Evaluation of the Yorkshire and the Humber ESF Programme

Transcription

1 Evaluation of the Yorkshire and the Humber ESF Programme Other Theme Report July 2010 Pye Tait Consulting Royal House, 110 Station Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1EP Tel: Fax: Cert No: 5120

2 Contents 1. Introduction Actions and Findings IAG Actions for the Skills Funding Agency ESF team in Yorkshire and the Humber - IAG Actions for IAG Fund Managers... 7 Figure 1: Performance of IAG Contracts to beginning of June Actions and Findings - Support for Offenders Actions for the Skills Funding Agency ESF team in Yorkshire and the Humber Support for Offenders Actions for Support for Offenders Fund Managers Figure 2: Progressions into employment, support for offenders contracts (data up to 8 th June 2010) Figure 3: Performance against contractual targets, support for offenders contracts (data up to 8 th June 2010) Table 1: Contract payments in relation to performance of the REEP contract (data up to 8 th June 2010) Actions and Findings Community Grants Actions for the Skills Funding Agency ESF team in Yorkshire and the Humber Table 2: Community Grants grants awarded in South Yorkshire Table 3: Community Grants grants awarded in the rest of the region Actions for Community Grants Fund Managers Annex List of data sources used Page 2 of 30

3 1. Introduction The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) were appointed the Co-Financing Organisations for the European Social Fund (ESF) in the Yorkshire and Humber region, to manage the ESF programme from 2007 to On 1 st April 2010 the LSC was disbanded and responsibility for managing the ESF programme transferred to the Skills Funding Agency. The Skills Funding Agency is responsible for meeting Priority 1 - extending employment opportunities and Priority 2 - developing a skilled and adaptable workforce - of the Yorkshire and Humber ESF programme for 2007 to In April 2009 Pye Tait Consulting was commissioned to undertake an evaluation of LSC commissioned ESF activity across the whole of the Yorkshire and Humber region. This evaluation spans the programme as a whole for this region and its five constituent themes - Adult Responsive; Youth Responsive (NEET); Employer Responsive; Response to Redundancy and Other: incorporating Support for Offenders, Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) and Community Grants. The Response to Redundancy theme was added to the remit of the evaluation in April Pye Tait Consulting gratefully acknowledges the time that providers and Skills Funding Agency staff have contributed to the evaluation process. ESF funding of 302 million was allocated to the Yorkshire and Humber region 1 for ; this will be supplemented by 302 million of match funding. As a former Objective One 2 area, South Yorkshire will receive transitional phasing in funding until South Yorkshire has therefore been allocated 139 million in ESF funding, to be supplemented by 139 million from national match funding. The rest of the Yorkshire and Humber region was allocated 163 million in ESF funding plus 163 million in match funding. The contracts within the Other theme are grouped under three distinct headings as follows 3 : IAG: Contract Provider Total Value Contract Dates 4 IAG for ESF Participants South Yorkshire Prospect Services Ltd 2,000,000 01/10/09 31/03/11 IAG for ESF Participants West Yorkshire IAG for ESF Participants North Yorkshire IGEN 473,650 01/11/08 31/12/10 IGEN 72,650 01/01/09 31/12/10 IAG for ESF Participants Humber Humber Learning Consortium 384,100 01/08/08 31/12/ Objective 1 was launched in July 2000 to transform the South Yorkshire economy, foster greater prosperity and increase opportunity for businesses, people and communities. The programme invested 820 million and supported over 650 projects 3 Data from contract listing spreadsheet supplied by the Skills Funding Agency (as at 6 th June 2010) 4 Contract dates listed for IAG refer to Priority 1 activity. Activities funded under Priority 2 have now completed. Page 3 of 30

4 Support for Offenders: Contract Provider Total Value Contract Dates Support for Offenders (18+) Leeds College of Building 467, /07/08 30/06/10 6 West Yorkshire Support for Offenders (18+) South Yorkshire Doncaster College 786,475 01/06/08 31/12/10 Support for Offenders (18+) Humber SOVA 114,995 01/04/09 30/06/10 Support for Offenders (18+) North Yorkshire York College 154,990 01/01/09 31/07/10 Regional Employer Engagement Project National Probation Service South Yorkshire 279, /09/08 31/03/11 Job Skills for Offenders in Custody Manchester College 452,815 01/07/08 30/6/10 Community Grants: Contract Provider Total Value Contract Dates Community Grants Humber Learning Consortium 2,800,000 01/01/09 31/12/10 The actions should be read in conjunction with the standalone Action Log for the Skills Funding Agency, which has been developed to incorporate all of the recommended actions relating to all themes as well as for the programme. A similar action log has been developed for Fund Managers so actions should be read in conjunction with the Action Log for Fund Managers. It incorporates all recommended actions that span more than one theme and therefore should be considered by all Fund Managers. Both Action Logs also contain recommendations as identified in the separate evaluation report on cross-cutting themes. 5 Top up funds 137,905 6 This contract spans two activities, Community Construction and Constructing Futures. The latter has been extended to 30th June Top up funds 139,000 Page 4 of 30

