It’s about putting service-users first
As the Government finalises plans for its universal Adult Advancement and Careers Service, TONY McALEAVY considers what can be learned from services currently offering holistic support to disadvantaged groups
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rom 2010 the Government plans to have in place a universal Adult Advancement and Careers Service. Beyond the general support to help find jobs and complete applications offered by Job Centre Plus, the new framework will provide a more holistic approach to employment and training. Currently, this kind of holistic support is only available to targeted disadvantaged groups through individual organisations and, as universal adult services are introduced, a lot can be learnt from effective services targeting specific disadvantaged groups. CfBT Education Trust, in partnership with City and Guilds, has conducted research into successful examples of services providing learning and careers support to dis- advantaged adults. The lessons learnt from these organisations will not only help practitioners working with general adult learners to recognise the challenges faced by disadvantaged groups but will also demonstrate how universal services can be developed to meet the needs of all users. Universal services need to be built around the needs of the service-users to be most effective. One service user from Action for Blind People sums this up by saying: ‘It was not the needs of the organisation and what they do that mattered, but what I wanted’. Action for Blind People provides a number of support services for visually impaired people, including employment, education and careers support. The ethos throughout the organisation is one of user-involvement to the extent that users are often involved in decisions about the services provided. One new user commented: ‘I have been invited to a meeting next month. I had a written invitation. They are going to ask us about their plans for next year and what they should spend money on. I am going.’
30 ADULTS LEARNING NOVEMBER 2009
General client needs for all groups in society will be similar when accessing careers advice services; an assessment of their skills, advice on opportunities available, establishing goals, identifying how to reach these goals. However, beyond this there will be specific needs depending both on the individual and their circumstances. For any adult-services worker it is crucial to quickly establish these individual needs so as to tailor the services to best meet the needs of that individual. The Foundation Training Company (FTC) is a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in the resettlement and reintegration of offenders through programmes both within prison and within the community. Ex- offenders face a number of issues after prison; referral forms to FTC centres are very detailed, covering everything from the client's legal status, to housing and social reintegration. This helps practitioners to identify which issue is a priority to help that individual with reintegration.
Realistic goals Working at an individual level also means setting realistic goals and helping people work towards them. Many people struggling to find work may be discouraged if they are putting in time and effort without appearing to get anywhere. Getting clients involved in setting goals and managing their progress gives them responsibility and a sense of control that they may not have in other areas of their life.
Whilst practitioners should help clients set their own goals and work hard to achieve them they also have to be realistic. The ROSE project works with adults with learning disabilities who want to gain paid employment. On the first meeting clients are involved in a detailed assessment to identify
their interests, when they are available and how serious they are about paid employment. ROSE project managers need to be frank with clients about employer expectations; they seek to be realistic in helping the individual fulfil their interest without setting goals which are not plausible. Progression will mean different things to each individual. It is important to take this into account when establishing a programme. Breaking progression down into smaller steps will keep motivation high and ensure that the client can see how much they are achieving. It is also important to recognise when the client is ready to move on to the next step. Careers guidance practitioners cannot do everything for the individual client. Part of the process to get disadvantaged adults into work and training is to give them the confidence and the skills to manage their own progression. Practitioners should instead follow up with clients and continue to provide encouragement. For people who may be reluctant to get involved and start to make changes in their lives it is important to challenge them and ask them to make a commitment to change. Centrepoint works with socially excluded, homeless and vulnerable young adults. For this group of people it may be particularly difficult to encourage participation and commitment. When a young person gets involved with Centrepoint they sign up to ‘the Deal’. This details joint responsibilities for the young person to commit to participating to create their own self-sustaining future. The Deal places the responsibility firmly back onto the young person, once again giving them control in their life. For Centrepoint the service is not simply to get disadvantaged young people back into education or employment. It is a holistic service targeting many of the underlying
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