Issue No.24 / September 2023
Ingeus to help more people into work through ‘pioneering’ universal support programme
What’s inside...
Page 3 Three cheers for Ingeus
Page 5 Lucas Lives It at lakeside NCS
Page 7 Fabulous fundraising for St George’s Crypt
We will be providing new support to help out of work long-term sick and disabled people who face barriers to employment. This is part of the first phase of the Universal Support employment programme announced in the Government’s Spring Budget. The new scheme – Work and Health Programme Pioneer – will introduce participants to suitable employers based on their preferences, strengths and any lessons learned from previous work experience, to ensure they find a job that is right for them. They will then receive wraparound inwork support provided by a personal
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adviser in person and online as they start and sustain employment, which may include debt advice or help with networking or housing. The programme launched on 13th September and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was there filming frontline advisors about the opportunities and how they can offer additional support for people who need it. Understanding that everyone faces different challenges in finding and thriving in work is key. Regardless of disability, health conditions, lack of experience, family, housing, or financial worries, Pioneer’s focus on practical, ongoing support will help people make informed choices and quickly move into a role that’s right for them. Our extensive experience in helping people develop their confidence, skills and employability is matched with an unsurpassed partner network of flexible employers ready and able to do the right thing and find Ingeus Newsletter
the right fit for their vacancies. Up to 15 months’ guidance, and six months’ in-work support is offered by us – free of charge to participants, referral organisations and recruiting employers. “We believe everyone should be offered the chance to work and is capable of great things with the right support and encouragement. Pioneer will enable us to reach and help people who may feel that work is unachievable for them,” says Julie Graham, CEO of Employment Services for Ingeus. “We will help people to combat problems currently keeping from employment, find the right role and employer for them, and offer the all-important wraparound support to sustain employment in the long-term. We’re excited to offer this extra level of Work and Health Programme support to people who need it most.” 1
AbleFutures supports Daisy Communications’ mental health wellbeing strategy The call for kindness because everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about has gained significant traction throughout the pandemic. Yet for Betsy Darlington, HR Manager at telecoms service provider Daisy Communications, it was back in 2015 that a suicidal colleague brought that fact directly into her office. Thinking on her feet brought a successful resolution to the situation but Betsy acknowledges that at the time, she was ill equipped to really know how to help. It prompted some sweeping changes at Daisy, one of the UK’s largest independent telecommunications providers. HR colleagues were trained as mental health first aiders and Betsy enlisted the help of the Able Futures mental health support service in 2019, after meeting Employer Account Manager Angela Han at a wellbeing event. Able Futures, led by Ingeus UK, delivers the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service, which is fully funded by the Government so that participants and employers do not pay anything to receive advice and guidance on how to support mental health at work. Able Futures offers fast access to 9 months’ mental health support for anyone who is working in England, Scotland or Wales but struggling with something that is Issue No.24 / September 2023
playing on their mind which means they struggle to stay happy and productive at work. “Everyone has something going on in the background,” says Betsy, who is part of the team overseeing Daisy’s 900-strong workforce. “It may not be anything directly to do with work, but it will impact some more than others depending on the severity of the issue and the support networks people have around them. People are human and if there’s something negative they feel they can’t control then we understand that will come into work with them. Add to that the pressures of any customer serviceled business like ours and we identified a real need for effective, medium-tolong-term support for people that we couldn’t cater for in-house.” Able Futures provides support from qualified mental health experts called Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants, and there is typically no waiting list, so people will start receiving guidance and have made a personalised mental health support plan with their VRC within 30 days of applying. Able Futures VRCs will work with each individual person to understand what is playing on their mind and how it is affecting them at work, often recommending actions that can help people dealing with anxiety, stress, low moods or difficulty finding their confidence or motivation. People can confidentially refer themselves, and tell their family and friends if the service might be relevant to them, at no cost. The Able Futures programme was launched to Daisy’s UK-wide business with synchronised events across in June
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2019, with Angela presenting its services at its head office in Burnley. It subsequently proved a vital tool for the HR team to signpost staff to during the tough times of Covid furlough and remains a stalwart of Daisy Communications’ staff support services. “Being able to offer quick access to a significant length of support is amazing. Often that nine months is enough to get people through a tough time, without them turning to medical support or sick leave. If our staff are perhaps struggling to support someone else in their lives with their mental health, it’s also a tool for them to suggest. “We want our people to be better every day and having Able Futures support, all for free, is helping us to work towards that.” The strategy certainly seems to be paying dividends. In early 2023, Daisy Communications was named the Number One Telecoms Company to Work For in the Best Companies league, following the results of a company-wide employee survey. It was also in the top 30 of Best Large Companies to Work For across the UK. “It’s hugely well deserved,” says Able Future’s Angela Han. “Betsy and the team are so proactive with all things mental health related and have truly built Able Futures into the foundations of their wellbeing strategy. It’s a longterm partnership which is positively impacting the makeup of their busy, high achieving teams. I’m not surprised people love working there.”
