Lifeworks Impact Report

LW

LIFEW

RKS

SOLVING LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UK

THE IMPACT There are 120,000 unemployed ex-service personnel in the UK. Recent research shows that ex-service personnel are twice as likely to be unemployed as those in the general population. We also know that there are many exservice personnel who are economically inactive - out of work but not job searching due to, for example, ill-health or disability. Whilst support is available to those leaving service, not all ex-service personnel take up this support, and even those who have transitioned successfully can have problems finding work later in life, triggered by issues such as redundancy, ill-health or housing issues.

Royal British Legion Industries’ (RBLI) LifeWorks programme offers intensive, tailored employability and resettlement support to ex-service personnel. It supports those who are struggling on civvy street to move into sustainable employment, education and training. In 2015, RBLI commissioned the Learning and Work Institute to undertake an evaluation of the LifeWorks programme with the aim of assessing its impact on participants’ employment outcomes.

INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTED THROUGH LIFEWORKS

83% “LIFEWORKS WITHOUT

W E R E I N E M P L O Y M E N T, T R A I N I N G

OR VOLUNTEERING WITHIN 1 YEAR O F AT T E N D I N G L I F E W O R K S

79%

65%

H AV E A P H Y S I C A L O R

ARE AGED OVER 40

M E N TA L D I S A B I L I T Y O R H E A LT H C O N D I T I O N

35% H A V E A M E N TA L

H E A LT H C O N D I T I O N

A DOUBT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE JAMIE, EX-ROYAL ENGINEER SUPPORTED INTO WORK

“

SOLVING LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UK Our society is changing; unemployment is at an unprecedented low, however there are still many groups of people experiencing high unemployment, especially those with more complex barriers to work. At the same time the welfare system is being completely re-evaluated and re-designed. Our expertise, gained through nearly 100 years of helping people back to work has never been more relevant.

We are proud of our LifeWorks programme, which has helped over 600 Armed Forces Veterans so far and we are striving to reach even more Veterans who for whatever reason are excluded from the workplace. The results from the Learning and Work Institute’s evaluation show that LifeWorks is exceptional – 83% of those who attend move into employment, training or volunteering. It is imperative that LifeWorks is now expanded and used to help others who are struggling to find work.

600

EX-SERVICE PERSONNEL SUPPORTED THROUGH L I F E W O R K S T O D AT E

We know that support must be person-centred, but also that in order for a difference to be made, investment in a person must be upfront. In LifeWorks this is delivered in the form of an intensive week of support, integrated with an in-depth vocational assessment which helps people identify the work that will suit them, as well as helping them overcome practical and emotional barriers. We have seen this model change lives.

Like the government, we know it is unacceptable that the employment rate for people with disabilities and health conditions is nearly 30% lower than the employment rate for those without health conditions. This is why we want to use Lifeworks to help halve the disability employment gap and make a system change across the UK in how we support those who are the furthest from work, including those with mental and physical health conditions and those leaving the criminal justice system. We must invest to make a real difference to the lives of those who want to work but are struggling to find sustainable employment.

“WE WANT TO USE LIFEWORKS TO HELP HALVE THE DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT GAP” We can’t do this alone. We need to work with government, businesses and with other charities to roll out LifeWorks across the country to those who need it. Together we can deliver real change.

Steve Sherry CMG OBE RBLI Chief Executive

THE COURSE

WHO WE SUPPORT

The LifeWorks programme involves a period of intensive faceto-face support followed by 12 months of formal reachback and remote support. LifeWorks was designed to help exservice personnel struggling to find work and since it was launched in 2012 has helped over 600 ex-service personnel into work. The course provides individuals with the skills and confidence to find and sustain a civilian career by:

LifeWorks was originally developed to support ex-service personnel, however, the prevalence of employment issues faced by members of the broader military community has led them to adapt the programme for different audiences.

They now deliver courses to the spouses and partners of serving personnel through LifeWorks Families, and also provide support to ex-offenders through LifeWorks Prisons.