5 2. Actions and Findings IAG 2.1 Actions for the Skills Funding Agency ESF team in Yorkshire and the Humber - IAG 1 Continue to assess the way in which the Progress Together model is working; consider ways in which effective communications can take place between the Skills Funding Agency and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups The Skills Funding Agency has undertaken evaluation of the Progress Together model and action has been taken to improve the referral process between IAG and the Skills for Jobs and Adult Engagement contracts. However Fund Managers perceive that there is still more work to be done, notably in the form of ongoing communications between the Skills Funding Agency and the DWP, to ensure that there is better alignment between the contracts within the Progress Together model. Fund Managers also suggest that there is no obvious ownership of the model. 2 The Skills Funding Agency should review ways in which IAG will be provided on an ongoing basis following the completion of the current contracts. Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) Fund Managers have stated that once ESF funded IAG provision comes to an end, there will be a significant gap for participants as Next Step provision is finite and unlikely to meet the needs of all programme leavers. The Response to Redundancy offer links closely into IAG provision there will be a need to Page 5 of 30

6 review the IAG offer if the redundancy contracts are extended beyond December 2010, as it appears that the Next Step offer would not provide sufficient capacity. 3 The Skills Funding Agency should strongly consider changing the structure of the IAG ESF contracts in the next stages of the ESF programme, as issues have been experienced with the current model. It does not appear that standalone provision of IAG is the most effective model. A number of Fund Managers and their delivery partners have reported that IAG should be fully embedded into contracts in order to capture issues and identify barriers at the outset, and thus give participants a more tailored focus on future progression. While it is clear that good links have been made between IAG providers and other ESF contracts, the referral process can be fragmented for the participant. The Performance Management Group (PMG) held by the LSC in January 2010 expressed concerns about this model. An alternative structure would be likely to result in a more seamless and streamlined customer journey. If a different model is introduced then it will be important to ensure (at the outset) that there will be wide accessibility of matrixaccredited IAG, so that there is full capacity for delivery. 4 The Skills Funding Agency Provider Account Manager should maintain communications with the Fund Manager, to update on additional changes as relevant, within the Skills Funding Agency following the transition of responsibility for ESF from the Learning and Skills Council. Although Fund Managers have not reported a significant impact on their contracts post transition (with a number noting that the changeover was achieved smoothly), it has been noted that Provider Account Managers are unlikely to spend as much time with the Fund Managers, compared with the Contract Managers within the LSC in light of increasing responsibilities. Page 6 of 30

7 A small number of new Provider Account Managers have not managed ESF contracts before but appear to be working closely with ESF Contract Advisors to fill in any knowledge gaps. It will be important for Provider Account Managers to share information with Fund Managers as early as possible particularly if changes are likely to impact on workload or on the subcontracted delivery partners. 2.2 Actions for IAG Fund Managers 1 Fund Managers and their delivery partners should look for opportunities to signpost participants to training in low carbon and renewables and other skills in support of the green agenda. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups IAG sessions and extent to which achieved success The update to the Regional ESF Framework for Yorkshire and Humber in December 2009 reported that The Government Low Carbon Industrial Strategy published in July 2009 set out proposals to move the UK economy to a low carbon economy. The Low Carbon environment goods and services sector already employs 880,000 and is expected to grow to over 1m by It is clear that a strong focus on low carbon and renewables will be a high priority for the new Government. IAG delivery partners are in a position to signpost opportunities for training in skills that will be needed to achieve a low carbon economy. One example was provided by a South Yorkshire delivery partner, who was able to find an energy efficiency course following a participant request. However it was uncertain whether the training would be a direct pathway into a career in energy assessment. 2 The quality of provision (based on limited feedback from delivery partners) appears to be good and is adding value for participants. Fund Managers and their delivery partners should continue to offer this quality service to participants. Page 7 of 30

