Report of the Assistant Director for Customer and Support Services (Hr)

Report of the Assistant Director for Customer and Support Services (Hr)

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REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR CUSTOMER AND SUPPORT SERVICES (HR)

TO THE SUSTAINABLE REGENERATION SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

ON 6 December 2010

TITLE: Salford Working Futures Update

RECOMMENDATIONS:

That Sustainable Regeneration Scrutiny Committee are made aware of the progress of the Salford Working Futures Project

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Salford Working Futures (SWF) Project was setup to bring together a number of linked and complementary initiatives into a single co-ordinated approach to increase the skills and employability of both the council’s employees and the residents of Salford. The SWF Project consists of four work streams; Future Jobs Fund, work placements, apprenticeships for existing staff and apprenticeships for new staff.

This project has made good progress which is detailed in the report. .

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

Future Jobs Fund

Appendix 1 – FJF placements by Salford ward

Appendix 2 – Case Studies

Appendix 3 – FJF placements by Directorate/ Corporate Targets

Appendix 4 - The range of vocational qualifications accessed by Salford FJF employees

Appendix 5 - The range of in-house training accessed by Salford FJF employees

Apprenticeships for Existing Staff

Appendix 6 – Internal Apprenticeship Summary

SOURCE OF FUNDING: Future Jobs Fund; external apprenticeship funding

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no direct legal implications

Contact Officer and Extension No:

Date Consulted:

Comments:

COMMUNICATION IMPLICATIONS:An internal communications exercise is underway.

VALUE FOR MONEY IMPLICATIONS: No direct implications

CLIENT IMPLICATIONS: No direct implications

PROPERTY: No implications

HUMAN RESOURCES: This project is directly related to the recruitment, retention and development of quality staff.

CONTACT OFFICER: Debbie Brown Extension No:8600

WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S): All

KEY COUNCIL POLICIES:Recruitment and selection. Cabinet work plan 2010-11

DETAILS:

1.0 / Background
1.1 / The Salford Working Futures (SWF) Project was setup to bring together a number of linked and complementary initiatives into a single co-ordinated approach to increase the skills and employability of both the council’s employees and the residents of Salford. The SWF Project consists of four work streams with the following objectives:
Future Jobs Fund - aims to provide job opportunities within the council and other partner employers to jobseekers and people that have been claiming out of work benefits for a minimum of six months and is targeted at those aged 18 – 24 as they are more likely to face challenges in securing employment during the economic downturn and the recession.
Work Placements – aims, through the Young Ambassador and Salford Ambassador network, to put in place a wide variety of short-term work experience opportunities for a range of potential participants.
Apprenticeships for existing staff – aims to improve the skills and knowledge of existing employees and help develop the workforce of the future by increasing the number of staff undertaking apprenticeships and widening the range of apprenticeships on offer within the council.
Apprenticeships for new recruits – aims to recruit to all entry level posts through a Recruitment Gateway, co-ordinated by SalfordCityCollege on behalf of the council. SalfordCityCollege will provide pre-employment training and pre-recruitment support which includes providing job ready candidates for entry level vacancies. On appointment, they will start an apprenticeship.
2.0 / Future Jobs Fund
2.1 / Context
  • Salford City Council has a key role to play in reducing worklessness and delivering a local package of support to reduce the impact of the current economic downturn.
  • The Skills & Work Commissioning Unit focuses on co-ordinating the whole system of skills and work support and on developing structures and systems for more integrated working.
  • The Unit will be leading on the work taking place to reduce worklessness in the city and ensuring that Salford residents have the best possible employment opportunities.

2.2 / Background
  • The Chief Executive’s Directorate Business Plan (2010/2013) has five key strategic priorities this year. Priority 1 'Beyond the recession', which specifically focuses on 'narrowing the gap between the levels of worklessness in Salford’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the regional average by 0.15 percentage points'.
  • This priority has direct links to the Future Jobs Fund programme and is identified as key delivery activity which will significantly contribute towards this priority within the business plan.

2.3 / Performance
  • The national FJF programme was launched in October 2009, and delivery commenced in Greater Manchester in November 2009.
  • To date Salford City Council and key partners, including public and 3rd sector employers have supported 514 (65% of profile of 800) people into Future Jobs Fund opportunities, of which 58% are aged 18-24 and 42% are aged 25+yr olds.
  • We have four months of the programme remaining and we still need to develop and deliver a further 286 jobs to achieve our 800 target by 31st March 2011.
Please see Appendix 2 – Which illustrates take up of Salford Future Jobs Fund places by Salfordward
2.4 / In-Work Training
  • Skills development and vocational training is an important element of the Future Jobs Fund programme, and the opportunity to access training has been a key factor in attracting many individuals to FJF.
  • In Salford we have fully utilised mainstream funding (Train2Gain) to support vocational training and qualifications.
  • Please see Appendix 4 - The table illustrates the range of vocational qualifications accessed by Salford FJF employees
  • Please See Appendix 5 - The table illustrates the range of in-house training accessed by Salford FJF employees

