Here Lisa Stephenson, Human Resources Director, answers our questions about Brighter Futures' customer employment programme:
Tell me about the background to employing customers at Brighter Futures?
The decline in the traditional manufacturing pits, pots and steel, presents a picture more familiar in the heavy industrialised north than the Midlands. The effect of this change on the local economy has been profound and one from which the area has not recovered. Whilst the consequences in Newcastle and Staffordshire Moorlands are less acute, they are affected by the under-performance of the City. The deprivation, poverty and consequential health inequalities and low skills give rise to many of the problems we face including homelessness, substance misuse, worklessness and poor mental health.
One of the most powerful ways to influence others is for us to make that commitment to local regeneration and promote this amongst our partners. We will make sure our purchasing, recruitment and training policies add value to the local economy.
Whilst we are limited in the number of people we can employ, we recognise that the local community needs volunteering and training opportunities. We are well placed to provide this to people who need more support and help to re-engage with work. This means keeping the focus on those who may have never worked or been long term unemployed.
What proportion of staff at Brighter Futures have experience of homelessness/service use?
Currently 10% of our paid staff have experienced homelessness or used our services. We also have 67 customers volunteering for Brighter Futures.
How do you make sure customers are aware of vacancies and your encouragement to apply?
All our vacancies are advertised internally. We email to managers and ensure paper copies are also circulated. Key workers are aware that the positions exist and will identify any potential candidates.
We work closely with the City Council JET scheme to provide short term (16 week) work experience placements. Our customers are encouraged to apply and in some cases will be employed by us as transitional employment placements.
What roles do you employ customers in?
We employ customers in roles that include:
Tell me about your application process.
Brighter Futures employs people who show potential, commitment and a willingness to learn. We have a very basic application form that asks whether the applicant has undertaken any recent training, what their aspirations are and if they are bringing any specific skills to the job.
We shortlist based on whether applicants live in Stoke on Trent, the form is legible, the form is signed, if required can the person drive and whether two referees are provided. The short-listing process involves 2 people, the human resources assistant who does the initial screening and where applications are discounted a second opinion will be sought either from the human resources manager or the manager of the vacant post.
The next stage in the process is holding group interviews where applicant’s behaviours are assessed based on Brighter Futures’ competences: communication, teamwork, customer focus, the job, and continuous improvement. We generally have two group sessions, the first being more of an ice breaker and the second more role specific. Applicants are shortlisted from this process and go on to panel interviews. We have recently trained some customers to become interviewers and they are part of our interview panel.
Why and how did you develop traineeships and what will these look like?
We truly believe that in order to assist someone with their recovery they need to have active use of their time. We offer work experience, which includes job shadowing, and emotional and developmental support. We identify where there is a possible opportunity for a customer to come and gain some work experience and contact the managers of the schemes to see if they have anyone they think would be appropriate. The candidates are interviewed and offered the opportunity to shadow, no pressure is put on them to accept and if they feel that it is not for them after they have done some shadowing then their keyworker will support them to find something else.
Do you have any restrictions on how long someone should be away from the project or if they can work in the project they live in/receive services in? How has this worked and why?
Generally we don’t have many restrictions; it would depend on individual circumstances. We identify if there are any risks and put appropriate measures in place.
It works because people are treated as equals. If a (ex) customer discloses that they used to use the service that is their choice.
How has this worked?
The majority of the people that we employed or are on volunteering opportunities are still with us. Some have left to go on to other organisations or to further education.
How are the traineeships funded?
At present we have Future Jobs Fund monies and Working Neighbourhoods funding via the City Council JET scheme. But we do have customers that are not on either of these schemes and use our own resources to develop and support them.
What accreditation/training do you offer?
We are a National Open College Network accredited training provider and are running bespoke training courses at level 2 certificate standard. We also run our own training as part of induction and all members of staff do this training whilst on their probationary period.
Other training includes: first aid and conflict resolution.
What benefits have you seen for the organisation?
In May 2010 we won the North Staffs Regeneration Partnership’s Employer of the Year Award for demonstrating commitment to learning through up-skilling staff. It was an honour to receive a nomination let alone win the award. We were really pleased that we took three of our customers to the event to help us celebrate and pick up the award.
In our last QAF assessment we achieved a B in fair access and inclusion, and an A in client involvement and empowerment.
Can you tell me something of the experience of one of your customers in the scheme?
Kelly is 30 and lives in Burslem. She left school at thirteen and spent the next fifteen years in and out of hospital with serious depression. She held down a job in her late teens in a care home, but the depression was so severe and the stays in hospital so frequent that she never believed she had anything to offer employees.
Last year she came out of hospital and has turned her life around. Her support worker in our Partnership Accommodation scheme found her accommodation and urged her to take up voluntary work at our American Clubhouse in Burslem. From there she was encouraged to apply to be a volunteer at our Head Office and she’s never looked back.
She was employed as a voluntary administration assistant with duties including reception cover and general office work. We were so impressed with the standard of her work and her manner that we agreed to fund her training on an NVQ level 2 in Administration course which she passed with flying colours. She is now in paid full time employment in one of our schemes.
What do you see as your next steps or development ideas?
We have employed a volunteer/placement manager whose main role is to identify volunteering placements for customers either within Brighter Futures or externally. She will support them in their placements.
Managers and staff continue to support customers to identify when they are ready to take on either a paid or volunteering role.