8 Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Performance in meeting targets IAG sessions and extent to which achieved success Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) Impact on employer engagement Feedback from participants (although limited information is available) indicates that they are leaving sessions with good quality information. A small number of providers have received s from participants acknowledging the quality of the service and how it has helped them. Sector specific workshops have been developed by delivery partners in South Yorkshire. These workshops are based on occupational sectors and provide participants with comprehensive information about the courses and labour market in that sector. Providers in North Yorkshire have reported that participants are benefiting from the one-toone IAG interactions provided to them whilst on a programme of learning. Case Study: North Yorkshire H 8 attends a horticulture programme on a weekly basis where he takes part in work based activities. The provider of the programme is a registered charity providing work based activities; approximately fifty adults with a learning disability or physical disability attend the service weekly. H is on a Level 2 Skills for Working Life course which gives an insight in work skills for students with learning difficulties and includes horticulture and health and safety units. An IAG adviser met with H on one of her visits to the provider. She offers help to trainees in planning their learning and work when they finish the programme. In the course of his ESF IAG interview, H expressed his interest in theatre and in all aspects of production. The adviser arranged an interview for him at the local theatre to work as a volunteer he did extremely well and is now waiting to start a work experience placement. In addition after much time and effort the adviser has arranged for H to go to an inclusive theatre company based in the local region. The adviser will continue to keep in touch with H to keep him on track with his plans 8 Random initials have been substituted for names in these case studies in order to protect identities Page 8 of 30

9 and encourage his progress in learning and work. Figure 1 below shows that the IAG contracts, based on performance against all listed deliverables on the CCM system, are nearly all ahead of contractual profiled targets as at the start of June The South Yorkshire contract is currently exceeding the number of profiled starts by nearly 20% and this contract is not due to complete until March The rest of the region contracts have until the end of December 2010 to run and based on current profiles it appears likely that targets will be achieved particularly in light of the Response to Redundancy contracts, which are providing additional referrals. Figure 1: Performance of IAG Contracts 9 to beginning of June Fund Managers and their delivery partners should continue to offer support to participants on site, as this is proving to be an effective way of engaging with hard to reach participants. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups IAG sessions and extent to which achieved success Offering provision at sites local to the participant helps accessibility of IAG this is particularly important for people in rural areas that have historically been hard to reach. This approach also reduces travel costs and time so improves the customer journey. 9 Data sourced from CCM reports generated 8 th June 2010 Page 9 of 30

10 4 It is recommended that the Fund Manager for the Humber IAG contract holds Steering Group meetings on a more regular basis. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Performance in meeting targets IAG sessions and extent to which achieved success Although the Humber IAG contract holders regularly attend Next Step, IGEN and regional Skills Funding Agency meetings, and there is an active practitioner network group, the Strategic Steering Group for this contract has not met regularly. Regular Steering Group meetings are likely to boost the profile of the contract, and develop stronger links with Jobcentre Plus (JCP) which is particularly significant given that the Fund Manager has reported issues in maintaining referrals from JCP. 5 Fund Managers and their delivery partners should review the approach taken, in relation to gaining participant feedback and determining distance travelled. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups IAG sessions and extent to which achieved success Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) IAG Fund Managers have reported difficulties in securing detailed participant feedback particularly in relation to distance travelled, as typically participants have one or two short advice/guidance sessions but then move to another route and rarely maintain contact with the IAG adviser. Page 10 of 30

11 It is recommended that advisers ask participants about the value of the session at its close. This is an opportunity to find out whether the participant has received sufficient information to enable them to make an informed choice about their next step, and what that is likely to be. Providers from South Yorkshire have suggested the development of a systematic plan to discover, record outcomes and gain feedback... some features for this might include: what we do with the lists from Skills for Jobs about who is completing contracts; getting lists on the people that start/complete courses via Response to Redundancy contracts and ways of getting feedback from participants that have had several IAG sessions. A workshop for all IAG providers could be one way of determining this systematic plan, and when/how it can be implemented into the delivery of the contract. This would need to take place as a matter of urgency in light of the relatively short period left to run on the contracts. This level of information can also be used to identify any ways to improve the service, and therefore improve quality of the provision. 6 Fund Managers should take steps to assess the extent to which cross-cutting themes are embedded into the delivery of the contract and take corrective action where required. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Performance in meeting targets It is not clear that cross-cutting themes are assessed on an ongoing basis. A small number of sub-contracted delivery partners reported that cross-cutting themes were not applicable to them. IGEN maintains statistics on gender and ethnicity; in March 2010 just over 37% of participants were female. Humber Learning Consortium reported that there was a fairly even split between males and females. It is difficult for Fund Managers to proactively address gender imbalance as IAG is a reactive contract and is heavily reliant on referrals from other providers. However more attention should be paid to the themes of the environment and sustainability. Fund Managers should include cross-cutting themes as an agenda item for the Strategic Steering Group meetings. 7 Fund Managers should continue to make use of effective means of promoting the project. Page 11 of 30