2.5 / Progression
  • To date 241 FJF employees have either completed or left the programme early. Of this cohort 152 employees have completed their 6 months placement, of whom 71 (30%) have progressed into employment, and 89have left the programme early for a number of reasons including, to access full-time education, university, pregnancy, health reasons, personal reasons, as well as a number whose destination is unknown.
  • The Greater Manchester Future Jobs Fund programme is in the process of being evaluated by the Cambridge Policy Consultants (CPC) and Training and Employment Research Unit (TERU). As part of the evaluation, FJF employees were asked how FJF had helped them. The following is an extract from the interim evaluation report and captures the most commonly mentioned benefits:
  • Gained work experience (91% of respondents stated FJF had helped in this way),
  • Opportunity to earn a wage (86%),
  • Ability to obtain a reference from employer (82%),
  • Improved confidence (63%),
  • Enhanced opportunity to find sustainable employment (74%).
  • 1% of respondents stated that FJF had not helped them in any way.
Source: TERU FJF Employee Survey
Please see Appendix 1 – For case studies from people who have been employed through the Future Jobs Fund
2.6 / Further Support
  • A report was taken to CMT (Corporate Management Team) on 21st September for formal approval for the new Recruitment Gateway Model which supports new approaches for recruiting to entry level opportunities within Salford City Council and delivery of in-work training including apprenticeships.
  • HR colleagues are currently in discussions with SalfordCityCollege and Economic Solutions (Apprenticeships and Salford Working Futures Partnership Provider Co-ordinator) to develop an assessment process, referral route and support arrangements for Future Jobs Fund employees who are interested in accessing the Recruitment Gateway.
  • Future Jobs Fund employee database now live to capture employee journey e.g. personal development plan, internal / external training, employability and vacancy support via recruitment gateway, leaver documents, tracking progress etc. To be rolled out in conjunction with Manchester Solutions and the Recruitment Gateway.
  • A Thank You pack has been developed and is ready to roll-out for all those FJF employees coming to the end of their placements. HR will send out a pack to each employee with the thank you letter from Salford City Council. The pack will include Reference; Record of Achievement; Training Record and further contacts for advice and support via Recruitment Gateway to access and applying for Salford City Council jobs and wider job opportunities i.e. UKDC (Census jobs). In addition contacts for other external support i.e. Jobcentre Plus; Skills and Work

2.7 / Tracking
  • The remaining 81 leavers who are yet to secure employment will be tracked by Work Solutions, at intervals, for up to 12 months to be offered on-going advice and support beyond FJF e.g. Skills and Work Service, Jobcentre Plus, and Salford City College.
  • Leavers will also be contacted by letter and telephone by SalfordCityCollege to be offered further support to access jobs via the Salford Recruitment Gateway, including applying for Salford City Council jobs and more realistically, wider external private sector job opportunities.

3.0 / New Apprenticeships
3.1 / Background
Salford City Council has a key role to play in making sure that Salford residents have access to quality employment opportunities and this continues to be a priority. The Council must also be an exemplar employer to encourage external providers to offer positive employment opportunities and to contribute to the development of the future workforce.
Human Resources have recently reviewed the Recruitment and Retention Policy and Strategy to facilitate a more flexible approach which will enable a wider range of opportunities for Salford residents to be provided. In delivering this element of the strategy, we will:-
  • Ensure that basic level entry jobs up to and including Grade E are linked to an apprenticeship framework
  • Offer work experience placements each year across all directorates for children in or leaving care, workless adults, residents with low skills, ex-offenders and schoolchildren
  • Deploy the Young Ambassadors to create a network of work experience placements and to foster relations with schools
  • Restrict recruitment to Salford residents for certain posts
  • A target will also be agreed each year for apprenticeships to be ringfenced to care leavers in the first instance and for 2010/2011 this is 12

3.2 / New Apprenticeships brief overview
  • Due to the current budgetary situation the Council has not been in a position to create additional posts on the establishment for Apprentices, other than the 6 that have been filled by care leavers
  • In order to ensure that entry level jobs are available and are linked to an apprenticeship framework it has been agreed to convert these jobs into apprenticeships so new employees start on a learning track and have the opportunity to improve their skills and knowledge

3.3 / Progress
  • It was agreed as part of the remit of the Salford Working Futures Project that in order to recruit into the Council’s entry level jobs Human Resources will work with a local training provider who will deliver pre-employment/recruitment support to Salford residents for each occupational area of entry level role the council is recruiting to
  • The provider will work with the recruiting manager to develop a bespoke pre-recruitment course for those assessed as ‘job-ready’
  • They will work with participants to ensure that they meet the criteria of the post and are screened
  • A pool of suitable candidates will then be put forward to the recruiting manager for interview
  • Successful candidates will then start work with the council in an Apprenticeship role on the appropriate framework

3.4 / Recruitment Gateway
  • Through a mini-procurement exercise undertaken SalfordCityCollege were identified as the local provider for the new apprenticeship recruitment and this will be know as the Salford Recruitment Gateway
  • The Apprenticeships framework will be delivered by one of the 5 providers in the Salford Working Futures Partnership
  • Support will be provided to Future Jobs Fund participants (with Salford Council or Salford residents) from the start of their placement to assist them to find further employment
  • This service is for Salford residents and aims to engage with all target groups across the city to assist them to find employment opportunities
  • Referrals will be received from a number of organisations within Salford including Skills and Work; Job Centre Plus, Connexions etc.
  • The process for referrals, Future Jobs Fund and pre/post recruitment and apprenticeship starts has been agreed with Salford City Council.

