Evaluation of the trial of Back to Work group sessions
by Dr. Sarah Jenkins and Richard LloydThe Back to Work group sessions were proposed in December 2007, as part of the revised Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) regime and flexible New Deal, which includes the introduction of personalised support purchased from specialist providers aimed at being responsive to individual needs. The objectives of the group session are to set out individuals' rights and responsibilities and highlight the support available, through Jobcentre Plus, to help customers move into employment. The group sessions were trialled in six locations in one district.
This is the final report of the evaluation of the trial of Back to Work group sessions. The main aim of the evaluation was to determine whether the group session approach was an effective means of engaging and informing jobseekers, with the view to informing the final design of the revised JSA regime. The evaluation was, therefore, designed to test the effectiveness of the group sessions in terms of both engaging jobseekers and informing them of: their rights and responsibilities under the JSA regime; why they would be better off in work; opportunities within the local labour market; and the support available to them from Jobcentre Plus and its partners. The trial of the group sessions showed the challenges of effectively delivering group sessions to customers with different needs and backgrounds.
August 2008 100 pages 297x210mm
ISBN 978 1 84712 409 8
(409KB)