21 January 2010 – Publication of DWP Research Report:  Joint Pilots Baseline Study

A study of three pilot programme initiatives aimed at people facing serious social exclusion and receiving some support from DWP is published by DWP.

The three pilot programmes are:

• The Next Steps Test Bed Regional Pilots: Established to run for two years in the East of England and the West Midlands regions; these pilots sought to improve training and employment outcomes for offenders and ex-offenders, largely but not exclusively through improving the integration of existing regional infrastructure.
• Exit to Work: Introduced in October 2006 and originally known as the Job Developer Pilot; the aim here was to improve job opportunities for offenders and ex-offenders through more effective employer engagement. Six pilots were established, each providing and supporting a Job Developer role.
• ACE Pilots: Which comprise of 12 different pilot projects designed to improve service provision and support to secure better outcomes for adults who face chronic exclusion. The pilots each run for three years from mid-2007 promoting both system change and practical help for people to improve their ability to engage with mainstream services.

The pilot programmes all focus on those facing chronic or serious exclusion, notably ex-offenders. The first two covered ex-offenders exclusively. The research was commissioned by DWP to investigate the potential for the different approaches adopted by the various pilots to improve the employment prospects of these groups.

The main findings are:

• The target groups from these pilots face similar constraints on their employment chances: lifestyle issues (notably behaviour), low employability (lacking skills, qualifications, work experience), low appeal to employers, and hard for agencies to work with.
• A period of stabilisation is generally needed for around two years which allows employment interventions to be introduced to a more stable platform. This is mainly achieved through caseworker support at a fairly intensive level.
• The two approaches adopted by these pilot initiatives can be broadly characterised as ‘system navigation’ and ‘system reform and integration’.  The report argues that, for the socially excluded, it is not a case of one approach being better than another, but rather a combination of both that is needed.
• For ‘system reform and integration’, partnerships were found to work well as long as a formal framework was in place. Further, they worked particularly well when the various parties were able to secure mutual operational advantages.
• The movement of beneficiaries between agencies and the co-operation of various agencies involved would be facilitated greatly by ready and accurate data transfer. All agencies involved need to find ways to develop more effective data-sharing protocols.
• A more joined-up approach to employer engagement is needed as there appears to be a number of agencies working in this area. Each has similar and competing targets, and this leads to a lack of co-operation.
• The size and short duration of the pilots has severely limited their ability to achieve measurable outcomes of impacts.
• This issue is more apparent here, given the timeframes needed to work with these groups.
• The difficulties noted above will be further exacerbated by the deterioration in labour market circumstances.

Notes to editors:

1. The research design offered a two-phased approach:
   • A Scoping Study running from May 2007 to spring 2008. It aimed to provide early insight into the objectives, organisation and activities of the Pilots;
   • The Second Stage Research running for a further year from spring 2008.  This was to supplement the 2008 findings by reviewing the performance of the Pilots’ main delivery phases during the second year of their operation.
2. The research methodology which was pursued was mixed. It drew on such management information data and formal evaluation evidence as the Pilots have produced to date. However, as this has not been substantial, the principal research has been through qualitative interviews with the key actors involved in delivering the Pilots, their various partners and local stakeholders, the officials responsible for their operation, and a small number of their beneficiaries.
3. Website: www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5

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