DEFINING GOALS

VETERANS

RBLI help clients realise and define their goals, needs, motivations and desires; assisting them with developing appropriate strategies to achieve goals. An in-depth vocational assessment is at the heart of what we do.

FAMILIES

GIVING THEM THE TOOLS

EX-OFFENDERS

LifeWorks is so effective because the client ‘owns and is accountable for’ the solution, rather than simply being told what to do. RBLI give individuals the tools and skills so they can move forward with their life. The client becomes the creator of his or her own new life.

DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE

The coach assists the client identifying limiting beliefs and with developing the courage and selfconfidence to set realistic goals and reach them.

Locations of members of the Armed Forces community supported through LifeWorks programmes in the UK

KEY FINDINGS The Learning and Work Institute evaluated the progress of individuals six months and one year after they had attended the LifeWorks course. 83% of those who attended LifeWorks moved into employment, education, training or volunteering within one year of attending the intensive course.

This is a significant result, even more so now it is known that 4/5 of the ex-service personnel who attend LifeWorks have a health condition or disability and 65% are aged over 40.

6 MONTHS AFTER COURSE

54% IN EMPLOYMENT

70% OF

THOSE

IN

76% WORK

WERE IN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT

12 MONTHS AFTER COURSE

62% IN EMPLOYMENT

76% OF

THOSE

IN

I N E M P L O Y M E N T, E D U C AT I O N O R

VOLUNTEERING

83% WORK

WERE IN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT

“

I N E M P L O Y M E N T, E D U C AT I O N O R

VOLUNTEERING

RBLI SHOULD CONSIDER DEVELOPING THE PROGRAMME SPECIFICALLY AROUND ADULTS WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS

“

LEARNING & WORK INSTITUTE

L I F E W O R K S E VA L U AT I O N 2 0 1 6

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS Comparative analysis found that LifeWorks outperforms both the Work Programme and Work Choice.

As a result, LifeWorks offers a unique and successful service in helping Veterans to transition from a military to a civilian career and LifeWorks advisors offer highly specialised and effective support.

It also has huge potential in being able to support those beyond the military community, especially those with disabilities and health conditions.

THE FUTURE Following the publication of this report, RBLI will now seek to:

DEVELOP THE COURSE FOR NEW AUDIENCES Further develop the course to meet the needs of delegates living with long-term health conditions and disabilities.

ALL DELEGATES WOULD RECOMMEND

All delegates interviewed would recommend LifeWorks to ex-Armed Forces personnel. Delegates were particularly positive about the ongoing support received through the reachback process.

MORE COURSES ACROSS THE UK The Learning and Work Institute recommend that RBLI look to increase the visibility of LifeWorks within the Veteran community and deliver more regional courses across the UK so more ex-service personnel can benefit from the support offered.

HUGE POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE MILITARY The Learning & Work Institute recommend that RBLI further develop LifeWorks to meet the employment needs of those in the wider community living with long-term health conditions and disabilities.

PEO PL E IN E MP L O Y M E N T, T R A I N I N G O R VO L UNT E E R I NG W IT HIN 1 Y E AR O F C O UR S E

83%

OUTPERFORMS WORK PROGRAMME OUTPERFORMS WORK CHOICE

50%

HALVE THE DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT GAP At the end of 2015, the employment rate amongst disabled people was over 30% below that for non-disabled people.

RBLI will work with the government to explore how LifeWorks can help to halve the disability employment gap.

INCREASE AWARENESS AMONGST VETERANS Increase the visibility of LifeWorks among the Veteran community to ensure that all those who can benefit know about the opportunity.

EVALUATE SUSTAINABILITY Evaluate the sustainability of LifeWorks employment outcomes over a longer period of time.

LW

LIFEW wearelifeworks.org.uk

RKS

01622 795900

lifeworks@rbli.co.uk

A DIVISION OF RBLI LifeWorks is a division of RBLI. Charity No. 210063