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Three cheers for Ingeus
There was triple cause for celebration at the recent Nepacs Ruth Cranfield Awards as a trio of justice division colleagues received awards and commendations. All are members of Ingeus’ Commissioned Rehabilitative Services Dependency and Recovery team based in Northumbria and were commended for their selfless and inspiring work supporting the rehabilitation of offenders in the region. Chris Sopp Dependency & Recovery Navigator was one of just four recipients of a main Nepacs award. Chris works directly with people on probation to overcome substance misuse issues. Issue No.24 / September 2023
Having lived experience of the criminal justice system himself, and the reformative effects of rehabilitation services, he is highly effective at engaging with people on his caseload, leading them away from their addictions and reoffending behaviour. Ruth Horn and David Southern each received Certificates of Excellence for their outstanding partnership approach to supporting people on probation. Team manager Davina Fitzpatrick proudly attended the awards at Durham’s Emirates Riverside stadium with Chris, Ruth and David. She said: “Chris is an asset to my team, an enthusiastic and likeable colleague to everyone that works with him, and a lifeline for the people he supports. Ruth and David have worked together for the past year and as their manager, I receive repeated praise for their actions from the people they support and the
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partners we work with. As one probation officer said to me ‘they go above and beyond the above and beyond!’ Since 2018, the annual Nepacs (North East Prison After Care Society) awards have highlighted the work of exceptional individuals and innovative good practice in promoting resettlement. The awards are named after Nepacs Patron Ruth Cranfield who organised the beginnings of the charity in its present-day form. Pia Sinha, director of The Prison Reform Trust, presented the awards and certificates and said: “People working within the criminal justice system need to be celebrated and admired as beacons of hope. Today we celebrated the best of the best. From community to custody, through the gate and beyond, these worthy winners show us the value of resilience and selfless service. Congratulations to all the certificate and award winners and thank you for all that you do.”
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Chloe finds her paw-fect job
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decided it wasn’t for her. Eager to get practical experience with animals, she knew she wanted to learn first-hand. Her lack of experience, however, alongside her ongoing anxiety, meant she was struggling to find work. She explains, “I’ve always loved animals – I grew up with horses, cats and dogs. They really help me to stay calm. “Lockdown didn’t help my anxiety, and when I left university I was so nervous about the whole process of finding a job.
20-year-old animal lover Chloe is fulfilling her childhood dream. Always passionate about animals, she’s now spending her working days surrounded by fourlegged friends – thanks to support from Ingeus’ Working Well (Work and Health Programme) – as she em’barks’ on her paw-fect career as a dog handler. Issue No.24 / September 2023
Chloe, from Oldham, was referred by her local Jobcentre Plus to Ingeus Keyworker Janice in the Working Well (Work and Health Programme) team in Greater Manchester. The programme offers tailored support to individuals with disabilities and health conditions who are seeking employment. Commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, it soon provided Chloe with the support she needed. “I was applying for every animal job going,” recalls Chloe. “Janice was really helpful in letting me know about them. I applied for so many jobs but I wasn’t getting anywhere because I didn’t have any experience. Then Janice saw a job on social media, and we got lucky when I was able to visit them in person to hand in my CV.” Chloe was two weeks into a veterinary nursing course in 2022 when she Ingeus Newsletter
“Janice was brilliant. She put me forward for workshops to help my confidence and time management, and they really helped. Although I’m over the scariness of it all now, I’ll be able to take the tips I learnt with me.” Working full time, Chloe – who is also a beauty social media influencer in her spare time – is responsible for looking after dogs staying in a luxury pet hotel. She cares for anything from six to 25 dogs at any time and is looking forward to running puppy training classes. She says, “I love my job, it’s made such a difference to me. I’ve even been able to afford to buy a car. It’s a brilliant feeling to have a job that I love and to no longer need to check job sites each day. “The programme has been a lifechanging experience. The difference in me compared to last year is crazy. I can’t thank the team enough. I’ve got confidence in myself that I never thought I’d have again.” 4
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Lucas Lives It at lakeside NCS