12 Performance in meeting targets Fund Managers have successfully used a wide variety of methods to promote the IAG offer. Response to Redundancy IAG is advertised in all JCPs across the region, and among a broad range of IAG delivery partners. In addition the provision is promoted via ESF Adult Engagement, Skills for Jobs and Community Grants projects. This is good practice and should be continued. Advertisements are placed in local papers, Learn Direct and Next Step centres. In some cases participants have requested a Response to Redundancy intervention without being referred from JCP. Providers visit Citizen s Advice Bureaux and attend regional networking events. In South Yorkshire strong links with JCPs have improved partnerships with Key Workers. 8 Fund Managers should review capacity for delivery and the referrals process on an ongoing basis, to ensure that there is sufficient accessibility of matrix-accredited IAG. Corrective actions should be taken where necessary. Performance in meeting targets IAG sessions and extent to which achieved success Capacity has been an issue for some contracts after the Response to Redundancy contracts began. There has been an increase in demand in North Yorkshire for IAG from Response to Redundancy ESF participants as a result (although data suggests that there has been a much higher take up of Response to Redundancy provision in West and South Yorkshire). Some providers have been focused on achieving Next Step targets which can be a barrier. It is recommended that the network of delivery partners in North Yorkshire is widened to produce additional resources. It is likely that capacity will also need to increase in West Yorkshire due to the high take up of Response to Redundancy provision otherwise Page 12 of 30

13 participants may be subject to long waiting periods before they can see an adviser. In South Yorkshire delivery partners have responded well by increasing resources. One delivery partner reported that they would be able to undertake peer observations as a direct result of the increased capacity the feedback from this will be used to improve the quality of the service. It does not appear that participants have been unable to access IAG, but there has been some concern about waiting times for appointments and workshops. South Yorkshire providers have reacted to this by streamlining the referral process and the development of a plan to introduce a rolling programme of workshops across the region. Page 13 of 30

14 3. Actions and Findings - Support for Offenders 3.1 Actions for the Skills Funding Agency ESF team in Yorkshire and the Humber Support for Offenders 1 The Skills Funding Agency should consider ways in which the provision for supporting offenders and ex-offenders can continue whether in the form of additional ESF monies or alternative funding streams, in order to maintain the sustainable benefits for the region. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) Impact on employer engagement Without ESF funding the people (supported by the projects) would have been left without anything. There may be bits and pieces from time to time which target offenders but nothing which could have been consistent and effective. (Fund Manager, Support for Offenders in the Humber) All of the Fund Managers have stated that the ESF monies have provided vital support and that there is no similar provision available through other funding streams that would have offered the same approach and resulted in the same outcomes. The Fund Manager in North Yorkshire reported that without their contract, there would have been no Skills for Life provision for offenders. The Regional Employer Engagement Project (REEP) is targeting a wide range of employers in the region the focus remains on achieving and embedding changes in recruitment policies and practices that will be cascaded throughout entire organisations. Work to date has been extremely successful; employers have committed to making changes and many have signed up to the Corporate Alliance as evidence of this. The REEP work is strongly endorsed by the Chair of the West Yorkshire Probation Trust. He has reported that employer engagement is only a very small element of the role of the offender managers and therefore there are very limited resources available to progress this type of activity in the absence of other provision like the ESF project. The REEP contract has already started to embed sustainable changes there is a legacy in the Page 14 of 30

15 form of the Corporate Alliance and resulting changes to employer recruitment practices, but also in the form of the development of an employer database, detailing all employers willing to employ ex-offenders. This project has also developed literature to provide support for employers and a strategy on the longer-term engagement with employers. The Head of Interventions in the South Yorkshire Probation Service and the West Yorkshire Probation Trust Chair have both emphasised that a job or training opportunity is one of the most important elements in reducing re-offending. There are risks associated with the long-term future of support for offenders the change of Government in May 2010 will result in funding cuts, which may be substantial in the public sector and are likely to impact on the amount of funding Local Authorities and the police force is able to commit to supporting offenders and ex-offenders. Thus there could be a significant gap in provision and it is likely that in the absence of such support, re-offending rates could rise. 2 The Skills Funding Agency Provider Account Manager should maintain communications with the Fund Manager, to update on appropriate, additional changes within the Skills Funding Agency, following the transition of responsibility for ESF post April A small number of Fund Managers have reported that the handover from their previous LSC Contract Manager to a new Skills Funding Agency Provider Account Manager has meant that they receive less time and support with their contract, than they did prior to the transition. It will be important for Provider Account Managers to share information with Fund Managers as early as possible particularly if changes are likely to impact on workload or on subcontracted delivery partners. Page 15 of 30

