eleven - Evaluating a partnership approach to supporting people into employment

Summary

Introduction

The government is keen to support disadvantaged groups into employment. Partnership is also a central plank of UK government policy. This chapter reports the findings of an evaluation study of an employment project called People into Employment (PIE). In the words of its promotional literature, “[PIE] hopes to assist people back into employment, on an individual, unpressurised, informal basis, in a manner which suits them”. The client groups that the project supported were disabled people, carers and former carers. The PIE project offered a tailored package of support, comprising information, advice and practical help on jobs, training and benefits provided through the only member of staff, the Project Development Officer, who worked on a one-to-one basis with PIE clients. If appropriate, referrals were made to other agencies.

The PIE was a ‘partnership’ project (see later in this chapter). Partners were determined that PIE should continue beyond its initial two-year funding period, and the Social Policy Research Unit at the University of York was commissioned to evaluate the project. The independent evaluation was prompted by the wishes:

• • to obtain information on performance and effectiveness;

• • to review activities and goals, and to use the results to modify practice;

• • to obtain public relations material;

• • but in particular to inform bids for further external funding.

The full findings are presented elsewhere (Arksey, 2002; see also Arksey, 2003). The analysis presented here focuses on partnership activity at both the policy and operational level. The chapter is organised as follows. First, some background information about the PIE project and how the partnership arrangements worked is given. The research methods for the evaluation are then described. The next section documents key findings relating first to the facilitators to partnership working, and second to the barriers (internal and external) to partnership working. The chapter concludes with a short discussion about PIE's model of partnership working; how PIE is boosting social and other forms of capital in its locality; the role of the Project Development Officer; and changes in partnership behaviour as a result of the interim evaluation report. Finally, some ideas for improving partnership arrangements are offered.