Agenda item

This report provides an update on progress made to reshape the local offer.  Highlighting improved areas developed across the council in Children’s Services, Economy and Adult Social Care, the report sets out some of the detail of improved services that aim to support young people in overcoming obstacles to employment and further education opportunities.

5.1     This report provided an update on progress made to reshape the local offer which has been completely transformed post Covid-19 highlighting improved areas developed across Social Care, Children’s Services and The Economy council departments.  The improved local offer was intended to support young people and help them to overcome obstacles to employment and educational opportunities.  The committee had previously considered this on 10 September 2020 and Councillor Richardson welcomed Mary Lamont, Mandy Lawson, Jo Baty, Helen Green, and new starters Yvonne Okiyo and Oliur Rahman. 

5.2    Jo Baty introduced the update which set out the collective, corporate work undertaken on inclusive employment.  

5.3    Helen Green outlined the approach of Children’s Services which considered a person-centred employment pathway and a “stepping-stone” approach. A young people’s cross departmental inclusive employment operational group had been established bringing together the council and voluntary sector partners.  This collective approach allowed the voice of young people to inform and to contribute to the development of pathways. There were 27 supported internship programmes across North West London, including one at the council. Young people had presented at a senior manager forum informing them about their needs and aspirations and other events to consider employment opportunities which had received positive feedback.  

5.4    Oliur Rahman continued with an outline on where the council was on the labour market and unemployment rates which although high following a sharp increase following Covid-19, remained steady. At the end scheme in September 2021, 5200 residents were on furlough when the scheme ended. It would take some time to evaluate the economic and social impact of this. Building on a broad West London study commissioned by the West London Alliance (WLA). Recovery to pre-pandemic levels could be expected across the area by 2023.  The council had supported the creation of 134 vacancies through the Kickstart programme working with partners across the council and externally, which compared favourably with, for example, Camden, with 100 vacancies.  The council worked closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help deliver partnership work with funding to target and support residents that had been most affected by the impact of the pandemic, in addition to matching local need and aligning this work with the council Industrial Strategy.  Statutory programmes such as Work and Health and Jets targeted the long term unemployed to address health barriers to employment. 

5.5    An integrated approach was also being taken in terms of work with schools and students, aiming to raise aspirations and awareness, and a youth hub was planned on the Barons Court campus, West London College (WLC).  The council had been working to add social value by ensuring that all contracts exceeding £100k in value were able to deliver additional value for residents.  The results of these were beginning to emerge and this would be key to generating work experience as well as improved job outcomes. 

5.6    Mary Lamont emphasised the collaborative work taking place across key departments and the development of a 12-month list of priorities and work plan to deliver this.  A new diversity and inclusion lead, Yvonne Okiyo had been appointed and a manager’s initiative had pledged to provide support with for example, interview techniques, sharing best practice and guidance. The apprenticeship programme currently had 83 apprentices across the council and a new quarterly young people’s network would commence in October 2021, open to anyone working at the council under the age of 30.  All of these initiatives combined to ensure that the council learned, developed, and continued to improve practices and behaviours, embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion across the council. Key to this was the collation and use of robust data.

5.7    Jo Baty described the work collaborative work undertaken between Social Care and West London College to modernise day services with a specific focus on pathways to employment.  The department was also working with Certitude (previously known as Yarrow) using a “market shaper” role, the aim was to promote pathways to employment, signposting across the borough to allow people to access different services supporting them into work. Jo Baty also referenced mental health working through the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) supporting residents with mental health issues into employment. A new Independent Living Delivery Group had been established in Social Care to focus the energies of the Service on how best the Council can give residents choice and control, including co-produced pathways to employment.

5.8     Lucia Boddington asked about employment pathways from the perspective of an autistic young person.  Working collaboratively for someone who was autistic was difficult and she asked if this could be addressed through training or perhaps included in an animated graphic.  Jo Baty reported that she had met earlier with Queens Mill Academy to discuss training for providers in social care for day services and short breaks on autism.  With its new autism strategy informed by the views of parent carers and families, there was a recognition that it was essential to embed an understanding of autism across the base and that training be rolled out to local employers.  A suggestion about the visual impact of using creative, animated graphics to promote employment to young people with learning disabilities or autism was welcomed.

5.9    Roy Margolis welcomed the presentation and commended the excellent work being progressed.  He asked about school careers provision for students with special educational needs, what resources were used, and how school leaders and students were targeted so that they were aware of opportunities. Helen Green explained that Matthew Coulbeck, Schools Advisor, Children’s Services supported an inclusive careers leader’s network, through the Careers Enterprise Network and this included the participation of some of the borough’s special schools.

5.10 Jim Grealy welcomed the presentation and details that focused on targeting of work opportunities. He asked about the high percentage of pupils whose families were on Universal Credit, and the connection between health inequalities and the ability to work, and, whether in monitoring the connection to being on benefits was an impediment to work for some people.  Councillor Lloyd-Harris asked about vibrant places, and what the council was doing in relation to bring culture into the community.  Oliur Rahman explained that upstream work with partners already focused on working with organisations like Hammersmith Society, and the Mayor to support local activities.  Work had also been undertaken on understanding the statistical link between being on benefits and the potential obstacles this presented to advancement through access to employment opportunities.  A working group had been established to explore the data that might support this perception, that would feed into a review action plan.

ACTION: Oliur Rahman to share key highlights set out in a briefing note on the impact of Universal Credit cuts on residents.

5.11 Councillor Jonathan Caleb-Landy enquired what measures could be used to identify what progress was made, particularly as the local economy recovered from Covid-19.  Data on groups with neurotypical disabilities would help to identify the whether the right interventions were being applied.  Understanding how these could be used to measure progress would help improve outcomes. Gathering robust data across different departments which use varying criteria could skew the data and officers had discussed the feasibility of developing an in-house database that can draw data at a local level and reported on a regular basis. 

5.12 Councillor Richardson thanked Councillor Caleb-Landy for an insightful question and comment.  It would also be helpful to have details about the 16 of the 300 people on supported internships, whether they were in full time employment, their destinations, if they were placed within the borough, and to also celebrate those businesses that are employing them.  Councillor Richardson felt that it was important to focus on outcomes for young people who might not achieve English and maths at GCSE level, which would mean that they would find it extremely difficult to access post 16+ educational and employment opportunities.  On behalf of herself and h&f colleagues Jo Baty extended thanks to Councillor Richardson who had provided encouragement and support to officers and contributed significantly to the ongoing development and shaping of the h&f offer. 

ACTION: Jo Baty and colleagues to provide further update on progress, particularly in developing the use of data and dashboard, to include a range of information, as highlighted in the discussion.

RESOLVED

That the committee noted the report and actions as set out.