Equally Well in North Lanarkshire

30 September 2009

Lanarkshire is one of eight Equally Well test sites, each having its own particular theme. In Lanarkshire the theme is employability, driven by a partnership consisting of NHS Lanarkshire, the two local authorities, Jobcentre Plus and Skills Development Scotland. The aim of this site is to increase awareness of the range of employability support which is available to clients and patients, and to encourage referrals into the model. For South Lanarkshire Council staff and NHS Lanarkshire staff, 30 minute information briefing sessions have been delivered to a range of staff, linking them to a dedicated phone-line

In North Lanarkshire, however, a 90 minutes training session has been devised, and so far 26 sessions have been delivered to 312 people drawn from council staff, local Keep Well Nurses and the voluntary sector. The training includes sending out advance reading, and the training is split into three sections – the North Lanarkshire problem (looking at the high number of people on workless benefits), the health advantages of being in employment; and the range of services available to help clients and patients break down any barriers that are preventing them get into employment. The training includes an employability quiz, group and individual exercises and case studies. Delivery is slightly different for the Council’s six addiction teams, with the training expanded to three hour sessions, but including guests speakers from Routes to Work, Apex, Phoenix Futures, and Salus.

Addiction Services have been particularly keen to embrace the training and the services available given that they have targets under the local ADAT for getting clients into employment, training, work experience, and literacy and numeracy services – which is the bread and butter work of the North Lanarkshire’s Working Employability model. Working with addictions has led to monthly referral targets being set of 2 per month per team which totals 144 per annum, a new assessment form which includes employability, and a memo of understanding is in place between services, and information sharing and joint briefing sessions have been established.. Similarly with Housing Services an integrating employability assessment has been devised, referral protocols have been set up, and employability features prominently within Homelessness strategy.

To the end of June 2009 the training has generated 56 referrals into the dedicated North Lanarkshire’s Working freephone number, accessing an employability model which from April 2008 to May 2009 had assisted 1140 people back into work with 15 % of participants having a registered disability or  health difficulties, and 64% having multiple deprivations, with 44% of those supported living in most deprived 15% areas, clearly the type of person the Scottish Government’s strategy is aiming to assist.

While still working through stage 1 of the process, plans are underway for stage 2 which includes greater penetration into services, rolling out the training to Community Learning and Development staff, rolling out the training as an e-learning course to all Council staff, reinforcing the health benefits of employability services through “not so speedy” networking events, and a dedicated e-bulletin, and including employability in the induction process for new staff.

For more information about Equally Well in North Lanarkshire, contact Ian Hunter on 01698 302707, or hunteri@northlan.gov.uk