Promise and Challenges in Designing Training Programmes to Address Youth

Unemployment Within a Context of Social Enterprise

Carter VancePresentation at international conference

Universities developing social entrepreneurship through cross-sector collaboration

York St John University, 1-3 Sept 2015

Research Question

“What are the factors determining effectiveness of a job training programme for the long-term unemployed?”

- Specifically, youth unemployment in London's Tower Hamlets Borough

- However, some findings applied across demographic and geographic groups

Key facts

25 communities across the UK.

Supporting 640 formerly homeless people

240 volunteering opportunities

65 shops and social enterprises

Work is important

Anyone living in an Emmaus community works full time in our social enterprise

and makes a contribution to their community. (Housing First Plus)

Having meaningful work restores self esteem that is often lost when someone

becomes homeless.

Our social enterprises include charity shops selling second-hand and upcycled furniture, bric-a-brac and clothing. There

are also cafes, removal services and gardening projects.

“It makes me really proud when I manage to add value to the pieces we sell in the shop. That’s money that will help run our community and I am glad to be able to contribute.”Stephen – Emmaus Glasgow

Our impact

Research carried out in 2012 showed that for every

£1 spent with Emmaus, there was an £11 social,

economic and environmental return on

investment, with savings to the benefits bill, healthcare,

a reduction in crime reoffending and a reduction

in the amount of waste going to landfill.

Key Desired Outcomes

Increase connection to community and build recognition for Emmaus

Expand and stabilize retail operations to make greater charitable contributions to overall Emmaus UK organisation

Increase social awareness of homelessness and other support areas in which Emmaus works

Develop a unique organisational profile apart from being “just another charity shop”

Advance Emmaus UK goals of non-companion engagement/training and organisational transformation

Founded in 2001, working primarily in the Tower Hamlets area

Deals with youth unemployment, NEET and related issues via job training, coaching and personal skills development

Emphasis on borough restoration within a social enterprise context

Has assisted over 1500 young persons and maintains an active roster of around 75

Streets of Growth Quick Facts

Key Desired Outcomes

Increase interest in social enterprise within the Tower Hamlets community as a form of regeneration

Develop a basis for further employment-based partnerships in the future, particularly to share resources and funding

Develop organisational expertise

Continue to develop working relationship with Emmaus

How Research Was Conducted

- Surveys of governmental and other statistical data

- Literature review of previous work on employment programmes

- Case study reviews

- Interviews with organisational staff and clients/companions

- Focus groups with target demographics and local business

Review of Previous Findings

- Employment training is most effective when individualized

- Broad-based programmes have limited effectiveness and large drop-off numbers

- Voluntary training programmes work better than mandatory

- Training should provide clear pathways to sustained employment

Social Context of Tower Hamlets- Disproportionately young population: 49%

aged 20 to 39

- 16 to 24 unemployment rate standing at 24.3% as of latest figures

- 15.6% of the population overall lack any sort of formal qualifications

- Highest child poverty rate in UK (49%)

- Large skill gaps seen by area employers (NESS)

- NEET figures for 16 – 24 have dropped 50% since 2000 (from 6% to 3%)

Existing Training Opportunities

Traineeships: Short term job placements, usually unpaid and through an educational agency, intended to give young persons a “taster” of a particular work field and some practical experience

Apprenticeships: Longer-term, paid experience leading to an NVQ in a particular area of work

Some clients not ready for this type of commitment and lack of personal supports

Key Points from Focus GroupsRealistic work experience and the possibility of a CV

reference and formal qualification moving forward into a new job

Understanding and flexibility on the part of employers for life circumstances

Support in finding a job after the programme completed

Clear instruction from managers and the development of positive relationships with supervisors

Accessibility of workplaces

Language barriers

Barriers created by government programmes

General Programme Theory

A key reason that other job training programmes are often ineffective with those furthest from the labour market is that they lack the additional supports outside of direct training needed to build personal resiliency.

Resilient persons will be more likely to sustain employment in a long-term fashion.

Activities BTEC Work Skills Level 2 Course and involved personal

skills workshops (12 Weeks) – potential for workshops/activities by East London Business Alliance therein

Retail work experience with Emmaus (5 weeks)

Furniture Upcycling Workshops (integrated over course of weeks 3 -17) – incorporates enterprise/sales challenges

Support with advanced employment search (begins within program, continues after) – Streets of Growth's Job Club and Train to Work

Coaching/personal support (ongoing)

– This aspect of positive engagement identified as particularly critical to positive outcomes

Benefits of Collaboration

- Ability to harness each organisation's unique strengths and expertise areas

- Build interest in social enterprise and awareness of social issues in young persons – Emmaus conception of solidarity

- Bring more cohesion to social economy of the area

- Addressing new client demographics

Challenges

- Coordinating training activities with social enterprise operations generally

- Working across organisations who have traditionally had different areas of focus and work styles

- “Exporting” models between demographic groups

- Developing a system of data inputs to track impacts/outcomes

Limitations

- Area covered in terms of interviews and focus groups limited to Tower Hamlets

- Certain demographic groups were over-represented and underrepresented

- Difficulty in tracking long-term outcomes, especially with socially vulnerable persons

- Impossible to review specific programme impacts as hasn't been implemented yet

Personal Reflections

- Difference of approaches to social problem of homelessness between countries

- Giving a name, a face and a story to the issues

- Business planning is becoming key for sector

- Working with youth to develop future

- Stopping problems before they get worse

Key Conclusions1) Act Locally, But Think Wider

2) Adapt to Market Conditions

3) Individualized Programming is Key

4) Use the Talents We Already Have

5) Supports Needed to Address Personal Barriers

6) Formal Qualifications are Increasingly Necessary

7) Give People a Purpose and Make a Connection