Clean Slate in B

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• Clean Slate in BNES
• Progressing practical responses to worklessness
• Jeff Mitchell

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Progressing Responses

• Set the context for discussion
• Build momentum from October workshop
• Worklessness in the supply chain
• (Re-) Introduce Clean Slates offer
• Set scene for further discussion and planning

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Introducing...

• JM 18 years in social enterprise
• Creating and supporting paid work for people
  facing barriers to employment
• Employment business with regular (Somer, Bath
  Abbey) and ad hoc opportunities
• Walk-in centres offering job preparation
• Supporting employers/ new enterprises, Quids in!
• Event in October to engage RPs

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Welfare Work Event

• Workshop held at Hedley Hall on 4 October, RPs
  and LAs from Bristol/ BNES
• Crisis presented on welfare reform and impact on
  social tenants
• Quids in! reported on financial inclusion
  research among social tenants
• Clean Slate presented practical options
• Reviewed (perceived) barriers and opportunities

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(Perceived) Barriers

• Costs Support, returning to work, housing
• Culture change addressing tenants/ worklessness
• One Size Fits All approach, not long-term
• Fewer jobs and access (geographic/ cultural/
  skills/ confidence/ practical, eg, CRBs)
• Limited info re. opportunities (esp. for
  employers)
• Punitive welfare system Benefits trap

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Welfare Reform (Crisis pres)

• Work Programme on-stream no NFP delivery
• Pushing claimants towards JSA, later
• Universal Credit with taper for returners to
  work
• LHA revised down, Single Room Rate aged lt35
• 500 cap on household claims
• Social rents up to 80 market rate
• Under-occupancy, non-dependents at home

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Financial Exclusion

• Quids in! Money management magazine for people
  on low incomes
• Merlin research (South Glos) now national
• Key findings (see handout)
• 42 working age and able to work 31 are
  unbanked
• Biggest money worry Paying bills (54) Debt
  (24)
• Needed advice on Debt (33) Income Max (25)
• 88 of non-f/t employed worry about benefits

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Further Context

• Social Firms UK facilitated meeting with RSLs and
  construction firms on 2 November
• Supply chain is willing to tackle worklessness
• RSLs have the opportunity to do so directly
• National Housing Fed supports this
• Decision-making Directors require buy-in at
  ops level managers need approval up the chain

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Engaging Workless People

• Job Shops with self-referral, drop-in access
• 350 visitors seeking help with CVs, job search
• Accessible community-based and peer support
• Structured programme to work into the process
• Self-confidence, goal setting, action plans
• Training on IT skills, comms, HS
• Orienting people to the workplace

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Getting On the Job

• Not the Work Programme
• CVs Resumes are not fit for purpose
• Building on skills and qualities, often buried
• IT a pre-requisite practical application
• Role playing expectations
• Setting appropriate, personalised goals
• Bespoke action plans
• Employment seeing skills at work

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Aspiring to More

• Worklessness research
• 60 looking for work
• 8 had no plans for work
• Money the motivation
• Interest in all kinds of work incl. wet trades,
  shop, office, animals and support work

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Somer Pilot

• Somer Housing inspired to engage with combating
  worklessness. Clean Slate entered supply chain
• Packing and delivery
• Supplying Clean Slate workers as temps
• Employability projects engaging workless people
• Handy Help Co (pilot underway)
• Goodwill Good sense Common sense

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Working Together

• Looking for employers with a clear social remit
• 3 managers x 2 Temp Workers x 3.5 hrs pw
• CSTE supports Temp Workers and supervisors with
  job matching, induction work and coaching
• Individuals prove and improve their employability
• Low hassle, low risk, low cost to employers
• Value Flexible, additional capacity
• Structured recruitment of tenants

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Testimonials Employers
Jane Jones Head of HR, Somer Community
Housing It was important that the opportunities
were real work the challenge was to find the
right roles. Some staff wanted to ask Why are
they unemployed?, If theyre ex-offenders, what
did they do? Clearly they couldnt ask and it
wasnt relevant. Queries actually stopped once
the person was in post theyre just a person
like anyone else. Then we only had to focus on
what they could do for us. 2 of the 3
supervisors who took on Clean Slate Temp Workers
were new to management, it was an opportunity for
them to develop. One supervisor is herself much
more upbeat and can see opportunities for other
roles. They feel were able to deliver better
services to tenants and the temps are putting
forward ideas on ways to do things better. The
workers demonstrated new confidence and
self-esteem. One said Im a different person.
Sometimes we need to push people beyond their
comfort zone but the social interaction makes a
big difference. They proved any negative
expectations about unemployed people were
unfounded There have been no incidents of
lateness or inappropriate dress/ attitude for
work. Were now looking at whether other
establishment jobs that become vacant could be
constructed differently can full-time roles
become part-time ones or opportunities for
small-scale, casual staffing? TWs have a
negative perception of regular employment
agencies and describe CSTE as positive and making
them feel like they can do.
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Opportunities/ Next Steps

• Back to Work events, emp support for tenants
• Signposting to existing opportunities
• Shared resources on best practice
• Step Path for people at different places
• Introduce Clean Slate to the supply chain Temp
  Workers, HandyHelp, distribution/ packing
• Identify milestones and celebrate successes

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• Clean Slate in BNES
• Progressing practical responses to worklessness
• Jeff Mitchell