Overcoming barriers to employment

What works – building confidence and creating opportunities for those furthest from the job market

The Community House Project

Level of need in Wisbech and the issues faced

Indices of Multiple Deprivation (2010), the 10 most deprived LSOAs in Cambridgeshire are;1.Waterlees (Wisbech)2.Staithe (Wisbech)3.Waterlees (Wisbech)4.Medworth (Wisbech)5.King’s Hedges (Cambridge)6.March East7.Hill (Wisbech)8.King’s Hedges (Cambridge)9.Hill (Wisbech)10.Clarkson (Wisbech)

Level of need in Wisbech and the issues faced

• Persistent levels of unemployment, low economic activity & poverty.

• Significant barriers to employment such as poor health (both mental and physical), lack of basic skills and low aspirations and confidence.

• Poorly integrated and marginalised people and communities.

• Poor access to services, transport and information technology

Level of need in Wisbech and the issues faced

• In the Waterlees ward, almost a quarter of people are claiming out of work benefits, compared to around 15% for the county.

• Double the proportion of people claim HB/CTB in Waterlees than the average for the district

• Only 17% of the population of Waterlees have qualifications higher than level 2 (against 64% for the county) and around a third have no recognised qualifications (against 6% for the county).

The Community House (& Garden)

• A community hub located in the Waterlees Village Ward.

• First opened in 2002.• Owned by Circle Housing Roddons.• Staffed by Dawn & Jayde.• Open for use by other partners.• Previously funded by SRB,

Neighbourhood Pathfinder, Circle Housing.

• Currently funded, until March 2016 by DWP.

The service provided by the team

• From April 2015 we started the referral service from Wisbech JCP to the Community House.

• Initially focus was on residents from Waterlees, Clarkson and Staithe Wards in receipt of Employment Support Allowance.

• Extended to Wisbech residents and those in receipt of other work related benefits.

Community House Team and Beneficary

Weekly contact

Community House Team & Beneficiary

Create beneficary support plan

Beneficary

Self Assessment

Community House Team

Undertake referral Assessment

Community House Team

Ring applicant and arrange 1st meeting

DWP

Send details to Community House team

DWP

Get Data Sharing approval

DWP

Send to Community House Team

DWP

Consider referral and arrange data share if accepted

Community House Team

Send to DWP for review

Other Agencies

Complete first page of referral form

Referrals from agencies

Circle Housing-Roddons Childrens Cente Other provider

The service provided by the team

• The team identify the root causes of issues and start taking practical steps to build confidence, address anxiety or other issues which prevent working

• Use of team member skills to support and encourage clients to improve their quality of life.

• Co-ordination & organisation between local partners.

The impact – Case study 1

S is well educated and was previously in a managerial role. After suffering a nervous breakdown, he lost all confidence and feels he is still in decline, he has support from mental health services, so we have focused on improving his confidence, this is being done by 121 conversations and social groups.

The impact – Case study 2

JT was in a very controlling relationship which made her confidence plummet, she was also having difficulties at work. In March of last year JT sadly had a miscarriage and her confidence fell further. JT has now done 2 confidence courses and has left her controlling partner. During her time with us she has been able to volunteer at some of our events and we have recently been able to get her onto a new career path which she is now studying to be a teaching assistant. JT’s confidence is still growing every day and its really nice to see that she has a smile on her face more often that not.

Partners involved include

Positive outcomes

• VB – “I have found the support helpful, staff have been patient & understanding & my confidence has grown”

• KD – “I am really happy with my CV and the way appointments were arranged around my children”

• JP – “I gained a lot from the interview workshop, I don’t usually retain information but everything went in”

• JS – “Watching the garden develop has inspired me to do my own”

• DC – “I feel more positive and confident to go looking for work, the socials have helped, I also enjoy my English lessons”

Lessons learnt & key ingredients

• Dealing with the no shows • The time it takes to support people and to build trust• Documenting progress • Thinking outside the box • Factor in the right amount of time for delivery• One year is not enough – services take time to bed in

• The importance of working at the pace of the client • Work with a sense of humour• Humility• Importance of local networks & knowledge• Being a trusted location

‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single

step’ – Laozi

Any final questions?