END PROJECT REPORT

Project Title: / Collaborative Actions for Sustainable Employment (CASE)
Project Reference: / LE009E
RIEP Workstream / Local Economy
Report Author: / Sarah-Jane Dale
Date: / May 2010

End project Report Purpose

The purpose of this report is to:

  • Review the Project using the PID as a baseline comparing the planned project to the actual, delivered project, and determine what has not gone to plan and the impact of this.
  • Ensure that the lessons learnt from the project have been captured, reviewed and disseminated.
  • Provide assurance that all risks, issues have been closed or transferred.
  • Confirm that hand over actions have been agreed.
  • Articulate the position with regard to draw down of RIEP funding.
  • Confirm that the project is on track to meet the desired outcomes and set a post project implementation review date.

How to Use this Document

This document contains a series of different questions which are designed to compare what the project actually achieved against what was originally planned. The questions will also capture what went well and how this learning can be shared more widely.

Any text in italicsprovides further guidance to help answer questions.

Please answer questions as fully as possible. Most sections will be relevant to all projects but there might be some exceptions. If you are in doubt, please contact your Programme Manager to discuss.

Table of Contents

Page

1End Project Report History3

1.1Revision History

1.2Approvals

2Background3

3Reasons for closure4

4Project Performance4

5Risk analysis5

6Lessons Learnt5

7Post-Project Review6

1End Project Report History

1.1Revision History

Revision date / Previous revision date / Summary of Changes / Changes marked
First issue

1.2Approvals

This document requires the following approvals.

Internal (Local Authority) Approval

Name / Signature / Title / Date of Issue / Version
Sarah-Jane Dale / / Project Manager, East Dorset District Council
Kevin Poulton / / Economic Regeneration Manager, East Dorset District Council

SW RIEP Approval (Sign off to be managed by RIEP Programme Manager)

Name / Signature / Title / Date of Issue / Version
Stuart Todd / Programme Manager
Sonia Davidson-Grant / Programme Board Chair

Background

  • What were the original goals, objectives, and success criteria? (Your original PID should help with this information).

Representative members of the care sector were trained to act as “Ambassadors”, explaining at first hand career and training opportunities within the sector at a series of events in the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole area.

The project aimed to:

  • Reduce the number of people registered as unemployed in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole
  • Address the underlying skills shortage in the Care sector.

The events sought to enable the recruitment of better prepared and more highly motivated employees. This in turn, would support the sustainability of care businesses in the longer term; reducing staff turnover rates, providing a dedicated and qualified workforce; promoting clear career pathways and providing a more positive image of a career in social care.

CASE sought to strengthen the leadership role of Local Authorities in enhancing the wellbeing of their communities and by supporting the improvement of the care services in their areas at a time of increasing demand.

3Reasons for closure

All milestones have been met and outputs achieved.

4Project Performance

  • The original aim of the project:
  • Reduce the number of people registered as unemployed in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole
  • Address the underlying skills shortage in the Care sector.
  • Did the project achieve what it set out to? Was it successful? If not, why and what elements weren’t successful? What is the impact of this?

The success of the CASE project in achieving the aims originally identified is evident. Individuals have been tracked into employment in the sector and/or further job search activity or vocational training, as a direct result of attending CASE events. The impact on the care sector across the partnership Local Authority areas is therefore measurable, in terms of employment figures. Beyond these outcomes, the value added by the project in terms of enhanced engagement with key stakeholders including: employers, service users, schools, colleges, Jobcentre Plus, support workers and Local Authority partners, continues. Relationships between organisations have developed through joint working across geographic boundaries, requiring a genuine multi-agency approach.

12 Care Ambassadors weresuccessfully recruited onto the programme, supporting a total of 6 CASE events held across the project area, as originally planned. A variety of sector specific informative events took placein the conurbations of Bournemouth and Poole and in the more rural areas and market towns of Dorset.

A total of 42 individual care sector employers/organisations engaged with the project in supporting these events,providing valuable opportunities to better link job seekers with existing hard to fill vacancies in the sector. As a result of the innovative “self referencing” nature of CASE work – job seekers engaged with Care Ambassadors at these events and were better informed and prepared to take up sustainable employment.

Plans are in place for further dissemination of this work. This will ensure that the impact of this project continues into the future (Any other benefits section below refers).

Milestones Performance

How did the project perform against its forecast timescales. Complete the following table to illustrate how the milestones were delivered.

