|
 |
Flexible New Deal
We are pleased to be able to offer Flexible New Deal to jobseekers in Sussex, Surrey and Kent with effect from October 5th 2009. This new contract, funded by the Department of Work and Pensions, will allow us to provide a more individual and flexible approach to finding you long-term employment. With a franchise-style model of delivery, we will be able to focus on local knowledge and existing training providers, achieving extensive coverage in Sussex Surrey and Kent.
Flexible New Deal allows you to benefit from high quality personalised programmes that will enable you to receive meaningful support and training towards employment.
Referral
You will be referred to Skills Training UK by your Jobcentre Plus advisor. We will then refer you to an appropriate provider based on factors like geography and career choices. An interview will then be arranged with a Customer Advisor at the Full Service Provider Centre, which will include initial assessment, confirmation of eligibility and the start of an Action Plan.
Your induction
Your Induction will include an introduction to the Provider and the Centre, and re-acquaintance with your Customer Advisor. It will also cover Health and Safety, course outlines and opportunities, success stories and the expectations of both yourself and the Provider.
Assessment and diagnostics
The initial assessments and diagnostics process will identify skills gained including transferable ones, job goals, barriers to work, attitude and motivational levels, training and employability skills required, the relevant employability modules and Routeways to include in the action plan and the mapping of a career path.
These Routeways include:-
- Educational training (Skills for Life/ESOL/IT)
- Overcoming multiple barriers – longer path to employment (maybe over 12 months)
- Job search support (job ready)
- Employer Led (i.e. pre-employment training) – where appropriate and available – screening to take place first.
- Using transferable skills to identify career paths
- Vocational training – for specific careers (e.g. security/fork lift truck)
- Self employment
Added flexibility
You may, if appropriate, move between different Routeways during the course of your time with us - for example, you might go onto the Transferable Skills option and then move to the Employer Led option once a career path has been identified. You may also take an option that combines two or more different Routeways at the same time, for example ESOL and Vocational Training. The hours of attendance will be determined according to your needs. Various job-focused workshops will be available throughout your time with us
Mandatory work related activity
You will attend at least four weeks of work focused activity during a one year period – this may be in the form of actual paid work, voluntary work, a work placement or simulated work focused activity (as a minimum expectation). This activity maybe within three months, six months, or after six months, depending on your readiness for employment which will have been identified at the initial assessment stage.
Once you have successfully gained employment, you will have a pre-employment interview with your Customer Advisor who will assess which benefits are available to you - for example, back to work, training entitlements, tax credit, housing, ADF (advisor discretionary fund), ASF (additional support fund – available as part of our offer). You will be introduced to the Post Employment Support Team (PEST), and will be able answer any questions you may have about returning to work. The Post Employment Support Team also offers a telephone hotline, advisor support, access to mentors, out of hours surgeries and training towards NVQ’s or Skills for life qualifications through Train to Gain or Apprenticeships