Clients who had not moved towards work at Wave One –

despite contacting the Job Broker service

Circumstances at the Wave One interview

At the time of the Wave One interview, clients in this group generally felt that the Job Broker service had had little or no impact on enhancing their position with relation to work. Within this group were:

• clients whose initial contact had never been followed up or maintained;

• clients who were no longer engaged with the Job Broker service because they felt the service was inadequate or had not met their needs;

• clients who appeared to be in a state of ‘limbo’, and were waiting to hear from the Job Broker (for example, about training or job search); and

• clients who were receiving Job Broker services (such as job search support, training or workshops), but felt the help they had received was inappropriate or inadequate and felt they had not moved forward.

At Wave One, the general feeling among this group was that the Job Broker service had not helped them move forwards, and people felt disappointed, frustrated or despondent about the prospects of entering work. This view was particularly strong when they had come to the Job Broker service feeling that it was their last avenue to finding work.

Changes between Wave One and Wave Two interview

Since the first research interview, some clients in this group had moved towards or into work, whilst others did not feel they were any closer to work. There were differing accounts of the impact of the Job Broker service and other sources of support.

Entries into employment

Clients who had maintained or resumed contact with the Job Broker since the Wave One research interview and had entered employment, reported that they had found the job themselves. However, some felt that continued contact with the service had helped, for example, feeling their confidence had been increased through participation in a long-term work placement, or feeling more motivated to look for work through the ongoing encouragement of a Job Broker adviser. Some now felt their continued contact had been helpful, in contrast to their views at the Wave One interview when they were frustrated with their progress. However, others felt that despite continued contact, the Job Broker support had not played a key role in their job entry. An example of this is where Job Brokers had sent clients information on jobs which were inappropriate and they had found their jobs themselves.

Others who had moved into employment had not had contact with the Job Broker since the first research interview and had either never received services, or had been dissatisfied and contact had ended before the first research interview. These clients had progressed towards work either by themselves or using other agencies such as Jobcentre Plus and disability organisations (see Section 4.4.1) as well as personal contacts. Some had stayed in their first job; others had had several jobs, and some were now out of work again because of deteriorating health or having been made redundant.

Movement towards work

Other people who at Wave One, had not moved forward, by Wave Two felt they were now closer to work due to the support of the Job Broker service. In some cases, this had been through the continuation of the support they had described at Wave One. For example, after a series of work placements and regular Job Broker contact, one client who had not felt ready to work at Wave One and was unsure about the benefits of the Job Broker service, was now clearer about the type of work he wanted and was now doing voluntary work as a next step towards paid work. In other cases, clients had been in limbo at Wave One, but contact with the Job Broker had resumed after they had received a letter informing them of changes to the service. In these cases, there had been a change in either the Job Broker adviser or in the approach of the service, and needs unmet at the first research interview were now being addressed. In one example, a client who had wanted paid employment had been unhappy with the original focus of the Job Broker service which had centred around a work placement. The focus had later changed to supported job search which he felt was more appropriate. Another person had originally been steered towards voluntary work but was happier with a later focus on helping him to

access a full-time one year course which he hoped would lead to work. Whilst neither client was working by the time of the Wave Two interview, they felt that they were now getting help which was appropriate and which would help them to move towards work.

Other clients had moved closer to work without any Job Broker contact. This had occurred through voluntary work, training or educational courses either arranged themselves or through other organisations or agencies (see Section 4.4.1).

Limited or no movement towards work

Where clients did not feel they had moved towards work since the first research interview, this was sometimes despite subsequent contact with the Job Broker. This group included people who at the time of the first research interview were still waiting for a Job Broker to follow up after an initial meeting. Some reported being sent details of unsuitable jobs or getting no follow up after they were unable to continue with a work placement. Other Job Brokers failed to keep appointments, or had not provided a replacement after an adviser had been made redundant, which meant that clients were again waiting to hear from the Job Broker service.

Where clients had had no contact with the Job Broker, some had continued to job search themselves, and with the support of other organisations or agencies (see Section 4.4.1). However whilst some had been successful (as already described) others had become despondent after repeated rejections, or had suspended plans to move into work because of poor health. Here, views about the service generally reflected those expressed in the first research interview, although views could become more negative in comparison with alternative support services which had proved helpful. However, in a few instances people who had received more useful and intensive support from other agencies contemplated the possibility of returning to a Job Broker for specific help now that they felt more prepared for work, for example, to find a work placement or for help with job search (see Section 4.3.1). Overall, then, there were diverse patterns in terms of whether people felt they had moved on since the Wave One interview, and whether they had continued to be in touch with the services. People who were in work at Wave One and felt the help they had received was influential were all still in work in Wave Two, some having drawn on skills they had sharpened with the help of Job Brokers in moving on to a better job. People who, at Wave One, had moved towards work and felt the Job Broker service was influential, had generally continued to move forwards, or into work, although this was not always with continued help from the service. Where people were in work at Wave One but did not feel the Job Broker service had contributed to this, some had since had to leave work, and some identified new gaps in the help they had received. Among those who, at Wave One, did not feel they had moved forward, some were now in work and others continuing to move forward, and some here felt the Job Broker service had played a role. Others, however, had stopped being in touch and felt any progress was the result of their own endeavours or the help of another agency, and some felt they had still not moved forwards at all.

4.3

Explaining outcomes: the role of the Job Broker