16 3.2 Actions for Support for Offenders Fund Managers 1 Fund Managers should continue the work undertaken as part of the ESF contracts, to create a sustainable legacy for the region in relation to support for offenders and a positive impact on the community. Performance in meeting targets Impact on employer engagement The REEP contract has developed and launched a Strategy and Action Plan for the region with targets including establishing an employer engagement forum, promotion of employment of ex-offenders to employers, and the provision of support for employers that recruit ex-offenders. The REEP Fund Manager has now developed a manual to support employers and answer their questions relating to employing ex-offenders. This manual is both comprehensive and accessible. South Yorkshire Probation Service has now employed an ex-offender to work on this contract and they intend to use this example as a case study for the employers to be targeted. The LSC Performance Management Group (PMG) meeting held in January 2010 reported that REEP activity has been extended to include HR and policy changing hits, with the aim of ensuring ex-offenders will be treated equally during the recruitment process and while in work. The Fund Manager has already achieved two of the targeted ten hits. A further benefit of this work is a greater understanding of what the probation service does among employers. In West Yorkshire, work undertaken by ex-offenders on a range of programmes has resulted in improvements to the local community. For example Halifax Mosque has had joinery, painting and decorating work completed free of charge. A local church has also been repaired by ex-offenders on the ESF programme with the result that rooms can now be rented to community groups and this is making a profit. Page 16 of 30

17 2 Fund Managers should continue to gather and assess participant feedback on distance travelled. The Fund Manager for Manchester College should complete the end of project evaluation and share this information with the evaluators. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) Impact on employer engagement Doncaster College (South Yorkshire Fund Manager) is gathering learner feedback from end of course reviews and questionnaires. Direct learner feedback indicates that confidence and self-esteem is being boosted as a result of the ESF funded interventions. York College (North Yorkshire Fund Manager) has received feedback from participants and tutors following individual interview training sessions (including guidance on verbal disclosure), which states that learners are more proactive in searching for jobs as a result. Case Study: York College J 10 completed his initial advice and assessment session with college staff and an action plan was developed. This identified what he wanted to achieve and signposted non-accredited training, which agencies J should access and the individuals who could give him support. Although he declined support with literacy, he did request and received practical advice with application forms and letters and written disclosure. J completed his disclosure training, and requested extra interview training to prior to each interview. Because J was a confident communicator he was encouraged to make personal contact with the various partnership agencies available, receiving short training and support sessions prior to making the call. As he lacked the basic IT skills needed to access the internet and create an address to help with his job search on on-line applications, he received training from college staff and support from his peers. J quickly took 'ownership' of his participation, confidently requesting, during the feedback section of his session, what he would like to achieve on his next appointment. He would also make phone contact in the week to ask for support when completing applications at home. Using his new skills he found funding to access an Off Shore safety training course which would allow him to apply for employment on oil rigs. J successfully secured employment on a building contract - a post he found himself via the internet. 10 Random initials have been substituted for names in these case studies in order to protect identities Page 17 of 30

18 Manchester College has been in the process of collecting participant data for the purpose of determining distance travelled for evaluation; this has not yet been provided to the evaluators. 3 Fund Managers should take steps to assess the extent to which cross-cutting themes are embedded into the delivery of the contract and take corrective action where required. Performance in meeting targets One Fund Manager readily acknowledged that the project was not actively addressing the cross-cutting themes and it will be important for all Fund Managers to review their processes and take any corrective actions as required. Fund Managers should include cross-cutting themes as an agenda item for the Strategic Steering Group meetings. The projects appear to be supporting more males than females but this has been attributed to the target population group as within this, males outnumber females. There are some good examples of approaches undertaken to try to redress the balance (as far as possible); for example Leeds College of Building (West Yorkshire Fund Manager) has promoted activities directly to females and sent leaflets to organisations that only work with women. They have also tailored provision in painting and decorating in order to attract more female participants. Case Study: Leeds College of Building Construction courses and the industry as a whole is often a male dominated environment so it is a positive when female learners join the courses. L 11 was told about Leeds College of Building's Constructing Futures Joinery course at Probation by her offender manager. She has previously worked in more traditional female roles such as Hospitality and Catering as well as childcare however she had been looking for a career change and was applying to a plumbing course in September A construction related trade seemed a good option until the plumbing application could be made. L worked hard on the course and gained her EDI Level 1 Introduction to Carpentry and Joinery qualification. She enjoyed the trade so much she has now applied for and been successful in gaining a place on the 26 week full Diploma Level 1 course. Her tutor stated that "L has got on well with the course and the group as a whole...she could have a great career in Joinery". 11 Random initials have been substituted for names in these case studies in order to protect identities Page 18 of 30

