Personal Advice and Outreach

Programme Activity:

Increase the number of residents accessing services, supporting those hardest to reach
Improve right first time referrals
Reduce drop outs

Each West London Local Authority delivered a project to meet the Outreach and Personal Advice Objectives for their borough.

energiZe aimed to address worklessness by encouraging greater partnership working between South Kilburn Partnership (formerly South Kilburn New Deal for Communities) funded projects as well as other agencies locally and the voluntary sector.
The project funded a Partnership Networking Manager within the South Kilburn Partnership to encourage collaborative working between the projects, to build their capacity and identify and refer workless project beneficiaries to the lcoal Brentin2Work employment provision through agreed referral protocols.
energiZe facilitated a series of networking and training events for projects in order to deliver key messages around partnership working and the benefits of establishing effective referral routes to impact workless beneficiaries.
Contact: Michael Pavey, Partnership Networking Manager, m.pavey@skndc.net, 020 7604 5585
For further information on the South Kilburn Partnership click here and for Brent In 2 Work click here
energiZe Case Studies

Local Solutions tested the effectiveness of a partnership approach to reducing worklessness amongst social housing tenants through delivery of a programme of advice and employment support. The project assisted the hardest to help residents and tenants into work.
A staff training programme built capacity within the front line housing workforce to ensure staff were enabled to signpost clients to local services.
LB Ealing appointed Catalyst Housing Group to deliver this project on their behalf.
Contact : Samina Hurry, Employment and Training Adviser, Samina.Hurry@chg.org.uk, 020 8832 3377

The Employment Ladder project provided employment focused advice, guidance and practical support to workless residents in temporary accommodation.
The project had two Job Opportunities Brokers who facilitated access to other council provision and services, testing the concept of person centred services. The client group is accessed using the HELP project database. For more information on HELP please use the link at the bottom of the page.
Contact: Andy Harland, Job Opportunities Broker, andrew.harland@lbhf.gov.uk, 020 8753 1062.
You can follow Employment Ladder on twitter.
Employment Ladder Case Studies

Xcite provided a dedicated outreach, engagement, advice and support service delivered by personal advisors to help residents build pathways into jobs and training via mainstream provision.
The team was based in a range of outreach locations including children's and community centres. The team provided one to one individual advice and on-going coaching to help clients get back into work and vocational training.
Contact: Michelle Moran, Project Officer/Outreach Worker, michelle.moran@harrow.gov.uk, 020 8416 8959
Xcite Case Studies

Personal advisors offered in-work coping strategies to support parents through their transition into sustained employment.
Support was available for up to 52 weeks from first starting employment.
LB Hillingdon appointed A2 Dominion to deliver this project and they operated from a purpose built community centre, The Honeywell Centre on the Trout Road Estate.
Contact: Sandra Smith, Personal Advisor, sandra.smith@a2dominion.co.uk, 07515 051 382.

The HOPE project worked with clients to ensure they are offered coherent routes to work, accessing all relevant services including: training, job search, benefits, money advice and job brokerage. It extended participation in employment and skills services in Hounslow.
Personal advisors worked in partnership with Hounslow Adult and Community education, targeting estates that have the highest proportion of workless residents.
Personal Advisers also worked in partnership with key agents in particular, Welfare and Participation Officers from Hounslow Adult and Community Education and Tenant Participation Officers.
Contact: Helen Swain, Personal Adviser, helen.swain@hounslow.gov.uk, 0208 583 2210 or Ravi Lakhani, Personal Adviser, ravi.lakhani@hounslow.gov.uk, 0208 583 6004.
HOPE Case Study
A support forum was stablished for all Personal Advisors working on the programme to provide ongoing support, network and share good practice
Housing Employment Link Project (HELP) is working with West London's Housing Needs Officers to equip them with the skills to signpost customers in housing need and those living in temporary accommodation into training and employment opportunities.