Key Milestone / Forecast date / Actual date / Impact
Project start / 15 May 2009 / 25 May 2009 / Email confirming project approval received 18 May 2009. Formal offer letter received 18 June 2009.
No impact due to delay.
Initial Project Steering Group meeting / 1 June 2009 / 1 June 2009 / Meeting held
All project staff in place / 15 June 2009 / 27 Oct 2009 / All project staff were put in place. The delay in recruiting additional administrative support had minimal impact on timely delivery of remaining project milestones.
First 3 CASE events planned / 30 June 2009 / 30 June 2009 / Discussions and meetings held with partners – events planned.
Recruit and train 6 Care Ambassadors onto the project / 31 July 2009 / 31 July 2009 / Care Ambassadors recruited onto the programme through links with employers and partners. Effective training undertaken.
Second Project Steering Group meeting / 30 Sept 2009 / 20 Nov 2009 / Meeting held.
Intentionally revised to follow completion of initial 3 CASE events enabling effective review/reflection and forward planning.
Final 3 CASE events planned / 31 Oct 2009 / 31 Oct 2009 / Discussions and meetings held with partners – events planned.
Recruit and train additional 6 Care Ambassadors onto the project / 30 Nov 2009 / 30 Nov 2009 / Care Ambassadors recruited onto the programme through links with employers and partners. Effective training undertaken.
Third Project Steering Group meeting / 31 Dec 2009 / 29 Jan 2009 / Meeting held.
Appropriate time span in line with delay of 2nd meeting.
First 3 CASE events complete / 31 Dec 2009 / 6 Nov 2009 / 3 initial CASE events held, supported by a total of 28 care business representatives and attended by over 150 individuals.
Final 3 CASE events complete / 31 Mar 2010 / 31 Mar
2010 / 3 final CASE events held, supported by a total of 30 care business representatives and attended by over 140 individuals.
Final Project Steering Group meeting / 31 Mar 2010 / Meeting held
Project Evaluation / 30 Apr 2010 / 30 Jun 2010 / Data collection, tracking analysis and evaluation will be completed by 30 June. Tracking of individuals taking longer than anticipated.

Financial Performance

Overall Project Budget:£70,000

RIEP Allocation:£35,000

Actual Spend to date: £68,239

Reasons for variance:Further spend on dissemination planned in the next few weeks – held up by evaluation and essential employer/ambassador project meetings – (see below reference development and production of DVD recruitment resource pack based on film documentation of project)

RIEP Funding Outstanding to be Claimed: £20,000

Date any outstanding RIEP Funding will be Claimed:16.06.2010

Outputs

Was the output delivered
On time / To agreed quality / Within budget
List each output delivered
At least 6 CASE events across Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole / Yes / Yes / Yes
A minimum of 80 individuals interested in working in the Care sector to attend the events above / Yes / Yes / Yes
A minimum of 10 care businesses will be engaged and participate in CASE events directly linking with job seekers and raising awareness of their employment vacancies / Yes / Yes / Yes
12 Care Ambassadors recruited and trained to develop the necessary skills for this role / Yes / Yes / Yes
20 Job Seekers will be supported to move towards employment or related training / Yes / Yes / Yes

Outcomes

  • List the outcomes that can beassessedat this stage.
  • CASE has enhanced relationships between the strategic Local Authorities,Job Centre Plus and Care employers, maximizing the opportunity to fill long standing vacancies. Businesses within the sector have experienced real benefits, feeling more supported and valuing the engagement with public sector support available to them in the current climate.
  • Focused events with sector specific information and guidance providing real life references and valuable personal understanding have supported recruitment of better prepared and well informed motivated employees. This successful recruitmentto historically hard to fill vacancies, has supported the sustainability of care businesses in the longer term; reducing staff turnover rates, providing a dedicated and qualified workforce.
  • Employer engagement has been extremely positive both in terms of referring Ambassadors into the programme, and in participating in individual CASE events. The number of employers engaged in the project, attending events (42) has far exceeded the project target of 10. The Ambassadors have been supported by their employers to undertake training and to give their time freely to attend events.
  • The project has required real multi-agency approach with effective and increased partnership working across the local authority areas. The evident commitment and the shared common goal of all those involved in supporting people to move into employment has been a tangible driving force behind the success of the programme to date.
  • The experience and “hands-on reality” the Ambassadors’ input has brought to this project is hugely significant. The Ambassadors have promoted clear career pathways and provided a more positive image of a career in social care from a self referencing perspective.Theirinspiration and encouragement in motivating people attending CASE events to move into working in adult social care, has been the overarching success of the programme. Project targets for supporting 20 Job Seekers to move towards employment or related training, have been achieved with 20 CASE event attendees tracked into employment as a direct result.
  • The impact of the work in this project goes beyond the hard evidence which can be captured and measured relatively simply. Overall awareness and the profile of the sector has been raised significantly across the sub-region. Project partners including Jobcentre Plus, care sector employers and the CASE Care Ambassadors themselves have experienced positive outcomes from their involvement, not least in the close partnership working the project has encouraged.
  • The project has provided a valuable opportunity for the recruited Care Ambassadors to develop personally and/or professionally, through training and the experience gained at each event, talking about what they do, and inspiring others through their commitment and real enthusiasm.
  • CASE events have primarily been publicised through local media, leafleting, posters and via the PIC/Care Ambassador website. Marketing material has been jointly branded and designed with a focus on reaching the key target groups for the programme. This additional publicity has in itself raised awareness of opportunities in the sector and the role of the partner local authorities in the project, supporting the sector, residents and businesses in their areas.
  • Elements of the CASE Care Ambassador training demonstrating the unique relationships between service users and support workers has been documented through film. It is hoped that the success of this project can be further disseminated through the production of a DVD from this film, which can be distributed as a recruitment resource for schools, colleges, Jobcentre Plus and other community groups.
  • What benefits have been achieved? Please comment on and add to the notes below