The summer of 2023 has become a voyage of discovery for 16-year-old Lucas from Gloucestershire. Having just completed a lakeside adventure with National Citizen Service (NCS), he’s not only mastered paddle boarding, kayaking, and raft building, he’s learned more about different cultures, lifestyles, and himself, than he ever could have imagined. Having completed his GCSEs and with a full summer ahead of him, Lucas was drawn to the new ‘Live It’ away from home NCS experience. It promises five fun-filled days away, packed with adventurous outdoor activities and the opportunity to meet new people. For a fee of just £95, and the added bonus of counting toward his residential experience for a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Issue No.24 / September 2023
Award, Lucas was keen to see what the week would hold. “I’m not used to staying away from home for prolonged periods and wasn’t really sure what to expect but was excited at the thought of all the different activities,” says Lucas, who glamped at the beautiful Wimbleball Lake in Somerset. “As soon as I got there, I knew it would be great. “The activities were brilliant fun: high ropes, paddleboarding, kayaking, but what I really enjoyed was the relaxation time. We could free roam around the centre, play football and cards and get to know the others in the group. It really helped us gel. Everyone could find someone new to talk to and I was able to mix with people from different backgrounds. I learned all about Hinduism and veganism!” The new NCS residential experiences are delivered in partnership by Ingeus and the Youth Hostels Association of England and Wales (YHA). With a network of
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specialist youth organisations, including South West Lakes at Wimbleball, the residential stays offer 16 and 17 yearolds the opportunity to take part in project-based learning activities that promote independent living (Live It), employability (Boss It) and social action (Change It). Lucas has remained in touch with his new NCS friends and will draw on the confidence, teamworking and communication skills the experience built up as he prepares for A-levels in physics, maths and design and technology at Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School in Kingswood. He’s also keen to recommend NCS to other young people. The accommodation was large, clean and comfortable, great food, and super company: “I loved every second of it,” says Lucas. “Even when it was pouring down, no one got grumpy or serious. There was never a dull moment, you just know you’re all going to have fun.”
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Visit from Minister of State Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) at Ingeus
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Guy Opperman, Minister for Employment, visited Ingeus’ office in Lambeth centre in September and took the opportunity to meet our frontline advisors who support jobseekers through the Restart Scheme with local, lasting employment. The Restart Scheme has already provided support for over 450,000 people and deliver the scheme at 18 locations across Central and West London alone, and across the country.
Recognition for Anthony Allcock, Ingeus’ Chief Information and Digital Officer
The CIO 100 Awards UK 2023 took place in September which acknowledges the best and brightest CIOs and technology leaders in the UK. The awards gave recognition to Anthony Allcock, Ingeus’ Chief Information and Digital Officer as one of the 100 celebrated for their achievements in digital transformation, executing innovative IT strategies and initiatives. Congratulations Anthony for being honoured at the awards!
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Fabulous fundraising for St George’s Crypt
Leeds homeless charity St George’s Crypt is set to benefit from a staggering £12,345 following Ingeus’ charity fundraiser. The money will go to support the charity’s Growing Rooms initiative for vulnerable people in the city following a muchanticipated charity auction and dinner. Hosted at city centre hotel Malmaison on 23rd September, the event was planned by our justice team in Yorkshire in support for Butler Trust’s Hidden Heroes Day on 29th September, which celebrates the work of everyone working in justice, youth, and probation settings. Proceeds from the event will support St George’s Crypt’s 15-month accommodation and recovery programme, Growing Rooms. People committed to changing their lives are able to live independently in communitybased, supported housing while Issue No.24 / September 2023
attending structured recovery sessions, and volunteering for the charity’s other initiatives. “We were keen to carry on with Butler Trust’s past fundraising efforts for Hidden Heroes Day,” explains Carrie Peters, Director of Justice Services for Ingeus, who spoke at the event. “St George’s Crypt is a charity we work with closely, which benefits many of the people on probation we support in the area, and we’re delighted to have raised so much money for such a worthwhile cause. “Ingeus and St George’s Crypt colleagues gathered amazing donations of auction and raffle prizes from local businesses which helped us reach a truly amazing total on the night. I can’t thank everyone involved enough.” Auction lots included jewellery, extravagant afternoon teas and dinners, signed football kit and memorabilia, weekends away and holiday vouchers. The raffle was equally generous, with ice hockey tickets, family meals and luxury wine on offer.