3.5 / Future developments
  • The Recruitment Gateway is going to be trialled with the Citywide service for catering and cleaning roles and discussions will be held with schools for Teaching Assistant roles
  • HR are in discussions with Salford PCT and Urban Vision to identify whether they will start using the Gateway to recruit to their entry level vacancies
  • A member of Human Resources also attended the last Partnership Board meeting to encourage all partners to use the Recruitment Gateway as one portal for recruitment in Salford
  • Human Resources will be working with the Skills and Work Commissioning Unit and their links to Economic Development, SERCO, GMEC, Job Centre Plus and other employment agencies to engage with local employers to encourage them to recruit through the Gateway and increase the number of Apprenticeship opportunities they provide.

3.6 / Risks
  • Due to the changing landscape and current budgetary situation there is a restriction on recruitment in the Council and with other partner organisations
  • The key services that are still recruiting need to fully engage with the process and use the Recruitment Gateway
  • Local private employers and partner organisations may not engage with the process and the Gateway may become over-subscribed with participants and not enough opportunities.

4.0 / Work Placements
4.1 / Brief overview
  • Short-term unpaid placements are to be made available to provide pre-employment support and development opportunities across a range of occupational areas for looked after children, workless adults, residents with low skills, ex-offenders and school children.
  • The intention was that they will be made available using the council’s Young Ambassador network.
  • In March 2010 targets were set to contribute to the ambitions of providing Salford residents with employment opportunities.
  • The target was set across all directorates for a total of 50 work placement opportunities.

4.2 / Progress
  • In October 2009 Human Resources launched a formalised work experience programme across the council with supporting guidance for managers
  • The council already has a good relationship with Salford Foundation and Salford high schools to providing work experience placements for school pupils as part of their development
  • 9 Young Ambassadors either created or committed to hosting work placement opportunities all of which were filled by Salford high schools. A further 19 placements have been offered across the Council
  • A number of development and recruitment events have taken place to encourage more Salford employees to become Ambassadors and create/host placements as well as attending career events with schools, Salford Foundation, SalfordCollege and Salford university
  • A Framework has now been put in place with clear guidance on roles and responsibilities to support a streamlined approach and to reduce ad-hoc responses to requests
  • This includes work placements to be provided for those participants of the Recruitment Gateway where the Council may not have vacancies but can provide suitable work experience by hosting a placement to increase an individual’s chance of gaining employment
  • Discussions have taken place with a range of partners/providers e.g. Salford Foundation (for high schools), SalfordCityCollege and SalfordUniversity (for student placements), SERCO (for benefit claimants) Next Step (care leavers) and Supported Employment Service (disabled people) to identify their needs for placements and build this into the framework
  • Human Resources have hosted a number of work placement opportunities for care leavers in conjunctions with the Next Step service, and the Legal section have supported a placement for a school pupil with a disability as he was having difficulty finding a placement

4.3 / Future developments
  • Discussions are to take place to identify how the council can support and provide relevant placements for ex-offenders.
  • There is a possibility that once the Future Jobs Fund programme ends that these placements be converted into work placement opportunities as part of the Work Programme implementation requiring benefit claimants to complete a work placement in order to continue receiving benefits.

4.4 / Risks
  • Competition for placement opportunities and ambassador participation (as well as promotion of these) being overtaken by priority focus on Future Jobs Fund and Apprenticeships for existing staff
  • Managers of the council arranging placements independently are not all reporting this to Human Resources (needed for health and safety reasons)
  • Majority of managers/teams/services of the council are not committed to the creation and hosting of placements
  • Managers are concerned that there is a lack of capacity to properly supervise the people undertaking placements, however this is a potential development opportunity for staff to increase their skills and marketability
  • Lack of interest and participation for both new and existing Young Ambassadors across the council due to pressures of work in the current climate

5.0 / Apprenticeships for existing staff
  • The target of 100 existing members of staff to be signed up for an apprenticeship by the end of March 2011 has already been exceeded with 169 staff signed up. The majority of learners undertaking apprenticeships in Business Administration, Customer Service, Management and Health & Social Care. Other vocational areas include ICT, Horticulture and Youth Work
  • 34 staff not eligible for an apprenticeship have been signed up to an NVQ funded through Train to Gain
  • An analysis of the levels of qualifications of all staff has been completed and a plan is being drawn up to target specific service and occupational areas
  • Economic Solutions have provided a partnership co-ordinator for up to 3 days per week to take lead responsibility for overseeing Salford’s apprenticeship programme which will be funded until July 2011. This arrangement commenced on 20th September 2010
  • Please see Appendix 6 - The Internal Apprenticeship summary sheet

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