19 4 Fund Managers should actively seek evidence to enable claims to be made in respect of all outcomes achieved. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Performance in meeting targets Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) Impact on employer engagement With the exception of SOVA (Humber Fund Manager), progressions into employment have been low when compared with the contractual targets. However it should be taken into consideration that York College has reported that a number of North Yorkshire participants have in fact moved into employment, but there is insufficient evidence available from employers to enable them to claim for these outcomes. CCM data therefore shows zero progressions into employment. The Fund Manager should, as a matter of urgency, pursue this information before the contract ends at the end of July Figure 2: Progressions into employment, support for offenders contracts (data up to 8 th June 2010) Data sourced from CCM reports generated 8 th June 2010 Page 19 of 30

20 Figure 2 above indicates that there have been difficulties in securing progressions into employment within West Yorkshire; this region appears to have been more significantly affected by the recession compared with the rest of the region, based on the high proportion of participants applying for Response to Redundancy provision. Figure 3 below shows that contracts in the Humber and West Yorkshire are exceeding contractual performance targets; where possible it would be beneficial for Fund Managers in this theme to share examples of best practice that may help to improve performance across the rest of the region. Figure 3: Performance against contractual targets, support for offenders contracts (data up to 8 th June 2010) 13 The REEP contract is on profile with only a very minor variance in performance to date (as at 8 th June 2010): Table 1: Contract payments in relation to performance of the REEP contract (data up to 8 th June 2010) 14 Region Actual value Profile to date Variance South Yorkshire 52,512,00 52,512,00 0 Rest of region 96,263,00 96,363,00-0.1% 13 Data sourced from CCM reports generated 8 th June Data sourced from CCM reports generated 8 th June 2010 Page 20 of 30

21 5 Fund Managers should continue the successful approaches developed to form and sustain constructive partnerships in the region. Impact on employer engagement There is evidence to show that good partnerships and links have been formed with other providers in the region. Doncaster College has agreed a referral route into Skills for Jobs provision to enable participants to access further training, and York College has worked with a centre in Scarborough that is expecting to launch a Skills for Life course as a direct result of lessons learned from working on the ESF offender contract. Leeds College of Building has developed relationships with voluntary and public sector groups, and the range of delivery partners has enabled access to high quality accredited learning provision for participants on Unpaid Work Community Orders. The project has resulted in associations between delivery partners that have since led to joint bids from various members of the group, to fund additional activities that will also be delivered in partnership. 6 Fund Managers should maintain ongoing communications with representatives from the Probation Service, in order to develop and sustain an effective referral process. Performance in meeting targets Some Fund Managers have faced barriers in relation to working with the Probation Service. Restructuring in North Yorkshire within the Probation Service slowed progress for York College, and Leeds College of Building experienced difficulties in securing conversions from Probation Service leads for the Community Construction work. The Fund Managers have expressed concern that the Probation Service offender managers may be mis-selling the activities and therefore participants are not interested as they do not understand the offer. Page 21 of 30

22 Where this is not already happening, Fund Managers should maintain regular communications with a range of local Probation Service representatives to encourage them to proactively sell the ESF funded activities and provide detailed information about the different types of activities and the benefits they provide. 7 Fund Managers should continue to commission activities that result in a positive impact for the third sector and local community. Leeds College of Building in particular has developed and commissioned activities for exoffenders that benefit local charities or small community organisations that would not be able to afford to have work completed. The work carried out by ex-offenders while on programme has significantly improved local buildings and gardens. Doncaster College has worked with a number of partners in the voluntary and community sector; these partners have created jobs specifically for the delivery of the ESF programme. 8 The REEP Fund Manager should give consideration to the future maintenance of the employer database. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) Impact on employer engagement The employer database was launched in early 2010 and contains a list of employers willing to employ ex-offenders. Each employer will have a point of contact listed (likely to be an offender manager) so users of the database can approach the point of contact to determine the best way of engaging with that employer. The REEP Fund Manager has added 87 employers to this database and the aim is that it will be a sustainable outcome of the ESF Page 22 of 30

