1. VCS Round Table Event Voluntary Action Islington Tuesday 1 st April Cllr Claudia Webbe Vice-chair of the Employment Commission

2. Who are the Commission? Leading figures from the voluntary, private and public sector

3. Why have we set up the Employment Commission? Islington has 10,700 unemployed residents and 39,800 economically inactive residents There are 1.3 jobs for every resident of working age but only 25% are filled by residents There are 6,142 workless households with dependent children – the highest proportion in the country Islington has the second highest level of child poverty in the country

4. Our Approach People Start from point of view of people in different cohorts. Meet people in each cohort who have overcome barriers & who have not. Q: What do these cohorts need from the system or employers to get into work? Employers Start from the perspective of employers to consider employability of each cohort. Meet employers who do (and don't) employ these groups. Q:What would enable/ encourage employers to employ more people from these cohorts? Systems See how the system works (or doesn’t) for different cohorts. Meet organisations and people doing different things as part of the system. Q: How could the system work better for these cohorts? What are the inspiring new ideas to explore? What needs to be done to avoid long term unemployment for the next generation?

5. What are we doing? Commission has organised around the three workstreams: people, employers, and systems Focus on two priority cohorts: people on sickness and disability benefits and unemployed parents –Within these BME, faith, young people, etc Commissioners, with a ‘leader’ for each workstream, to engage with local organisations, employers, and key employment service providers Commissioners will get back together to share findings and ideas and look at the overlaps and connections Further investigation, ideas testing as needed Recommendations - not just what the council can do, but what we could influence, at local, regional and national level.

6. Timetable March - AprilVisits and investigations around initial workstreams: people, employers and systems. Focus on priority cohorts: people on sickness and disability benefits and unemployed parents. 1 st AprilRoundtable discussion with VCS late AprilMeeting of Commission to share findings and narrow focus. May - JunePhase two of investigation focused on innovation and ideas and applying those in Islington in short and long- term. 21 st June‘Employment Summit’ – large public event July – SeptemberDeveloping recommendations. First draft by September. AutumnPublication of findings and recommendations.

7. What have we already found out? We know that issues such as childcare, ESOL, skills and disability are barriers to people finding work. We’ve also heard that confidence, flexible hours and age can be affect whether people get into work. You told us that culture may be a barrier the council hasn’t fully explored.

8. 1. What barriers do your clients experience in getting into work? 2. What are the opportunities to make a difference? What could you do differently? Discussion questions

9. Find out more and keep up-to-date: www.islington.gov.uk/employmentcommission Email: sarah.barr@islington.gov.uk www.islington.gov.uk/employmentcommissionsarah.barr@islington.gov.uk Keep in touch