Briefing Session on The Fourth Batch of Intensive Employment Assistance Projects The District Employ

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The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
Briefing Session on The Fourth Batch of
Intensive Employment Assistance
Projects (IEAPs)(???????????) 27 June 2006
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Overall Situation of Total CSSA and CSSA
Unemployment Cases
The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
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CSSA caseload by nature (as at April 2006)
Total 296 974 cases
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CSSA expenditure compared to total government
recurrent expenditure(1996-97 to 2006-07)
CSSA Expenditure as a percentage of total
government recurrent expenditure
CSSA Expenditure
Notes CSSA expenditure is non-cash limited.
_at_ The figures refer to the Revised
Estimates. The figures refer to
the Draft Estimates.
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Profile of unemployed CSSA recipients(as at
April 2006)
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The Support for Self-reliance Scheme
The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
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Intensified Support for Self-reliance Measures
since 2003
The Fourth Batch of IEAPs

• SWD has implemented various support for
  self-reliance measures to assist unemployed CSSA
  recipients to achieve self-sufficiency since
  1999.
• Intensified SFS measures in 2003
• Enhanced Active Employment Assistance (AEA)
  Programme
• strengthened individualized employment assistance
  service, such as post-placement support
• launched district-based job network
• Enhanced Community Work (CW) Programme
• arranged AEA participants to perform CW up to a
  maximum of 3 days or 24 hours a week
• Raised the maximum level of disregarded earnings
  up to 2,500

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CSSA unemployment cases after the implementation
of intensified SFS measures
Commencement of Intensified SFS Measures in June
2003
Decrease in the unemployment caseload emerged in
Oct 2003
Cumulative decrease of 10 815 cases since Oct
2003
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The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
Effects on the implementation of intensified SFS
measures
Intensified SFS measures commenced in 6/03
Note Job securing rate the ratio of No. of
participants found paid job (off CSSA or change
to Low Earnings category ) during past 12
months and No. of participants enrolled/re-enrolle
d during the same period
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Unemployment rate in Hong Kong and CSSA
unemployment cases before and after the
implementation of SFS and intensified SFS measures
Number of CSSA unemployment cases
Commencement of the Intensified SFS Measures in
June 2003
Unemployment rate
Commencement of the SFS Scheme in June 1999
Apr 06
40 256
Number of CSSA unemployment cases
3.7 (10/199512/1995)
4.9 (3/20065/2006)
Unemployment rate in Hong Kong
8 816
Month/Year
Notes CSSA unemployment cases refer to the
number as at the end of the given month. The
unemployment rate pertaining to the given month
is the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for
the 3-month period ending in that month.
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Intensive Employment Assistance Projects (IEAPs)
The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
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IEAPs - Objective

• 200 million secured to launch 105 IEAPs from
  October 2003 to September 2007 for employable
  CSSA recipients and other near-CSSA unemployed.
• The Objective is to provide tailor-made
  employment assistance services to participants to
  help them secure gainful employment as early as
  possible so that they can move towards
  self-reliance.

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The duration of the first three batches of IEAPs
105 Projects
September 2006
September 2007
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IEAP attainments of 70 projects in the first two
implementation years(October 2003 to September
2005)
Attainment against pre-set performance standards
()
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Achievement (October 2003 to September 2005)
at least 2/3 (i.e. 14) but lt 21 CSSA
participants to sustain full-time employment 3 or
more months

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Evaluation Study on IEAPs

• To evaluate the effectiveness of IEAPs and
  recommend measures for improving IEAPs, SWD had
  commissioned a research team from the CUHK to
  conduct an evaluation study of IEAPs.
• The findings of the Study found that IEAP
  participants and ex-IEAP participants were
  generally higher in self-reliance and more
  motivated in job seeking activities.
• The extension of IEAPs could continue to assist
  more needy participants to rejoin the workforce
  and achieve self-sufficiency.

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The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
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The Fourth Batch of IEAPs

• The Financial Secretary announced in his Budget
  Speech 2006/07 that the Government will allocate
  60 million to continue the operation of IEAPs
  for two years from October 2006 to September
  2008.
• Mode of operation will be similar to the third
  batch of IEAPs.

