Supported Housing Employment Compact

Training December 2009

Why is the Compact being put in place?

Helping homeless people to increase their incomes by getting into work prevents homelessness for the long term

Raising incomes can also: - widen people’s housing choices- increase confidence and reduce isolation - improve mental health- reduce domestic violence and other forms of abuse - create safer and more stable communities

Costs of unemployment are felt by individuals, council tax payers, city council, and government

Unemployment in NewcastleNewcastle residents at end of 2008: 27.4% of people of working age were

economically inactive - 21.2% in the country as a whole

8.9% were unemployed - 5.7% across the whole country

Short term supported housing residents in 08-09: 44% job seekers 24% not looking for work 22% sick or disabled

Homelessness and worklessness

Unemployment rate has got much worse for homeless people over last 20 years:

Around 85% of single homeless not in work

In temp. accom: 65% homeless families, 57% under 18s out of work (2005 figures)

Six out of ten homeless people have low or no qualifications

Public Sector Agreements

PSA 16: to increase the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and employment, education or training

Newcastle’s Local Area Agreement

National Indicator 152: To reduce the proportion of residents of

working age who are on out-of-work benefits to 14.9% by March 2011

Baseline is 16.3% in 2007

Newcastle’s Employability Action Plan 2008-2011

Priorities are: Engagement at all stages along the pathway

– priority groups are harder-to-reach groups (including homeless), young people, lone parents, people from BME groups, and people in Incapacity Benefit

Progression sustained Holistic 1-1 support

Places of Change programme Places of help to make changes: help

people to make the changes needed to be able to live independently

Physical changes: £8.5m investment in hostel redevelopment in the city

Changes in approach: Overcome barriers to housing and to work; and get involved in meaningful activities

Other drivers Welfare reform – people will need to be

able to demonstrate that they are moving towards work – or face reduced benefit

Adding value to the other work of supported housing providers in addressing worklessness

Building links with other agencies

Our aims

1. Developing clear progression pathways towards employment for supported housing (and social) residents:- engagement - training- education- employment

2. Same minimum level of help regardless of which landlord or support provider

Our aims

3. Ensure housing staff know how and where to refer residents to

4. Ensure opportunities offered within the housing sector are available to all

5. Be able to demonstrate the outcomes from the offer of help from housing providers

The client journey

ENGAGEMENT DIAGNOSTICS

Employer Involvement

EMPLOYABILITY SERVICES

JOB PLACEMENT RETENTION

Pre - engagement

Stability Phase

The offer for supported housing residents (homeless sector)

Ask all supported housing customers if they want help to get involved in education, training or employment

Use the Support Plan to help people to identify their goals, strength and weaknesses

Help people to overcome barriers to work, and to develop their skills, confidence, and motivation – and to get involved in meaningful activities

Make referrals to Newcastle Futures (or other services) Display information about access to employment and

skills provision Monitor outcomes – so we know if the approach is

helping

Our partners

Tackling worklessness: Newcastle Futures – employment support agency targeting most disadvantaged and hardest to reach, and strategic co-ordination role

Supporting people into independence: Supporting People – fulfilling government expectations

Supported housing providers JobCentre Plus and Connexions Welfare Rights Service