Ireland’s National Employment Action Plan Preventive Strategy MISEP meeting Paris, 3rd November 2008 Nessan Vaughan FÁS – Training and Employment Authority

Employment Action Plan (EAP) Milestones Process Supports Outcomes Evaluation Next Steps

Employment Action Plan (EAP) Under the EAP, persons in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance (JB/JA) who reach various duration thresholds on the Live Register, are identified by the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) and referred to FÁS for interview, with a view to assisting them enter/re-enter employment. This is part of the Government’s response to the EU Employment Guidelines

EAP Milestones Date Roll-Out September 1998 Under 25 years at six months (In addition, 1st March 1999 – Under 25 years at 18 months) May 1999 25 – 35 years – reaching 12 months on Live Register October 1999 Pilot Scheme in Kilkenny and Ballyfermot – all persons on LR for six months – ran until May 2000 February 2000 35 – 55 at 12 months on Live Register July 2000 25 – 55 at 9 months on Live Register March 2003 25 – 55 at six months on Live Register July 2006 November 2006 56 – 65 at six months on Live Register 18 – 65 at three months on Live Register

EAP Process Electronic transfer of files from the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) to FÁS of persons approaching 3 months in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance/ Benefit (approx 1,600 per week) Client offered interview appointment with FÁS on reaching 3 months unemployment FÁS Employment Services Officer (ESO) assigned to meet with and support client

Process (ii) ESO ‘caseloads’ client to track and record each interaction, i.e. meetings, contact, support offered/ provided, outcomes, etc. FÁS reports to DSFA, by electronic communication, on client process – did not attend (if applicable), support provided (referred to training/ employment programme), placed in employment, not progression ready, declined intervention, etc.

EAP Supports Each client ‘caseloaded’ by ESO Client agrees Action Plan with ESO in relation to entering/ re-entering employment Client receives priority in relation to all FÁS options – training/ employment programmes, jobs clubs, access to customised supports, job vacancy matching etc. Technical Employment Support fund – customised flexible employment and training support grant

Supports (ii) High Support Process (HSP) – multi-agency teams, €2500 to purchase intervention, if necessary Pathways – group guidance to provide mutual support, motivation and Action Plan in a group context Increased contact with Employers (increased market share) Enhanced self-help facilities

Supports (iii) If client requires a more intensive Guidance service and other more long term supports, they may be referred by FÁS to Local Employment Services (LES). LES: community-based, independent companies, contracted by FÁS to deliver services to clients considered most distant from the labour market. LES Mediator ‘caseloads’ clients using FÁS Caseload Management System LES provides a range of customised and enhanced supports, including access to Mediator Fund LES referrals also receive priority from FÁS in relation to training/ employment programmes etc

Supports (iv) Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment (DETE), DSFA and FÁS overall Management DSFA/FÁS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out framework High level Inter-Departmental meetings to agree on policy and administrative issues Regional FÁS/DSFA meetings to monitor the operation of the EAP/develop appropriate regional strategies Quarterly meetings held at local FÁS/DSFA level to resolve operational matters relating to EAP and other issues of mutual concern

Outcomes 2004 2005 2006 2007 No. of clients referred 52,328 40,718 37,959 51,452 No. of clients interviewed 35,136 28,714 25,186 32,124 No of clients placed in Employment/ Training/ Education 9,718 6,804 8,783 11,088 % of clients* who left the Live Register 58% 60% 59% 63% * Approximately 73% of clients have left the Register one year later

EAP Evaluation Commissioned by DETE in conjunction with FÁS and DSFA Undertaken by Indecon International Economic Consultants following a tender evaluation (September 2005)

Evaluation (ii) 143,216 total referrals from DSFA to FÁS (1999 – 2003) DSFA increased referrals to FÁS from 21,702 in 1999 to 43,595 in 2003 Approx. cost of EAP €15.5m (2004)

Evaluation (iii) Main findings: EAP is largely a success Process encouraged early exit from Live Register and appears to have reduced likelihood of long-term unemployment Participation impacts positively and significantly on Labour Market outcomes Likely savings to unemployment payments up to 5% of total expenditures - net benefit of €35million per annum Reasonable level of satisfaction with the process among significant numbers of participants, although this was not uniform and some did not feel this was of assistance

Evaluation (IV) Main Recommendations Continuation of the EAP Extend to selected other groups Maintain multi-faceted approach to supports Review supports for ‘Not Progression-Ready’ groups – intensify high support process; review all ‘NPR’ clients Intensive follow-up of all EAP clients back on Live Register

Evaluation (V) Main Recommendations (cont’d) Greater use of Local Employment Services Procedure for dealing with ‘Declined Intervention’ Group Improvements to MIS and IT Co-operation between FÁS and DSFA Maximise FÁS Employment Services Officer resource Immediate referral of 18 year olds

EAP Next Steps - 18/19 Year Olds (to commence shortly on a text basis) Continue to apply the process to all persons on reaching 3 months in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance/ Benefit Further develop appropriate supports/ interventions Pilot activation of other target groups Further extend activation process to other DSFA clients who are unemployed and in line with commitments under Towards 2016 (National Partnership Agreement) and the National Development Plan - 18/19 Year Olds (to commence shortly on a text basis) - Re- Referrals - People in receipt of One Parent Family Payment - People with a Disability

Next Steps (ii) Update FÁS/ DSFA Memorandum of Understanding to reflect these commitments and to effect further and closer collaboration in the interest of our clients Review and update, if necessary, FÁS/ LES protocols and contracts in conjunction with PLANET (Network of Area Partnership Companies) Implement FÁS/ DSFA Action Plan in response to Indecon Review

Thank You