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Target Participants

• CSSA able-bodied unemployed recipients and
  near-CSSA unemployed aged 15 to 59 including

Single parents
Drug abusers
Ex-offenders
Marginal youths
Street sleepers
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Provision of Services
Temporary Financial Aid (TFA) to meet employment
related expenses and short-term financial
hardship for needy participants
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Performance Measurement

• IEAPs are outcome-based to encourage NGOs give
  their best to assist the needy participants to
  rejoin the workforce.

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Performance Measurement
Throughout the 2-year implementation period, each
project should
assist at least 180 participants (including 126
CSSA recipients) to complete the whole range of
activities
provide services to no less than 200
participants (including at least 140 CSSA
recipients)
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Performance Measurement
Each project should in the 2-year implementation
period
assist at least 80 participants (including no
less than 56 CSSA participants) to take up
full-time gainful employment
assist at least 42 CSSA participants sustain
full-time gainful employment for at least 3 months
Full-time gainful employment is defined as
Employment entailing no less than 120 working
hours and earnings no less than 1,435 per month
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Performance Measurement

• Some groups of participants may need NGOs to
  provide more intensive assistance to help them
  rejoin the workforce. They are
• older in age (i.e. aged 50 or over) or
• having been in the AEA Programme for 12 months or
  more as at the date of being referred to join
  IEAPs
• NGOs successfully assist participants from these
  groups to find a job, the successful job
  placement will be double-counted.

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Distribution of Projects

• District-based
• A total of 40 projects will be distributed to 12
  SWD districts.
• To ensure effective service delivery,
  territory-wide projects will NOT be selected.
• The number of projects in each SWD district will
  be proportional to the number of AEA participants
  in individual districts.

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Distribution of Projects -Hong Kong Islands
Total no. of projects 4
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Distribution of Projects -Kowloon
Total no. of projects 16
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Distribution of Projects -The New Territories
Total no. of projects 20
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Payment Arrangement
Administration Fee for each project (on a cost
recovery basis)
80 (i.e. 800,000) to be paid by 8 equal
instalments of 100,000 each on a quarterly basis
20 (i.e. 200,000) will be held back and only be
paid if the pre-set performance standards can be
achieved
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Conditions for releasing the withheld
Administration Fee At the end of the first
implementation year, i.e. 30.9.07
Note The attainments achieved and the amount of
administration fee received under this condition
will be taken into account for the assessment of
the performance attainments made at the end of
the entire two-year implementation period.
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Conditions for releasing the withheld
Administration Fee Upon completion of the
two-year implementation period, i.e. 30.9.08
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Conditions for releasing the withheld
Administration Fee

• The pledged additional output standards and the
  level of attainment as indicated in the proposal
  will form an integral part of the Service
  Agreement.

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Payment Arrangement
Temporary Financial Aid (TFA) for each project
TFA 8 equal instalments, 30,000 each on a
quarterly basis
240,000
No supplementary provision will be considered in
addition to the funds approved
Virement between Administration Fee and TFA is
NOT allowed
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TFA - Objective

• To provide needy participants with timely
  financial aid to meet their employment-related
  expenses when seeking or securing a job
• For near-CSSA unemployed, NGOs may assist them
  with TFA to solve temporary financial hardship
  and meet short-term basic needs, in addition to
  assisting them to find employment
• (NGOs are also encouraged to provide assistance
  in kind or explore other sources of assistance)

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TFA
NGOs should assess applicants financial
conditions and needs NGOs should make reference
to asset limits under the CSSA Scheme in
assessing applicants eligibility for TFA
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Submission of Proposals
Who are eligible to apply for funding support to
run IEAPs?
Interested NGOs who are bona fide non-profit
making NGOs as approved charitable institution
and trust of a public character under s. 88 of
the Inland Revenue Ordinance.
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Submission of Proposals
How many proposals can an NGO submit?

