New members from the Department of Work and Pensions encourage members to find out how they can help business.
Jobcentre Plus Support for Schools:
To help prevent young people becoming NEET, JCP support for schools was announced in the 2015 Budget.
• Build a more prosperous society by supporting people to enter into, and progress in, work.
DWP Key Objectives
Ensure DWP’s policies, operations and Arm’s-Length Bodies continue to operate effectively after exiting the EU.
• Help in sourcing – and advising on – work experience opportunities, using JCP’s extensive network of employers;
• Introducing schools to employers, and vice versa; and
JCP support assists schools in meeting their obligation around the provision of independent careers advice.
Jobcentre Plus schools advisers assist schools in England to deliver their statutory duty to provide high quality, independent and impartial careers advice to pupils from school year 8 (age 12-13) to year 13 (age 17-18). Support for Schools supports young people ages 12-18 who are at particular risk of being NEET or are likely to face disadvantages when looking for work.
Mentoring Circles:
• Providing advice on routes into traineeships and Apprenticeships, and more generally, promoting the parity of vocational and academic pathways into work;
• Providing advice on the local labour market (including ‘soft skills’ employers’ value, such as team working and commitment).
Support for Schools is aimed at facilitating an effective transition from school to work, training or further study for those who a vocational route provides a better opportunity to fulfil ambition than an academic route and we anticipate will add value in four broad areas:
Support for Schools is now embedded as a ‘business as usual’ JCP service. DWP is working in close partnership with the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), the National Careers Service and the National Apprenticeship Service to ensure alignment with other organizations working in the careers sector.
The JCP/DWP Mentoring Circle initiative is intended to support young people who are aged 16-24 giving them an opportunity to build on their employability skills through facilitating an interaction with employers.
The main aim of Mentoring Circles is to increase the confidence, motivation and job search skills of the young people to help them move closer to employment by raising their aspirations and fostering a can do approach.
Mentoring Circles are delivered over three events by employers who will share their experiences with mentees. This gives the young person the opportunity to talk to others facing similar barriers, as well as receiving advice on their CVs, job applications, a chance to practice interviews and employability skills.
Where possible the meeting will be held at the employer’s premises.
Sector based work academy’s (sbwa)
Sector based work academies are valued by employers as a recruitment tool, providing tailored training and a chance to see candidates in action ahead of a job interview.
Claimants get training and work experience to help them compete effectively for the jobs on offer.
Fuller Working Lives:
The Fuller Working Lives: A Partnership Approach Strategy published in February 2017 aims to increase the retention, retraining and recruitment of older workers by bringing about a change in the perceptions and attitudes of employers and challenging the views of working in later life and retirement amongst individuals.
The strategy adopts a new approach – it is led by employers who rightly see themselves as the ones who understand the business case and can drive change.
Work Experience:
Generally aimed at younger claimants (but are open to all ages), who have little or no work history and poor employability skills. Placements last from two to eight weeks and provide the opportunity for jobseekers to gain work skills and experience with employers in the local labour market. Can be extended a further four weeks if employer agrees to convert work experience opportunity into an apprenticeship.
Young people on the Youth Obligation Support Programme who are still unemployed after six months may be offered a three-month work experience opportunity (one single opportunity or consecutive opportunities lasting three months).
Devolution impact – GB wide.
Work Experience guides:
Employer Guide (link is external) (DWP)
Troubled Families Employment Advisers:
Representative of DWP commitment to support this Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) led, cross government Programme on employment matters over the lifetime of the Troubled Families Programme.
To also support DWP’s commitment to achieve job outcomes.
Establish strong links with families to identify and overcome barriers to work.
Work alongside LA to up-skill them and to make informed decisions on the employment agenda, based on DWP policy and knowledge.
Effective working relationships with JCP, up-skilling colleagues on the benefits of the Troubled Families Programme (TFP).
Build and maintain good working relationships with JCP, LAs and external partners such as: Employment Support Training (EST) managers, National Employer Partnership Team (NEPT), Local Employment Partners, Probation service, schools, youth offending services, CSC, council youth service and other relevant staff who work with vulnerable groups.
Traineeships:
Devolution Impact – England only policy.
Department for Education (DfE) funded programme offering a flexible approach to obtaining the pre-employment support including English and Maths, vocational skills, and work experience for those young people aged 16-24 who have limited or no experience of the workplace, not close to securing work, but have the appetite and motivation to do so.
DWP claimants with a sound work history, and good chances of work, alongside those who are at risk of longer spells on benefit and entry to the Work and Health Programme are unlikely to benefit from a traineeship.
Traineeships are viewed by many employers/providers as a key stepping stone to apprenticeships for those who are experiencing difficulty in securing them.
Traineeship – Factsheets
If any member would like more details or to be involved with any of the support on offer
Please feel free to contact me
Kind Regards
Mickey
Schools Advisor Dorset | Department of Work and Pensions | Weymouth Jobcentre | Westwey House | Westwey Road | Weymouth | DT4 8TG | 01305 328009| Internal 8009| Mobile 07780222680 | www.dwp.gov.uk Please consider the environment before printing
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