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Chris Field, Chief Executive Officer at St George’s Crypt says the charity’s services are in full and constant demand and the much-needed funds will make a huge difference to local people struggling with homelessness and addiction issues. He said: “The Growing Rooms project is an important lifeline to many people, enabling them to support each other and focus fully on recovery, before building back the blocks of an independent, healthy, and working life. Without the generosity and efforts of local companies, our work simply wouldn’t be possible. I’m humbled by the amount of businesses that have donated items, bought tickets for the dinner, and boosted our fundraising efforts. “Ingeus has also been simply tireless in making arrangements for the evening to be enjoyed by all. It’s been a hugely fun event, with a serious purpose at its core, and we hope to repeat it in future years.” Vocal group The Trilogies helped the beats – and bids – flow as 80 guests were given a night to remember – for all the right reasons.
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I’m not being weird, I’m just blind! offers all the help she needs to thrive as a member of a key business team. “I joined Ingeus in 2016 after my previous employer became less inclined to support me,” says 46-yearold Insiyah. “However, I found straight away it was so easy to get the things I needed. I wasn’t met with resistance that if something was difficult it couldn’t be done. Instead, the attitude was: ‘Let’s see what we can do, we’ll figure something out.’” She has spent two spells with the business, with a two-year gap during which she had her daughter, and initially was provided with a range of tools to overcome her difficulty in reading printed words. “When I had to do a presentation for my interview I was asked if I needed any reasonable adjustments, so was up front and said if I had to read anything I’d like it to be sent digitally or in a larger print format.
It was more than 25 years ago that Insiyah was diagnosed with a genetic and worsening eye condition that causes extreme short sightedness and poor night vision. It was discovered by specialists but only years after her optician told the then 17-year-old student, who was having difficulty reading her teacher’s words on the classroom whiteboard, to move closer to the front of the room! She was determined not to let the condition affect her life or career: she travelled widely, worked in the US and as a teacher in the UK and now, at Ingeus, has found a company that
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“As soon as I was awarded the role I contacted the Government’s Access to Work specialists to assess my situation and Ingeus readily took on board its recommendations. “I got lots of new things to aid me, such as a larger monitor and software that magnifies everything you see on screen. “I also had a keyboard with bigger letters plus a device that magnified any document placed below it onto a screen, as well as a hand-held version to use when I was not at my desk.” On her return to the business in 2021 she was appointed Quality, Audit and Risk Manager for our Commissioned Rehabilitative Services and, although registered as severely sight impaired, found she no longer needed some of the aids she first relied on. “There have been such massive advances in technology that now I find Windows Magnifier meets my Ingeus Newsletter
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needs and I can use my smartphone’s camera to zoom in and read anything that’s in hard copy. When I first joined Ingeus as the new person in a big office I felt a bit awkward, particularly with all the new kit on my desk. I felt I wanted to wear a badge that said: ‘I’m not being weird, I’m just blind!.’ “However, on speaking to colleagues they told me they hadn’t realised I had a sight problem. I thought it was obvious, but it wasn’t. I wasn’t made to feel like I stood out awkwardly because of my condition. “It can be isolating if you have a disability, you can think you are the only person with this set of challenges, but here there are lots of great wellbeing initiatives that encourage people to talk about conditions ranging from neurodiversity to menopause.” As part of the inclusive culture at Ingeus, which is a Disability Confident Leader, Insiyah has gained accredited qualifications and produced tips for those using assistive technology. They have been shared widely across the business and include inverting screen colours to make text easier to read, using dictate functionality rather than typing, and enlarging the cursor on screen to locate it more easily. It’s an initiative that fits well with National Inclusion Week (25 Sept-1 Oct). Its theme is Take Action Make Impact to encourage actions that bring positive and lasting change. Despite there being no immediate cure for her sight condition Insiyah stays positive: “I am optimistic that I can carry on working and, with medical advances, I remain hopeful there will be some sort of breakthrough. I will use all the resources available to me and know that Ingeus and my colleagues will support me.” 8
Getting Tara back on her feet
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always on hand to offer sympathetic advice. “I had been looking for a job for months and was getting very frustrated with myself. I started going downhill mentally, but Basil calmed me down and really reassured me. It was good to have an expert in my corner and slowly but surely I began to feel more confident about my prospects,” says Tara.
