setting up digital clubs in jobcentre plus (nyree scott & james craines)
DESCRIPTION
Tinder Foundation Employability Specialist Network Event - 19th June 2014 Presentation from Nyree Scott & James CrainesTRANSCRIPT
Setting up Digital Clubs in JCP using LMW as the learning platform with clients
Nyree ScottProject Manager Digital Inclusion
Adult Learning and Skills Service
Cambridgeshire County Council
Thursday 19th June 2014
James CraneWork Services Manager
Jobcentre Plus, East Anglia District
Background Beginning of 2013
Employers now mainly recruiting via digital media Universal Jobmatch introduced November 2012 Vital that Jobcentre Plus supports and prepares
claimants to give them best opportunity to gain employment
Predicament Jobcentre Plus refers claimants to IT courses with
providers but have found that some claimants do not fully engage or want to admit that they are not digitally aware.
NeedsNew claimants need to have CV, E-mail
account and access to Universal Jobmatch siteJCP Cambridgeshire wanted to be able to offer
access to digital services on-site. Gov’t expectation that 80% of new benefit
claims to be made online.
Predicament Due to welfare reform, and benefit payment changed,
some Jobcentres have more space available.
Predicament – space available, but no access to IT equipment; we really wanted netbooks or laptops as these are often less intimidating to new users. Also had no public internet access
Solution – partnership workLearning Services (LS ) and Adult Careers
Service (ACS) both part of Cambridgeshire’s Service Adult Learning and Skills discussions -
We may have the answer…
Partnership work!
Project PartnershipLS running a number of projects:
Tinder Foundation with LMW project EU Interreg funded projects E-COOP and IMPRESS
We were keen to work with JCP/DWP
Solving the issue of kitLS were able to recycle Netbooks from previous
projects that were able to be used for clients to search the internet.
Bio-tech company donated additional kit to provide large screens.
Further partnershipTo solve the issue of wifi access :Further partnership work saw Careers Service offer to
help run Digital Work Clubs from these centres and put a bid into DWP to get 24 months supply of mifi internet.
Piloted then flyingFirst pilot started in Cambridge, closely followed
by PeterboroughMifi enabled Cambridge and Peterborough to
open almost simultaneously with Wisbech coming online a few monthslater.
How does it work?JCP Staff trained how to make the best use of
Learn My Way and it’s modulesJobcentres created tick sheet for new claimants
about digital knowledge if any one of questions was ticked as a “no”, the claimant is referred immediately to the Digital Suite to have a discussion about their needs.
Getting helpnetbooks with headphones allocated to each
claimantEach claimant creates their
own LMW accountWorking at their own
speed with help from a member of staff whenever needed
What do the Digital Suites provide?Learn My Way – Skills training and health
informationAdditional facilities –
Drop in Job search, Access to Cambridgeshire Careers Service CV updates Formal IT qualification introduced
OutcomesAlmost 500 people having registered on Learn my Way
within the space of 8 months1000+ people have had access to
work online and many for the very first time
Digital suites/Clubs set upThree separate sites across Cambridgeshire have now
been set up: Cambridge Peterborough Wisbech
Client ImpactsLMW gives them the chance to learn at their own speed
and encourages them to do a another module Immediately improves self confidence and makes gives
a feeling of “I can do it”. Normal provision often disengaging.Accessible short, short compact courses which clients
can repeat and complete often inless than an hour
Client Impacts
Current up to date including social networking which is vital to gain new skills and new ways to look for jobs.
Importance of an online profile in the presence of employers looking online to see prospective employees.
Thank you
For further information on this project please contact: