Case studies

The examples demonstrate how councils have been able to reduce 16 to 18-year-old disengagement to an all-time low and increasingly support older young people towards work. Evidence demonstrates the value of creating personal advisers for individuals, planning provision across places, and brokering leadership and support into work.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority worked with the Behavioural Insights Team to improve the client consent process for its Working Well employment support programme.

To date, SkillsHouse has supported more than 1,000 unemployed people to find work, while the wider Get Bradford Working programme has helped over 3,000 people into employment.

Launched three years ago, the ESB has become a lead strategic partner in the skills agenda across Greater Essex and brings together employers, primary and secondary education, further and higher education and employer bodies.

Work Local is the Local Government Association (LGA)’s positive vision for an integrated and devolved employment and skills service – bringing together information, advice and guidance alongside the delivery of employment, skills, apprenticeships and wider support for individuals and employers. This case study highlights how Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council worked together to implement a similar approach.

Southampton City Council’s adult learning programme revealed that 91 per cent of learners said their confidence increases, 74 per cent said they felt more included and 67 per cent said it increased their health and wellbeing.

Islington Council supports more than 1500 local residents every year through a wide variety of courses with many using them to upskill or change careers, while others use them to boost their self-confidence or as a stepping-stone to employment.

Lincolnshire County Council supported 7,511 adults onto 1,235 learning programmes during 2018/19. It targeted specific groups including people with learning difficulties and disabilities, no or low qualifications, the unemployed and residents from the most deprived neighbourhoods – which accounted for 20 per cent of learners.

North Tyneside Council’s Employment and Skills service is made up of Connexions, Adult Learning and Employability Projects. Between April and December 2019, North Tyneside Council’s Employability Projects supported 77 adults into work, 59 into training and a further 35 into voluntary and work experience.