23 funding. There is a risk associated with the future of this database if there is no additional provision to support this type of work after the ESF contract ends. Probation Service representatives have noted that there is limited time available for ongoing consistent engagement with employers, of the kind that would result in changes to recruitment practices and signing up to be a part of the employer database. Provision should be made, where possible, to ensure that this database continues to be maintained and developed after the REEP contract ends. Page 23 of 30

24 4. Actions and Findings Community Grants 4.1 Actions for the Skills Funding Agency ESF team in Yorkshire and the Humber 1 The Skills Funding Agency should maintain provision to award similar grants for the remainder of the programme and extend the current contract for South Yorkshire. The Fund Manager is waiting for a decision from the Skills Funding Agency which may result in an extension to the provision in South Yorkshire, for a further six months. The Fund Manager is confident that additional funding could be allocated to a large number of third sector organisations, which would be used to provide learning activities to their communities. The Fund Manager model and the structure of the Community Grants contract enable strong links to be forged and developed with the voluntary and community sector. These links present invaluable opportunities to engage with the hardest-to-reach participants and socially excluded groups. The Fund Manager and delivery partners North Yorkshire Learning Consortium and West Yorkshire Learning Consortium have stopped promotion of the programme as the full funding has been allocated. The Fund Manager has reported over demand for the grants in all parts of the region. This represents a significant uplift in take up in South Yorkshire, where there was a slow start as the Fund Manager took over the contract from another provider who withdrew from the contract. Additional activities undertaken by the Fund Manager to boost promotion in South Yorkshire, led by a series of launch events, have clearly been successful as they were attended by a wide range of potential grant recipients and offered guidance around making applications. There does not appear to be a great deal of similar provision that the target group could access, if Community Grants were not available. The Grass Roots Grant scheme 15 offers grants of between 250 and 5,000, significantly lower than the maximum value of 12,000 offered through Community Grants. There are also additional restrictions grants are only available to not for profit or voluntary organisations with an average (over three years) annual income of less than 30,000. The Grass Roots scheme is due to end in March 2011, 15 Page 24 of 30

25 with grants unlikely to be offered after the autumn of 2010; Community Grants have already ceased to be allocated. The gap in provision that will arise appears unlikely to be filled by any alternative funding streams which would mean that capacity building in the third sector would be unlikely to continue at the same pace. It has also been noted in the Regional ESF Framework update of December 2009 that Community Grants are acknowledged to be an effective vehicle for engaging some of the hardest to reach individuals in the region s most deprived. The successes of Community Grants are not always reflected in the quantitative outputs of the programme, but they have enabled some of the region s smaller third sector providers to help beneficiaries take the first steps towards economic activity and inclusion Once additional evidence has been obtained in relation to the impact of the grants, the Skills Funding Agency should consider whether additional value could be added by increasing the maximum value of the grants for recipients. Distance travelled extent of progression against Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or Personal Action Plan (PAP) Delivery partners have questioned whether a maximum value of 12,000 per grant is sufficient to leave a sustainable benefit. Partners have allocated funding to over 200 recipients and a broad range of activities are being delivered which are resulting in positive changes for individuals however at present it is unclear whether this will have a lasting impact at organisation or regional level. The evaluators will seek examples of case studies to assess whether additional monies would have had a stronger impact in the next phases of the evaluation. 3 The Skills Funding Agency should continue with the Fund Manager model for the allocation of Community Grants. Performance in meeting targets 16 Regional ESF Framework (updated December 2009) p.27 Page 25 of 30

26 The Fund Manager model is effective for the management of Community Grants, with the use of key delivery partners based in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. Originally there should also have been a partner based in South Yorkshire but this was changed as the provider withdrew from the contract. This model should be reproduced for future programmes, including a presence in South Yorkshire. The Fund Manager model and the structure of the Community Grants contract enable strong links to be forged and developed with the voluntary and community sector. These links present invaluable opportunities to engage with the hardest-to-reach participants and socially excluded groups. Performance data reflects the effectiveness of the model and contract management. Feedback from the Performance Management Group (PMG) held at the Learning and Skills Council in January 2010 reported that the contract was performing well and since then all of the grants have been allocated. Table 2: Community Grants grants awarded in South Yorkshire 17 Rest of Region Actual Profile Variance Grants awarded (to the value of) plus management costs 980,302 1,409, % Table 3: Community Grants grants awarded in the rest of the region 18 South Yorkshire Actual Profile Variance Grants awarded (to the value of) plus management costs 954,894 1,097,869-13% 4 The Skills Funding Agency Provider Account Manager should maintain communications with the Fund Manager, to update on additional changes as relevant, within the Skills Funding Agency following the transition of responsibility for ESF from the Learning and Skills Council. 17 Data reported to the PMG in January Ibid. Page 26 of 30