Value for Money benefits (i.e. on-going year on year savings)

Tracking activity is in place to monitor the progress of staff entering the care sector as a result of the project, in respect of both employers & employees. It is anticipated that at least 12 of those recruited directly as a result of the project will remain in the same post for a 9 month period. The intention is to continue tracking activity where possible beyond the funded lifetime of the project. Currently insufficient time has passed to be in a position to demonstrate this measurable benefit. Demonstrating sustainable employment will evidence on-going recruitment cost savings.

One off financial savings benefits:

Benefit: Decreased recruitment costs for care organisations employing staff

Forecast: £6,000

Comment: At a minimum, the reduction in recruitment costs for those employers recruiting successfully through the C.A.S.E. programme to date could be estimated at £300 per recruit (no advertisements required to be placed and greatly reduced administration costs in recruitment). With 20 individuals tracked into employment as a direct result of attending CASE events this amounts to £6000.

Performance improvement benefits (against National Indicators)

Any other benefits

Benefit: Increased uptake of job vacancies in the care sector

Forecast and Achieved: 20 employees

Comment: Over the lifetime of this project, 20 job seekers have been supported to move into employment or related training as a direct result of attending C.A.S.E. events.

Benefit: Reduced staff turnover in the Care sector

Forecast: 12 employees

Comment: Tracking activity is in place to monitor the progress of staff entering the care sector as a result of the project, in respect of both employers & employees. It is anticipated that at least 12 of those recruited directly as a result of the project will remain in the same post for a 9 month period. The intention is to continue tracking activity where possible beyond the funded lifetime of the project. Currently insufficient time has passed to be in a position to demonstrate this measurable benefit.

Benefit: Enhanced role of local authorities responding to economic challenges

Comment: Holding CASE events in each of the local authority areas and engaging with care sector employers operating in those areas, has highlighted the support and role of the authorities in responding to economic challenges in a timely and effective way. Those businesses who have successfully recruited as a direct result of CASE events,recognise the measurable economic benefits the project has delivered in the current climate of uncertainty and value the opportunity to have taken part in their local area.

Benefit: Value added to Jobcentre Plus services

Forecast: 6 CASE events

Comment: Sector focused events working closely with JCP and businesses in each local authority area hasprovided significant added value for job seekers and prospective employers. Excellent working relationships with area based JCP advisers have been developed and will be maintained into the future.

  • (A number of outcomes and benefits may not be realised until some time after project closure (this is more fully covered in Section 7). However, please state here whether the project is on track to deliver the remaining planned outcomes and benefits If not, why not? What is the impact of this to the RIEP priorities? )
  • Reduced staff turnover and related costs: Tracking activity is in place to monitor the progress of staff entering the care sector as a result of the project, in respect of both employers & employees. It is anticipated that at least 12 of those recruited directly as a result of the project will remain in the same post for a 9 month period. The intention is to continue tracking activity where possible beyond the funded lifetime of the project. Currently insufficient time has passed to be in a position to demonstrate this measurable benefit. Continued evaluation over the next few months will provide additional evidence to demonstrate the overall effectiveness of the project and the value of this unique activity.
  • There is the potential to further disseminate the work of the CASE project, through the development of a unique recruitment tool/resource pack. Elements of the CASE Care Ambassador training, which demonstrates the real-life and exceptional relationships between service users and support workers has been documented through film. It is hoped that a DVD resource pack can be produced from this film, which can be distributed as a learning and recruitment tool for the sector, used with schools, colleges, Jobcentre Plus, pre-employment training and other community groups. Additional funding to support this mainstream dissemination is required.
  • A summary project evaluation report is in the process of being compiled.

5Risk Analysis

Closing Project Risk Register / Handing over open risks

  • Are all the Risks identified on the Risk Register/Log/Template closed (Please see attached PID)? Y

Risk areas to the success of this project were limited and all are closed.

Unemployment falls–Unemployment has risen. The unemployment rate for the three months to March 2010 was 8.0 per cent, up 0.2 per cent on the quarter. The number of unemployed people increased by 53,000 over thequarter to reach 2.51 million, the highest figure since the three months to December 1994.

No employment vacancies exist in the care sector– Vacancy rates remain high in the social care sector locally. Nationally, “The social care sector– with its historically high vacancy rates– has yet to feel the full force of the recession”. [internet]07 May 2010

Employers do not put forward staff as Care Ambassadors – 12 Care Ambassadors were successfully recruited the scheme.