Progress2work and LinkUP

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Progress2work and LinkUP

• The Merseyside Model

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Aim

• To raise awareness of how a more cohesive
  approach to social inclusion has led to better
  prospects and outcomes, for socially excluded and
  disadvantaged groups.

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progress2work

• People disadvantaged by drug use
• Stable but not always drug free
• Unemployed
• Want to work but need extra support
• Link into and support through training as
  required to become job ready.
• Support continues until completed 13 weeks in
  work

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p2w-LinkUP

• People in the Criminal Justice System in previous
  12 months OR that their past history of offending
  is the main cause of their unemployment.
• Alcohol dependency
• Homelessness
• These issues should be a substantial cause of
  their unemployment

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My Role

• Social inclusion manager
• Drugs, Alcohol, Homelessness, Criminal Justice,
  BRM groups, Asylum seekers and refugees
• Team of 7 prison advisers
• 2 more staff/ 1 secondee, 1 benefit adviser
• Strategic input and partnership agenda
• Effect change

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Merseyside Model
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Principles

• Strategic overview and input.
• One point of contact
• Cover Merseyside
• Different issues, priorities,outlook
• Facilitate, instigate change, bring people
  together
• Share Good Practice
• Can do mentality

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Performance 2007-08

• 1428 starts
• 719 jobs - 50.35
• 395 still in work after 13 weeks 55
• 782 training / Further education outcomes
• Referrals from treatment providers, shared care,
  hostels, Prisons, prolific offender programmes,
  jobcentre, probation and self referrals. Also
  New Deal and Employment Zone providers

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Community Justice Centre

• Community penalty review court (Section 178 of
  the criminal Justice Act)
• p2w employment adviser attends court
• On the spot referrals.
• Work closely with other partners
• Report back to court
• 12 job outcomes last year

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Routes Out Project

• Targets street sex workers
• JCP PA was on secondment leading team of 3, now
  led by her deputy.
• Harm reduction focus initially, then motivation
  and confidence building.
• 0ver 106 women engaged, 75 level 1 qual.
• 22 stopped working and 6 in other work.

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Other initiatives

• Move-on project - Sefton
• Family Intervention projects Wirral and
  Liverpool
• Service User groups in - ST Helens
• Goals, train the trainer project Wirral
• Together Women project - Liverpool

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Prison Adviser Team

• 3 Prisons in Liverpool,
• 7 Members of staff
• Induction and Pre-release
• Case-loading approach
• Linked into p2w and Job-developer
• One stop shop approach
• Part of the reducing re-offending agenda.

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Common Issues

• Self belief / self esteem
• Long term unemployment
• Accommodation
• Family/friends-social structures
• Lack of skills/ perceptions of workplace
• Disclosure of criminal records
• Lack of training provision
• Ability to change

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Casestudy

• Jim aged 42
• 18 years heroin user, several criminal
  convictions
• Street homeless, begging, good education
• Referred to p2w by prison adviser.
• Picked up by outreach adviser on release from
  prison
• Linked into DIP
• Linked into homeless agency / floating support
• Now works for advocacy service supporting others

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John

• 34, previously had own business in London
• Family tragedy, offered Crack Cocaine.
• Within 3 years had lost everything, using heroin
  /crack, living in squat, 4 prison sentences
• Referred to p2w from prison team, who helped with
  accommodation.
• P2w adviser referred him to relapse prevention
  and drug awareness to help him manage his
  triggers and worked with him to help him find
  work
• Been in work for several months, drug free, new
  partner, new life.

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Dan

• 27, over 20 convictions, prolific offender,
  100,000 p.a. cost to taxpayer
• Last offence 2 year custodial, continued using
  drugs in prison, no intention of changing.
  Referred to p2w from prison.
• Main barriers to employment, no work history,
  criminal record, still using drugs, had FLT
  training in prison.
• Referred to drug agency for substitute
  prescribing.
• Worked in tandem with PPO team to motivate and
  keep on track until finally was accepted for min
  wage job.
• After 18 months, promoted and travelling
  nationally for large supermarket chain as a
  process improvement auditor helping other sites
  improve their performance

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Mary

• 42, Drug user over 20 years, Heroin and Crack
  and anything else she could get.
• Several prison sentences. Homeless
• Street sex worker for 20 years, never worked
  legitimately
• No confidence, self worth, belief in herself
• Engaged with Routes Out Project, through them
  started drug treatment, was placed in hostel, and
  was scripted.
• Has now stopped sex working, has achieved 3
  qualifications and is looking to move into stable
  accommodation and then look at starting voluntary
  work initially with a view to moving into paid
  employment.

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Conclusions

• New 10 year drug strategy
• Progress2work contracted till September 09
• What comes next?

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• Any Questions?
• Mhairi Doyle
• 01704 306247 / 07966 566 551
• Mhairi.doyle_at_dwp.gsi.gov.uk