27 The Fund Manager reported that although the transition has not had a significant impact on the way in which the contract was managed, it had been unclear as to who their Provider Account Manager would be. The Fund Manager needed to update all paperwork with new logos this particular contract has a large volume of grant recipients and the new information had to be disseminated to them all. It is therefore essential that all future changes are shared with the Fund Manager at the earliest possible point in time particularly where they could impact on the management of the contract. 4.2 Actions for Community Grants Fund Managers 1 The Fund Manager should seek feedback from grant recipients on the process of applying for and managing the grant, so that improvements can be identified for future programmes. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups All monies have now been allocated, following the final scoring round at the end of March 2010 and therefore no further grants are due to be commissioned. The Fund Manager should now be in a position to spend additional time in monitoring the grant recipients and identifying where improvements can be made to the process of applying for grants. 2 The Fund Manager should continue the process of obtaining participant and organisation feedback in order to determine the impact of the grants. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Page 27 of 30

28 Humber Learning Consortium is already seeking feedback from all learners attending courses provided by grant recipients. Nearly 400 responses have already been received predominantly from South Yorkshire, where the majority of grants have been received. South Yorkshire received a higher allocation of the grants due to the extent of deprivation in the region. Just over 80% of the respondents to date have been from South Yorkshire (318 responses). Of that number, 45% stated that they would be able to make significant use of their newly gained knowledge and skills. 38% reported that they planned to progress immediately into further learning. Of the total number of respondents across the whole of the Yorkshire and Humber region, nearly 60% rated the courses as excellent in relation to achieving their aims. As noted above, given that all grants have been commissioned, there should now be a stronger focus on evaluation so that the full impact of the grants on the community can be established. The Fund Manager is undertaking this activity and will be providing further evidence as data are captured and analysed. A number of case studies have already been supplied; one example 19 is provided below: Humber S joined a catering programme at a cafe funded by Community Grants, after recently successfully dealing with a drug problem. S s aim was to ultimately own a catering business, but she recognised that she needed to understand the basics first. She needed to achieve a Level 2 award in Food Safety to improve her skills and confidence. S had no knowledge of health and safety in the kitchen and this was a significant barrier. The course aimed to equip S with Level 2 Food Safety, sessions on nutrition and health and safety in the kitchen. This was achieved through a series of both group and one to one sessions. S also gained valuable work experience volunteering in the cafe, and the staff was impressed with both her work and her level of knowledge. Having completed the course, S would now like to know more about food hygiene and achieve a Level 3 qualification. The cafe has recently acquired a contract to supply a local organisation with catering staff and in light of S s recent development and experience of volunteering in the cafe, she has been asked to do paid work once the contract is in place. S s feedback: I would not have achieved the food safety certificate if it wasn t for this course. The course also improved my job prospects 19 Random initials have been substituted for names in these case studies in order to protect identities Page 28 of 30

29 3 The Fund Manager should continue to operate effective Steering Group meetings which enable and maintain a strategic focus on the project. Regular reviews of the topics under discussion will help to ensure that the Group continues to add value. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups The Strategic Steering Group comprises key stakeholders with an active interest in this project, including all Community Grant delivery partners, representatives from the BME network, the Skills Funding Agency and other funding bodies. Regular agenda items span operational performance and activity, capacity building and the approach to evaluation. The meeting due to take place in mid July 2010 will also discuss the future of the grants post December If not already doing so, the Steering Group should also discuss quality assurance on an ongoing basis. 4 The Fund Manager should take steps to assess the extent to which cross-cutting themes are embedded into the delivery of the contract and take corrective action where required. Suitability of activities commissioned to meet needs of target groups Performance in meeting targets There is no apparent evidence to indicate that cross-cutting themes are assessed on an ongoing basis; the Fund Manager should include this as an agenda item for the Strategic Steering Group meetings. Page 29 of 30

30 Annex List of data sources used Interviews with Fund Managers/Lead Providers Interviews with Provider Account Managers Feedback from Skills Funding Agency ESF Team Performance reports submitted to the LSC Performance Management Group (PMG) Minutes and Terms of Reference of the Skills Funding Agency Operations Board and Co- Financing Board Quarterly Qualitative Reports submitted by Fund Managers/Lead Providers Minutes from Strategic and Operational Steering Groups CCM reports provided by the Skills Funding Agency Updated Regional ESF Framework Page 30 of 30