Designing services

In designing services that will both deliver employability services and incorporate the culture of employability it is vital to:

• Involve and consult with potential service users at the planning stages – the people potentially using the service are invaluable in shaping it in a way that is more likely to deliver positive outcomes. For advice on how to do this you can access www.ghn.org.uk/shien.
• Understand the different stages of the employability process and how the planned service fits with them. For example, if you are planning a pre-vocational component to your service have pathways to the next stage been mapped, and links made with other service providers if necessary?
• A “small steps” approach is often required when working with people experiencing homelessness due to the additional barriers often faced, whether in terms of additional support needs or systems in place. Planning and funding applications should take this into account and a soft indicators model should be adopted where possible, in order for progression/ achievements to be meaningfully mapped and evaluated.
• Capacity should be built in to allow for the training and accreditation of staff. In a survey by Crisis the majority of clients interviewed said that the biggest barrier to accessing employment, training or education opportunities was that they did not know who to get advice from.
• Capacity should be built in to allow for the accreditation of learning undertaken by clients. Homelessness agencies such as Booth House Day centre in Manchester have successfully embedded folio accreditation in all their employability services. This leads to tangible achievement, increased self-esteem and confidence and promotes a culture of continuous learning.
• Organisations should consider peer learning from agencies with established employability related provision and good practice. SHEN, the Scottish Homelessness & Employability Network can facilitate practice exchanges where possible.
• Evaluation and review systems should be part of the planning process.
• Meeting the employability needs of homeless people requires a holistic approach and can, therefore, often necessitate partnership working. Design of services needs to take into account the network of required partners, and who will take responsibility for which part of the employability pathway.