Helping people overcome their barriers to education and employment across Swindon and Wiltshire

1. Helping people overcome their barriers to education andemployment across Swindon and Wiltshire

2. Building Bridges Programme • Our programme & partnership • Our progress & participants • Our challenges & reflections

3. Our Programme & Partnership

4. BBO in Swindon & Wiltshire

5. Local Context • Three other ESF-funded programmes in the region (DWP and SFA co-funded) with overlapping scope & objectives • Significant number of people still need help, but face significant barriers & challenges • BBO is the only non-PBR programme – voluntary, flexible approach gives us the opportunity to support people far more effectively

6. Programme Ethos External cost benefit analysis of approach being undertaken in conjunction with Pro-Bono Economics

7. Programme Delivery 20 5 1 8 5 • Participants receive key worker support from our most relevant core delivery partner • An individual solution focused plan is developed for each participant, drawing support from across the whole partnership as needed • Support can be delivered in liaison with family, partners, carers and support workers • Support is not time constrained – plans are adapted and evolved over time to meet the participant’s needs

8. Supporting Participants Address Barriers Support into education, skills development and work Develop

9. Cross-Cutting Themes • Encapsulated in Partnership Agreement • Overarching partnership-level policies and action plans reviewed regularly • Partner-level action plans developed that are specific to how they each operate • Quarterly reporting and monitoring during formal lead team reviews – emphasis on measurables • Learning & best practice shared between partners • Core agenda item on quarterly Learning Network Events • Annual review of partner policies & procedures

10. Partnership Development • Partnership has continually developed over the last two years • Learning from operational experience • Partner organisational change, challenges & mergers • Responding to emerging participant needs & demographics • Analysis of our programme referrals has highlighted two key areas where referral volumes have been significantly higher than originally envisaged: • Young people who are NEET or at Risk of NEET and unable to engage with even basic group support • People with special educational needs (SEN), learning difficulties or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) needs • Delivery capabilities have been enhanced to meet these additional demands

11. Our Progress & Participants

12. How Are We Doing? • Referrals now running at 200+ per quarter • 696 eligible participants – 390 receiving support, 306 competed • 302 at initial referral or eligibility proof stage • 107 have moved into employment • 31 have moved into education (19 more also achieved employment) • 91 NEET or At Risk of NEET have re-engaged in education • 92 have undertaken structured work experience • 184 have undertaken volunteering • Average 19% improvement in Warwick-Edinburgh wellbeing measure scores

13. Our Participants • 31.1% are from areas of multiple deprivation (regional average is 6.5%) • 82.6% are classed as disadvantaged • 48.3% are below 25 years of age • 47.1% lack basic skills • 54.3% consider themselves to have a disability or long-term health issue • 57% are men - a much larger proportion than the 43.2% originally envisaged • Ethnic diversity at 8.6% is in line with the overall regional demographic 

14. Participant Postcode Mapping

15. Reaching Our Target Participants • Key emphasis on building strong working links with stakeholders who also support our target participant groups, including: • Police & Probation teams • Troubled Families teams • Looked After Children teams • Vulnerable Person Resettlement teams • MAPPA/SOPO leads • Supported Housing teams • Housing Associations • Schools, Colleges & LA Education teams • Vulnerable women support groups • Key community & voluntary sector groups

16. Working With Employers • Volunteering, work experience & sponsored employment are core to our approach • Into-work support provided for both participants and employers • Proactive liaison with both employers and agencies – aim is to both create opportunities and positively influence perceptions • Development of first full employment “pathway” from taster day to work for FLT driving – now looking at others including: • Construction • Farming & Agriculture • Adult Social Care • Warehousing

17. Working With Employers (2) • Event hosted with local MP to influence key employers • Nationwide hosting employability skills events • Employer perception survey undertaken

18. Involving Participants • Participant self-perceptions & wellbeing measured throughout engagement • Detailed feedback captured via regular Community Organiser “listenings” • Swindon 105.5 involving participants in radio interviews about their experiences • Partner organisations incorporate feedback into their own approaches, lead team monitor & develop overall approach • Strong library of case studies and success stories being developed

19. Success Stories

20. Our Challenges & Reflections

21. Key Challenges • Proof of eligibility – right to work and economic status • Universal Credit • Proof of participant outcomes • Constant evolution of programme guidance - plus 1720, GDPR, etc. • Quality of participant files • Constant changes in partner staffing • Fantastic support from our Funding Officer and the national programme team – genuine willingness to accept proactive feedback and improvement suggestions • It is possible to positively influence ESF-level guidance!

22. Reflections • BBO is a very successful programme for Swindon & Wiltshire • Funding style has enabled a genuine cross-sector, cross-organisation collaborative approach to be put in place • Voluntary, flexible programme approach gives us the opportunity to support people far more effectively than traditional PBR-type programmes • Large partnership approach has enabled small organisations to access funding and contribute without needing to manage governance themselves • Fantastic support from Funding Officer and national programme team • We are keen to keep developing and learning more!

23. Please Contact Us