as well as practical training and access to employment opportunities.

Jobseekers will never have done anything like this before and will remember it forever!