Tuesday 27th May 2014 2-4pm
Bill Buck Room, Crawley Library, Southgate Avenue, Crawley
Present:
Tony Bradford (TB), Sussex Learning Solutions
Jane Chew (JC), Learning Service WSCC
Julian Dixey (JD) Chichester College
Jan English (JE), Horsham District Council Work Experience Co-Ordinator
Elizabeth Flegg (EF), WSCC (Chair)
Richard Lamplough (RL), South East Employment Network
Judith McManus (JM), Aspire Sussex
Mark Benson (Note Taker)
Rachel Smither (RS), WorkAid at Aldingbourne Trust
Paul Stoggles (PS), Independent Member
Chris Tuke (CT), Think Family, WSCC
Paul Niner (PN), Job Centre Plus
Maxine Thomas (MT), Impact WorkAbility
Lise Sorenson (LS), Crawley Borough Council
Sue McLaren (SM), Surrey/ Sussex Probation Service
David Harper (DH) Southdown Housing Association
Scott Bell (SB) Work Aid, Aldingbourne Trust
Apologies:
Debra Balfour (DB), Public Health, WSCC
Clare Ballard (CB), National Careers Service (high levels of staff sickness)
Beverley Foard, Working Links
Kim Pellett, Chichester District Council
Mel Shaw (MS), Adur and Worthing District Council
Ioni Sullivan (IS), Mid Sussex District Council (now on Maternity Leave)
Jane Williams (JW) Rewards Training
Steve Wood (SW), Job Centre Plus
1 / Welcome introductions and ApologiesEF welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made around the table.
2 / Minutes of Meeting on 25th March 2014
EF asked were any amendments needed with the previous minutes.
Matters Arising
EF discussed that at the last meeting Ivan Western spoke about potential scraping of the welfare funding. After 2015 the funding may cease. Louise Goldsmith is involved in lobbying this campaign. Please contact with any comments or to request further information.
Group Update of SEEN Information
RL shared that about 80-90% of SEEN members have sent in updated information about who they are and what they want it to say. RL is still waiting for information from Northbrook College.
Action: RL will email EF about which organisations he is missing information from and liaison will occur from there.
Update on 16-18 Apprenticeships Funding
JC discussed that recently there was an event held at the Y Centre in Horsham on the 1st May 2014. The event proved popular; around 50 young people attended and 15 organisations including 10 training providers. The feedback was good but some comments that more employers should attend. However, most apprentices are recruited through training providers who carry out the pre-selection on their behalf. Some of the young people were not ready for work but some successfully gained voluntary work or work experience. JE added that she knew of 2 young people who managed to get apprenticeships.
JC commented that there was an assembly at Regis School in Bognor Regis led by apprentices. The feedback from the school was very good – students appreciated hearing about apprenticeships from young people of a similar age.
16-18 apprenticeships starts are low in the South East Region and in this part of region it’s even lower. JE added that there is nowhere to do traineeships in Horsham. JC gave an example of traineeships in Bognor Regis with Butlins and a hospitality company.
JC stated that she recently had an article in the School Connections Magazine about Traineeships.
The next apprenticeship event will be held in Worthing on July 2nd.
DBS Checks for Work Placements
JE had written a letter Ron Crank from Coast to Capital about the issue of funding DBS checks for those doing 2-8 weeks placement in the care sector. JE had been told by care providers that they would not be willing to spend the £64 for a DBS check. This is due to the providers believing it not to be financially viable for them to do so on the basis of not knowing how long the volunteer would remain working for them. Ron Crank forwarded JE’s letter to Francis Maude MP, who in turn forwarded the letter to Home Secretary Theresa May. Theresa May wrote back to JE discussing the DBS protocol. JE did not find the letter appropriate to the concerns raised. JE continued that a JSA claimant on £50 odd a week will not be able to leisurely pay for the check. JE added that it can take up to 4-5 weeks to get the check done and by this time the placement could have ended. There are definite flaws in the process. PN stated that some districts fund DBS checks themselves – this is however not done in the local districts here. JE sees that DBS checks are needed as employers cannot supervise their staff at all times.
Flexible Innovation Fund: Update on ESA Claimants
PN introduced that was the Employment and Support Allowance and this was the focus for new funding bids: those hardest to help. ESA is aimed at those who are ill or disabled: helping with financial support if you are unable to work. ESA is personalised to enable those who are able to work to do so. PN continued that the process to claim ESA has changed. There is still funding but it is harder to access. Information on the ESA is on the DWP website.
RL questioned that those on ESA are some way away from being in a position to hold down a job. PN agreed that people on ESA include among ex-offenders and the homeless. EF suggested the funding might suit a programme for care leavers which PN agreed there would be mutual interest with.
Action: Paul to send a link/ further information on the funding for inclusion with the minutes (see the attachment)
3 / Job Club Map Demonstration
EF gave a demonstration of the ‘Job Club Map’ in its latest format. Access will be available via WSCC website – (there is a domain but it is not live yet). EF believes the revised map is much easier to use and is a lot quicker to load. The Libraries and the YP Info Shopes are currently on the map and colour coded - Find Out Shops in red and libraries in green. It was planned that in January Job Centre Plus offices would be added to the drop down box but their information source has changed so this is being investigated. The next step will be Horsham District Council to pilot an area.
On the map there is a box to add a postcode and it then allows you to choose your address. It then zooms in and tells you your address which you then confirm. You then click on what you want to find and it will show you the street view. If you zoom out you will see blue dots and if you click on the one you require they will give you more information such as: address, phone number and opening times.
