Breaking the Cycle The Importance of Employment Greg Walker Chief Executive - CREATE

CREATE’S AIMS ENVIRONMENTAL – To recycle / refurbish used electrical ‘white goods’ SOCIAL - To provide affordable white goods for low income households EMPLOYMENT - To provide work for disadvantaged adults FINANCIAL–To be financially sustainable

CREATE’S RESULTS ENVIRONMENTAL - Recycling over 2000 used ‘white goods’ per week SOCIAL - Refurbishing and selling about 250 products per week to low income households through our own shops & other charities. EMPLOYMENT–In 14 years we’ve moved over 450 people on to full time employment FINANCIAL – Our core costs are met through our commercial activities, not grants

FINANCIAL FACTS £2 million turnover - split as follows: Recycling Contracts and Sales of Raw Materials – 24% Sales of Refurbished Goods & Manufacturers Returns - 50% Training & Employment Contracts - 24% Grant Income - 2% - (In 1998 our grant income was 53% of our turnover.) We strive to make a surplus – we don't always succeed!

Employment / Training Contracts – What CREATE provide Contracts from local councils enable CREATE to provide Paid employment for 3 months at minimum wage Individual training plan dictated by needs of individual and funds available Relevant generic and vocational training Job Search and interview training Links to employers & employment agencies Real work combined with personal support

Employment / Training Contracts – Primary Target Groups Unemployed adults from the priority groups dictated by the local councils Long term unemployed year olds Recovering Substance Misusers Ex Offenders Disadvantaged ethnic groups Disabled adults People on Incapacity Benefit???

Breaking the Cycle - Contracts versus Grants Sustainability means contracts not grants Targets need to be met Reduction in flexibility Grants can help meet social aims better

Breaking the Cycle - Job Creation or Moving on Some people get taken on to CREATE’s staff (43 staff – 60% ex trainees) Others will move into work with partner charities Moving on to jobs locally in vocational growth areas Increased use of placements during their contract

Breaking the Cycle - Hardest to Place People CREATE does a growing amount of work with ex offenders Partnership with HMP Liverpool, City Employment Strategy Team, Involvement of C.I.B., Probation Service, Job Centre, Working Links Current market place - realistically only around 25% moving on Look for other outcomes – reduction in re-offending - training

Breaking the Cycle - Hints Look to contract with councils that do the funding work for you Develop grants alongside contracts where possible Provide real work – not ‘scheme’ type work Work with organisations that are there – don’t try and re-invent the wheel Base your operation on what the local employers want Be ideologically promiscuous - Be innovative

BETTER FUTURES FOR PEOPLE & PRODUCTS