The London Borough of Hackney has started to run an employment support programme for people under going substance misuse treatment. The six-week programme offers everything from help writing CVs to confidence building sessions. It has had an immediate impact.
The challenge
The Government’s drug strategy lists a series of priorities for recovery – among them is sustained employment. It says there is a mutually reinforcing relationship between employment and recovery - those who are employed tend to stay in work throughout treatment.
However, only around one in five people starting treatment are employed. But few who enter treatment without work find it during or after treatment. In Hackney, there is also a general employment support service for all residents, Hackney Works. It has proved successful at helping residents find work, but it was felt something extra was needed to support those undergoing substance misuse treatment.
The solution
The London Borough of Hackney’s substance misuse service launched its own supported employment programme in October 2017. It runs for six weeks, taking place on two separate days, giving about 50 hours of learning in total. This includes sessions on:
- confidence building
- interpersonal skills and effective communication
- self-care and healthy living
- building and maintaining a support network
- CV development and completing application forms
- how to search for job opportunities
- interviewing skills.
Participants have to meet three criteria – they must be stable in recovery, be referred by a key worker and motivated for change.
The course builds on a Big Lottery-funded project run by the Westminster Drug Project (WDP), which is commissioned to provide the local substance misuse project.
The scheme – Giving Something Back into Work (GSB) – ran for three years across parts of London and in Bedfordshire. Once the Big Lottery funding had finished, the team behind that programme trained local Hackney staff to deliver the project.
The London Borough of Hackney’s = Public Health Strategist Helen Brock said: “The programme bridges the gap between what is available to all and what those involved with substance misuse services need.
“The development of skills and employment opportunities is crucial to recovery. We do a lot to support people to access benefits and housing, but ensuring they have the support they need to find work afterwards helps to prevent relapse and aids their recovery. It is providing an essential service.”
Impact
The Big Lottery programme had already proved extremely successful before the launch of the bespoke Hackney scheme. Over 140 people took part in it in the participating areas with 85 per cent of those who started the course completing it.
Some 100 per cent reported an increase in employability skills and job readiness. Results from the first cohort in Hackney are equally impressive. Ten completed it, achieving an Open College Network level 2 employability award with all progressing on to some form of education, training or employment.
One of the participants who took part said: “I liked everything about the course because it had a good structure and enabled me to discover my strengths, skills and abilities.”
Lessons learned
The Big Lottery programme was based around a 10-week course. But since that funding source ended and it has been rolled out locally to Hackney and other areas, the organisers have had to be flexible.
In Hackney adjustments have had to be made to fit the course into six weeks.
“We have had to assess what can be done locally,” said Rebecca Odedra, WDP’s reintegration programme manager, who has overseen GSB. “That has meant reducing some of the sessions and merging others.
“The key is getting the right people locally trained – they need to have a willingness to be involved, be a strong facilitator and confident. We have a coordinator who can help support and co-deliver some of the sessions, but the idea is to make it sustainable.”
How the approach is being sustained
GSB is now fully embedded in the work WDP does in Hackney. One of the key focuses for the future is integrating it closely with the Hackney Works scheme.
Hackney Works offers more general support, including help accessing grants and a wider access to training than GSB can provide. The team also has good links with local employers to help people find jobs and can help people access the council’s apprenticeships scheme.
One person from the first GSB cohort has already received support from Hackney Works, enabling them to set up a coffee bar business. Ms Brock said: “We want to see more of that. Hackney Works complements what GSB can do and we want to ensure there is a smooth pathway from one to the other. I think that will help people in recovery even more.”
Contact details
Helen Brock
ublic Health Strategist, Hackney Council [email protected]