TB asked if there could be directory of all libraries and their addresses which could be hyperlinked to a webpage. This information is held on the WSCC website in the search a library format rather than a whole list.
MT asked how someone independent to WSCC would be able to find this page. The information would have to be mediated to them independently. JE advised the map was designed for those living in a rural area without broadband to see where local services were. EF added the aim is for information to be automatically updated every 3 months. EF continued the map for front line service workers to use for their customers. EF added that there are service gaps in the south Horsham and North Chichester Districts.
4 / Update from Job Centre Plus
PN circulated the latest figures and was very happy with the recent statistics from JCP. Those claiming JSA has fallen by 30% in Mid Sussex and by 34% in the coastal areas. For 18-24 year olds turnover from claiming JSA to getting work is very fast. In Haywards Heath specifically a 18-24 year olds get a job within 3 months. Nationally the South East Region recovers from a recession much quicker.
RL asked if JCP take into account peoples qualifications in statistics. PN said that he does not have that information to distribute.
PN advised there are other schemes for finding young people jobs outside of the JCP. There are numerous NEET schemes going in West Sussex. Also in more prosperous areas of West Sussex NEETS aren’t signing on but have savings or are getting money from their parents.
PN added that roughly 90% of JSA claimants make their claim online.
JE asked PN about the existing work programmes. PN stated that these programmes are for around 30 hours per week. If you are between the ages of 16-24 you are mandated to work for 9 months and if you are 25+ years old you are mandated to work for 12 months.
5 / Feedback from LEP Skills Strategy Workshop
EF went to LEP skills strategy workshop in association with Coast to Capital. The workshop was aimed at how ESIF (European Structural and Investment Funds) funding will be allocated in the Coast to Capital LEP. Elizabeth was representing West Sussex. There are numerous priority areas which have been identified. Each area has its own allocated funding attached to it, some of which is estimates.
EF spoke about these priority areas:
Priory Area 5 – Interventions for pre-work
Priority Area 6 – Assisting in self-employment and social enterprise
Priority Area 7 – Multi-agency work, working with debt and alcohol dependency
Priority Area 8 – Increase in social inclusion, community leadership and capacity.
Priority Area 9 – Develop skills in all areas; work with education and virtual learning.
Priority Area 10 – Develop intermediate and technical skills
EF stated recent WSCC research the WSx area needs middle level skilled workers and jobs to develop the economy. Many employers need to learn to better workforce plan to think about where their future skills and workforce will come from. She sees this as a key priority.
EF added that the full Coast to Capital plan was now out consisting of 130 pages.
Action: EF will request for an executive summary and arrange a speaker to the next meeting
6 / Round Robin Updates
WSCC (EF): Devised a response to the Government’s lastest consultation on apprenticeships funding reform and thanked all who participated. Her role is being considered where it is best placed to deliver on Economic priorities and potentially could move to the Economic Development team.
Independent Member (PS): News surrounding the new housing and business park/space between Horsham and Crawley. In need of middle skilled workers to employ there.
Impact WorkAbility (MT): There is a vacancy going in the Crawley area. This is a 9 month maternity cover role – it may roll over longer. Impact Workability have exceeded all targets this year and have a 75% sustained employment rate.
Southdown Housing Association (DH): Funding has been extended for another 2 years. The association is also advertising a vacancy.
Sussex Learning Solutions (TB): has a new hub now named the IT Junction in Worthing. Other hubs will soon be opening.
South East Employment Network (RL): Running numerous mailing lists. Involved with helping 14 college students with autism. Only one individual is claiming JSA – there needs to be a decision before September 2014 about what they are all doing. The mainstream recruitment agencies have been very helpful in trying to find work for these 14 individuals.
Think Family (CT): At the moment commissioning works with a lot of families in debt. There are problems with them sustaining work because of the debt. Think family is looking to tackle debt management more directly in the most cost-effective way. Think Family are looking to commission areas including financial inclusion and financial education as well.
Aspire Sussex (JM): Enrolment for the new academic year starts on the 23rd June 2014. Aspire have recently taken on 6 new employees on a temporary basis.
Crawley Borough Council (LS): Crawley is collaborating with Horsham over a employability programme, the Horsham called ‘The Portal’ whilst Crawley’s will be called ‘Take Off’. There is a Crawley Stemfest which is promoting stem programmes around Crawley. Crawley Borough Council is now a living wage employer. Crawley Town is now classified as a dementia friendly town.
Work Aid (SB): We have another Employment Consultant, Anthony Hughes, covering the North of the county.
Surrey/ Sussex Probation Service (SM): There is currently a reorganisation of the probation service. The probation service is going to be run by the public sector, whilst the rehabilitation service is going to be run by the private sector.
Learning Service WSCC (JC): there is going to be a new form for 0-25 year olds with a SEN&D. The form is called an Education, Health & Care Plan. This new system is going to replace a Statement of special needs from the 1st September 2014.
Horsham District Council (JE): HDC have placed funding for a REDDO officer. The REDDO’s role is to go into the rural areas and encourage employers and small businesses to take on more young people. The whole team is expanding and will be moving to CHN eventually.
8 / AOB
The veteran’s charity was Remploy. The representative did not attend the meeting on the basis that the charity has merged with another charity.
9 / Date of Next meeting: Tuesday 22nd July 2014, 2.00-4.00 pm at Northbrook College, Broadwater Campus