• no more than FOUR proposals using the standard
  Application Form obtainable through internet

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Submission of Proposals

• The proposal should be
• no more than 40 A4 pages (at font size 13)
  including the standard Application Form,
  appendices and supplementary information (if
  applicable)
• in 6 hard copies and 1 soft copy (MS Word 6.0 or
  above version)

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Brain food for drawing up a proposal
The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
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Brain food for drawing up a proposal
agree to SWDs policy of enforcing a self-reliant
philosophy and assisting CSSA recipients move
from welfare to work
Applicant NGOs should consider Whether they
are determined to achieve the Objectives of IEAPs
and meet the pledged outcome-based performance
standards
are prepared to commence the project in October
2006, e.g. staff in post
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Brain food for drawing up a proposal
Applicant NGOs should consider whether their
STAFF
understand adequately characteristics of
unemployed customers have abilities to assist
participants to find paid employment have
practical service strategies to move participants
into the job market are capable of mustering
sufficient number of suitable job vacancies for
participants
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Brain food for drawing up a proposal
Applicant NGOs should consider whether their
STAFF
are able to meet SWDs requirements e.g.
submitting monthly statistical reports / annual
audited income and expenditure statement of the
project on time render the package of services
to meet participants needs are able to
collaborate with staff of SWD
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Brain food for drawing up a proposal
Which district and why?
Applicant NGOs should consider where to provide
services?
Is the venue easily accessible by potential
participants?
Is there a suitable venue available for providing
services in the district?
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Brain food for drawing up a proposal
Applicant NGOs should consider the BUSINESS PLAN
Are implementation strategies practicable?
Is the TFA operation mode effectively designed?
Is the estimated expenditure reasonable?
Are there value-added services provided to
participants?
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Brain food for drawing up a proposal

• Projects will NOT be supported

one-off activities such as large scale
exhibition, mass briefing session

• the provision of services is not adequate
  (e.g. less than services provided by Employment
  Assistance Teams/SWD)

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Brain food for drawing up a proposal

• Some good strategies

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Brain food for drawing up a proposal

• Some good strategies

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Brain food for drawing up a proposal

• Some good strategies

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Features of unsuccessful applications previous
IEAPs

• Programme Design
• Unrealistic strategic plan / strategies to assist
  participants to achieve self-sufficiency
• Participants confined to specific groups

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Features of unsuccessful applications in previous
IEAPs

• Budgeting
• Unclear budgeting such as doubtful administrative
  cost / staff cost
• No detailed budget
• Project Feasibility
• Proposals unlikely to achieve the objective of
  IEAP
• Strategies for running cooperative business seem
  NOT practical

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Features of unsuccessful applications in previous
IEAPs

• Cost-effectiveness
• Not able to demonstrate the understanding of
  district needs thoroughly, e.g. proposing to
  serve a limited clientele within a particular
  district
• Expenditure NOT balanced, e.g. focused on
  renovation costs

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Features of unsuccessful applications in previous
IEAPs

• Employment network
• Unable to demonstrate having a solid plan to
  provide participants with opportunities for
  future employment
• Weak/outdated employer network within the
  district
• Others
• Failed to meet mandatory features
• Failed to provide essential information in the
  IEAP Application Form

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Submission of Proposals

• The proposal should be submitted by hand on or
  before 24 July 2006, 530pm to
• The Support for Self-reliance Section
• Social Security Branch /
• Social Welfare Department
• Room 213, 2/F., 333 Java Road
• North Point Government Offices
• North Point, Hong Kong
• Late applications will NOT be accepted

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Project Vetting Committee

• A Project Vetting Committee will be set up to
  assess the proposals from applicant organisations

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The Fourth Batch of IEAPs
Reminder
Plan before you write
No late application is accepted
Use the standard form to prepare the proposal
The proposal be no more than 40 A4 paper
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Timetable for the Application of the Fourth
Batch of IEAPs
24 July 2006
September 2006
1 October 2006
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Relevant information can be found at SWDs
homepagehttp//www.swd.gov.hkEnquiries be
directed to the SFS Section2231 5872 (Miss Rita
Lau)2231 5866 (Mrs Louie Seu-ngan)