The role of skills: from worklessness to sustainable employment with progression : UK Commission for Employment and Skills Evidence Report no. 38

This study is shaped by the recognition that while there has been a great deal of policy development around the transition from unemployment and inactivity to employment over the last decade, policy can still be informed about how best to nurture sustainable employment for those at risk of labour market exclusion. There remain challenges associated with, for example, the cost-effectiveness of intervention, the „low pay no pay‟ cycle and access to training. As a consequence, the opportunities for sustainable progression, upward social mobility and alleviating poverty remain unrealised for many workers in lower paid occupations. The methodology underpinning this study is predominantly based on a literature search and review of the research and evidence base post 2005. This is supplemented with the development of four international case studies (Australia, Denmark, Germany, United States contained in a separate annex) and an e-consultation with country experts

The role of skills from worklessness to sustainable employment with progression

This study is shaped by the recognition that while there has been a great deal of policy development around the transition from unemployment and inactivity to employment over the last decade, policy has not been sufficiently informed about how best to nurture sustainable employment for those at risk of labour market exclusion. The review focused on evidence from 2005: it provides a review of data, UK and international literature and, incorporates findings from four international case studies ( Australia, Germany, Denmark and the United States. The report provides an overview of the economic context for low pay and low skilled work and highlights the need for a continuing commitment to promoting opportunities in the labour market as a means of progression and alleviating poverty and encouraging social mobility. The report argues that there is an inextricable link between skills and ‘better jobs’. The authors conclude that a long-term view is required to decide how best to support someone at the point of worklessness: to address employability barriers in the short-term; and prepare the individual to retain, and progress in, employment. The concept of career is explored as a framework for progression: a combination of career guidance, a career / personal development plan and career management skills are identified as tools to raise aspiration and enable individual’s to take action once they are in work to support their own progression. Thinking about the workplace, the report reviews the evidence on the role of job design, line management and progression pathways in facilitating workplace learning as a route to progression

The Role of Skills from Worklessness into Sustainable Employment with Progression

This study is shaped by the recognition that while there has been a great deal of policy development around the transition from unemployment and inactivity to employment over the last decade, policy can still be informed about how best to nurture sustainable employment for those at risk of labour market exclusion. There remain challenges associated with, for example, the cost-effectiveness of intervention, the „low pay no pay‟ cycle and access to training. As a consequence, the opportunities for sustainable progression, upward social mobility and alleviating poverty remain unrealised for many workers in lower paid occupations

The significance of the common bond in credit unions

Thet hesis seeks to reveal and explain the nature of the affective relations encapsulated within the 'common bond' definition of historical and contemporary examples of credit unions. In doing so, it is argued that a credit union is best understood as an 'elective association'. The reality-congruence of 'elective association' as a distinct sociological concept is explored,in relation to: i) the ambiguity surrounding the concept of 'community' in contemporary sociology; and ii) the concept's usefulness in enabling researchers to account for different forms of elective association and, crucially, the affective motivations within them. The substantive analysis takes the form of 3 historical and contemporary case studies into the formation and development of credit unions. The first examines the Raiffeisen credit union movement of South-Western Germany in the late nineteenth century, the second explores the origins of the US credit union movement with particular reference to the formation of credit unions in Manhattan from 1914; and the third analyses the significance of, and prospects for, the common bond among credit unions in contemporary English society. The theoretical core of the thesis rests upon Elias's concept of a figuration and, specifically, the problem of human interdependencies and affective bonds. In arguing that credit unions are elective associations, Schmalenbach's 'Bund'concept is employed in tandem with Elias's insights and Shils's extension of the concept, and is argued to help transcend the conceptual dichotomy locked within the GemeinschaftlGesellschaft concept. In the analysis of English credit union formations and development, Bauman's 'consumer society' thesis is considered, as are Giddens's arguments concerning the bases of personal trust and the influence of 'expert systems' in 'reflexive modernity'. Lash's critique of Giddens is also examined and is argued to be largely commensurate with the general tenor of Schmalenbach's insights

International Review of Performance Management Systems in Public Employment Services

This report presents the findings from a literature review which explores how other Public Employment Services (PES) across Europe use performance measurement in support of their organisational objectives in order that Jobcentre Plus can learn from this when considering future improvements to its performance measurement regime. The main aim of this review was to understand existing labour market targets and whether these would be appropriate for Jobcentre Plus. This aim is underpinned by a number of objectives: - to determine what labour market targets other PES use to measure their performance of moving people into work; - to understand whether other PES use off flow measures; - to determine what evidence exists to demonstrate why these targets are used in other countries, i.e. how they help move people into work; - to investigate whether there are other organisations who have labour market targets and what these targets are; - to understand if there are differences between public, private and voluntary sector targets, where appropriate.N/

Early effects of the economic downturn on the Welfare to Work System in deprived areas (WP83)

This report investigates the early effects of the recent economic downturn on the 'welfare to work infrastructure' in deprived areas, in particular how it is able to continue to provide support to the most disadvantaged groups. The report provides context that will inform the Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus’ response to the recent (and future) recessions in relation to support for disadvantaged areas and groups. The evidence presented also functions as a qualitative baseline against which the perceived success, within deprived areas, of measures to minimise the long-term impacts of the recession (e.g. the Young Person's Guarantee) canbe considered.N/