Delivering reform – helping homeless people into housing and employment Amanda McIntyre Director, ERSA

What is ERSA? The voice of independent providers of welfare-to-work services Support long-term unemployed and others to find and keep work, develop skills Over 65% DWP’s contracted provision Private, public and voluntary sector organisations, of all sizes Believe work changes lives for the better

Our overall view of welfare reform We’re at the start of an ambitious reform journey Sound aspirations, but challenging for policy makers, commissioners & providers We should not expect to get everything right first time But we must learn lessons And fix the problem, not the blame

What was wrong with the system? Process driven Fragmented – and disconnected from other public policies Old-style contracting Not good for those with multiple barriers Not learning lessons from niche providers who were breaking down the barriers

How is this being addressed? A “revolution in the provision landscape” Flexible New Deal: ‘black box’ for innovation Commissioning Strategy: focused on sustainable employment outcomes Devolution and joined-up government: to address multiple sources of disadvantage Big changes – in an economic downturn

Flexible New Deal Takes forward the “deal” between Govt and clients, after 12 months with JCP Sub-regional planning & provision “Black box”: specification limited to action plan and employment related activity But will low FND budget support hardest to help? Will FND processes foster innovation?

Commissioning strategy Strongly support focus on outcomes Most outcome risks are outside control of any one party, so model needs to change: –From risk allocation to risk management –From contractor-client split to genuine ‘one team’ approach across supply chain Need outcome-based performance management that avoids cash-flow hit

Devolution & joined-up government Yes please! Huge opportunities, through Local Area Agreements, Housing Green Paper etc Local leadership key Allow providers in to help develop local strategies Don’t make life difficult, eg set sub-regional boundaries carefully

Big changes in an economic downturn A welfare “trampoline” not a safety net “No one written off” must hold true – don’t park the hardest to help Base financial evaluations on whole life VFM, not short term affordability Smart investment of the fiscal stimulus, eg better housing + jobs + training

Make sure we learn the lessons Flexibility – and fair competition Learn lessons for next round of flexible New Deal – and for other programmes Invest in building relationships Celebrate successes together WILLOW – Off the Streets and into Work running 2 yr project to gather voice of smaller London providers

Take sound advice Franklin D. Roosevelt “One thing is sure. We have to do something. We have to do the best we know how at the moment…If it doesn’t turn out right we can modify it as we go along.” Speaking about the New Deal – March 1933