Agenda item

To hear from Case Workers at St Giles Trust on Youth Employment programs and the council’s role in these programs.

The commission then received a report and also heard Russ Brummell, Senior Employment Caseworker St. Giles Trust on the following themes

·  Southwark Works contract with St. Giles Trust; working with people having learning difficulties, disabilities, autism and also including care leavers, mental health issues, homelessness and substance abuse.

·  Helping young people (16-25) education support and training, volunteering, apprenticeships; Dealing with complex cases over a long period of time reaching out to individuals who are overlooked in society due to problematic issues

·  Helping people with applications, preparation for interviews, in-work support, getting organisations to make reasonable adjustments, peer based support.

·  Case studies- 90 clients with special needs having dyslexia and autism, progress has been made with a lot of the clients securing jobs as teachers, nurses, bus drivers etc.

·  AJ- from a family of 11 siblings all with complex needs, AJ has successfully completed level 3 painting and decorating course, working with St. Giles inspired confidence and helped AJ realise his potential even with household projects such carpentry and electronics; St Giles supported him in securing Construction Skills Certification Scheme accreditation. AJ has also secured painting and decorating work on short term contracts for Sotheby’s. AJ now also works with supporting young people with mental health issues in the area through St. Giles trust.

·  Another case study on a young lady referred by the Local Mental Health unit who suffered from mental health issues stemming from a lack of parental care and families confidence in her life choices, such as volunteering to help under 15 girls into football and working with animals. With Russ’s support this young individual has now been successful in interviewing securing two voluntary roles at the London Zoo looking after penguins and animals like giraffes and camels respectively.

The commission then asked questions on the following topics

·  Budget for the 4 contracts funded by Southwark Council; Processes and working relationship with Southwark Council; Areas of Southwark contracts and St. Giles trust which provide the most fruitful outcomes

·  Career development in schools for young people with special needs; process for young people St. Giles and young offenders with special needs looking for employment; employment opportunities and hurdles faced

·  Council definition of progression for better work and ring fencing employment and placement opportunities;

With regards to budgets for the 4 lot contracts in the report and working processes of Southwark Works with St. Giles and also areas where it would provide most fruitful results; the commission agreed that these questions be best put to the author of the report, Carleigh Grogan, Camberwell Skills & Employment Manager, St. Giles Trust in an email for a response.

Russ informed the commission that there is always a need for more caseworkers and also that there have been successes in other outreach programmes within St. Giles, however the problematic cases have been heavily reliant on education and training support service as it’s the most experienced and critical to its success.

Russ explained to the commission that career development in schools lacks engagement with young people with special needs on career guidance and aspirations, and also that the focus should be on the immediate future plan for young people rather than long term career goals. Young people with special needs have become dis-enfranchised in society due to lack of social interactions during Covid and unattainable aspirations influenced by the internet.

The commission learned from Russ that there are employment opportunities in the job market, however employer expectations are normally for potential candidates to be able to do the job from day one, which in the case of young people with special needs does not work. St. Giles invests a lot in education and career development training to bring such individuals up to speed to apply for those jobs. St. Giles does not follow a school training format with regards to timings and supports young people throughout their employment, as and when needed.

Russ informed the commission that he is unaware whether any progression for better work and ring-fencing jobs and placements has been explored by senior officers of the council and St. Giles trust. However, St. Giles does refer individual cases to the monitoring officers. St. Giles trust actively track percentage of young people with special need in employment within the contractual relationship with the council.

The Chair then suggested making recommendations around the following points

·  Council ring-fencing employment and work placement opportunities for residents

·  Better work progression

·  Review of the Tri-Borough partnership that existed pre-pandemic.

·  Employers to provide more entry level work