Due to a family rift, Tara left her home in Wales and moved in with her sister in Oldham. Jobless and anxious, the 23-year-old wanted to get her life back on track as soon as possible. However, despite her previous experience working in hospitality and hairdressing, Tara’s search for employment proved fruitless. “I thought coming from a small town to a big city, I’d find a job straightaway, but it was so difficult,” says Tara. As well as jobs in hairdressing, she looked for night reception jobs, care work and warehousing positions. Recognising that Tara’s mental health had taken a knock, her work coach at Oldham Jobcentre Plus referred her to Ingeus for extra support. Tara was introduced to keyworker Basil in our Working Well (Work and Health Programme) team in Greater Manchester. The programme is commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority and supports long-term unemployed jobseekers and people with disabilities and health conditions. Providing holistic, tailored help to overcome common stumbling blocks to people successfully securing work, the programme provides Issue No.24 / September 2023
expert advice on wellbeing issues, housing, debt, and employability skills. It harnesses the expertise of local partners, specialist agencies and recruiting employers to guide people into sustainable employment. “I do struggle with anxiety and depression and moving here didn’t help because I was stuck indoors, I had four walls syndrome,” says Tara. “My anxiety was getting worse because I was having to travel by myself in an unknown area; it made me come out of my comfort zone. When I met Basil he was amazing and said how can I help you and what are you struggling with? He listened to me and made me feel so welcome. It was so refreshing to talk to someone who clearly understood the issues I was facing.” Basil promptly arranged therapy for Tara to manage her anxiety and referred her to a local crisis support service for help with securing housing. He also began searching for jobs on her behalf and was
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Armed with her new positive outlook and employability tips, Tara seized her moment on the way back from meeting Basil when she overhead a coffee-shop conversation about the venue looking to hire new staff. She expressed an interest and was later invited for a trial. Checking in with a delighted Basil beforehand gave her the final boost she needed to ace the interview and trial shift, before being offered a job! She is now on a 30hour contract and thoroughly enjoying her work. “It’s amazing, the staff are all so down to earth and I get on with them all so well.” Tara is still trying to secure her own property but is grateful to have a regular income at last. “My sister is really proud of me. She has been so supportive and understanding throughout but now I can pay her back, it’s a massive weight off my shoulders. She said we’re going to celebrate and book a holiday for next year with her family – she told me I can pay!” Tara is now keen to recommend the Work and Health Programme to others. She says: “I realise now that Basil was pushing me in the right direction, without actually pushing me. He listened to me and genuinely cared about how I was doing. The whole Working Well team is like family, they are always chatting and smiling. It’s comforting just to be in the room with them. It was the most amazing support I could have been offered and I certainly wouldn’t have gained my job without them. It made all the difference.”
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Getting to know you... Dylan Hanson Youth Engagement Officer
We asked Dylan to answer life’s essential ‘this or that’ questions:
Summer or Winter? Summer
This month we stopped to take a minute to find out more about Dylan Hanson and his role at Ingeus. Hey! My name’s Dylan and I am Youth Engagement Officer here at Ingeus covering the North-West region. My role includes delivering assemblies to students in Yr11/12 across the NorthWest to promote the NCS experience and establishing strong relationships with external stakeholders. I also had the opportunity this year to work as a Wave Leader. I love my role so much because we are genuinely making a difference
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to young people’s lives. Working on the NCS programme this year has allowed me to see first-hand the impact we have on students and the opportunities it gives them. Along with an amazing team and supportive management, I work in a fun and encouraging environment with new opportunities that support my own personal development. I have had the chance to travel up and down the country, supporting different areas and networking with other Ingeus members across the board. One of my main focuses in my role is keeping the team motivated and introducing incentives to recognise everyone’s hard work and build team morale.
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Chocolate or sweets? Chocolate Night or morning? Night City or countryside? City Cats or dogs? Dogs Dressed up or casual? Dressed up Phone calls or emails? Phone calls Books or films? Films Night out or night in? Night out Holidays or home comforts? Holidays
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